Adw – 1: Compiling with Libadwaita
Description: Reference for Adw-1: Compiling with Libadwaita

#### Compiling with Libadwaita

If you need to build Libadwaita, get the source from here and see the `README.md` file.

## Using `pkg-config`

Like other GNOME libraries, Libadwaita uses `pkg-config` to provide compiler options. The package name is `libadwaita-1`.

When using the Meson build system you can declare a dependency like:

    dependency('libadwaita-1')

The `1` in the package name is the “API version” (indicating “the version of the Libadwaita API that first appeared in version 1”) and is essentially just part of the package name.

## Bundling the Library

### Using Flatpak

If you’re using the GNOME SDK of the version 42 or later, Libadwaita is already included and there’s no need to do anything.

If you’re using an older version or a different SDK, add the following modules to your manifest:

    {
        "name" : "libadwaita",
        "buildsystem" : "meson",
        "config-opts" : [
            "-Dexamples=false",
            "-Dtests=false"
        ],
        "sources" : [
            {
                "type" : "git",
                "url" : "https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libadwaita.git",
                "branch" : "main"
            }
        ],
        "modules" : [
            {
                "name" : "libsass",
                "buildsystem" : "meson",
                "cleanup" : [
                    "*"
                ],
                "sources" : [
                    {
                        "type" : "git",
                        "url" : "https://github.com/lazka/libsass.git",
                        "branch" : "meson"
                    }
                ]
            },
            {
                "name" : "sassc",
                "buildsystem" : "meson",
                "cleanup" : [
                    "*"
                ],
                "sources" : [
                    {
                        "type" : "git",
                        "url" : "https://github.com/lazka/sassc.git",
                        "branch" : "meson"
                    }
                ]
            }
        ]
    }

### Using a Subproject

If you’re not using Flatpak, Libadwaita can be used as a Meson subproject. Create a `subprojects/libadwaita.wrap` file with the following contents:

    [wrap-git]
    directory=libadwaita
    url=https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libadwaita.git
    revision=main
    depth=1

Add this to your `meson.build`:

    libadwaita = dependency(
      'libadwaita-1',
      version: '>= 1.0.0',
      fallback: ['libadwaita', 'libadwaita_dep'],
      default_options: [
        'examples=false',
        'introspection=disabled',
        'tests=false',
        'vapi=false',
      ]
    )

Then the `libadwaita` variable can be used as a dependency.

## Building on macOS

To build on macOS you need to install the build-dependencies first. This can e.g. be done via `brew`:

    brew install pkg-config gtk4 meson gobject-introspection vala

After running the command above, one may now build the library:

    git clone https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libadwaita.git
    cd libadwaita
    meson _build
    ninja -C _build
    ninja -C _build install

Working with the library on macOS is pretty much the same as on Linux. To link it, use `pkg-config`:

    gcc $(pkg-config --cflags --libs gtk4) $(pkg-config --cflags --libs libadwaita-1) main.c -o main

# Next Steps

Once libadwaita has been compiled and included into your project, it needs to be initialized. See Initialization.