How do compile glfw as a lib for zig?

[sly dome]

The question's wording is ambiguous, could mean a few things:

• if you want to use glfw with zig you need a wrapper of some kind. either using translate-c or cImport, or using an existing ziggified wrapper
• If you already have a wrapper, and want to compile glfw as a library then you can use the existing glfw buildsystem to compile either a dynamic or static library, and then link your application with it
• If you want hands-off-don't-care use glfw with zig, then use an existing wrapper, like mach-glfw or zig-gamedev's wrapper (I believe called zglfw)

Mentioning the differences because compile glfw as a lib and using a C library with Zig are separate topics that are used as equivalent in the title, but they aren't the same

[mint juniper]

I want to compile it as a lib to accompany the header files

[sly dome]

The clarification makes the question even more ambiguous
can you explain what you are trying to achieve? What is your end-goal?

are you making an engine, or a game, or an application of some other type. whats the end goal exactly?

[mint juniper]

I want to compile it to a gnu-abi lib so that I can link it to zig

as in .lib/.a

[sly dome]

then the simplest solution is to use their buildsystem. they already have support for that

[mint juniper]

how

cmake can't compile it to mingw

[sly dome]

https://www.glfw.org/docs/latest/build_guide.html

[sly dome]

if you want cross-compilation, then definitely go with an existing wrapper that has zig a buildsystem for it

mingw is not worth your time at all, ever

zigcc simplifies that process 100 fold, and also solves every other cross-compilation platform, all at once

[mint juniper]

isn't zglfw outdated?

[sly dome]

Might be. I use my own simple version, so I don't keep up with it
That said, glfw changes very little
Unless you are going for wayland-only-mandatory-for-linux, then the latest glfw patches are not that revolutionary

[mint juniper]

So how do I build it with zig cc?

[sly dome]

link to the wrapper and use it as a module

I wish I could give exact steps, but how to do that depends on their buildsystem setup,
so you need to follow their instructions
and I don't use them myself so I can't give any detailed insights there

[mint juniper]

are there any guides?

[sly dome]

In the simplified version that I use I just call their cmake, but I currently don't cross compile, so I don't remember details

[sly dome]

they should be in their readme
if you have never used a zig library as a module, though, then the official buildsystem tutorial should explain most of what you need

[mint juniper]

links?

[sly dome]

https://ziglang.org/learn/build-system/

[mint juniper]

So this will somehow produce a .a/.lib from the c code?

[sly dome]

oh, wow. mach-glfw is deprecated entirely. emi stopped supporting it 3days ago 👀
https://github.com/emidoots/mach-glfw

[mint juniper]

I'm given no clear instruction on what to do to compile the necessary .a file for zig

[sly dome]

that will teach you how to use the Zig's buildsystem, which will let you link against any library
the idea is that you link to the zig buildsystem of the zig wrapper (not glfw directly) and the wrapper provides the C buildsystem connection for you

[sly dome]

because its not a simple answer, and I'm giving you pointers on what you need to do to continue figuring it out