Bug #20800: Don't place `ruby` executable into `/usr/libexec/x86_64-linux/bin`

• Status: Open
• Assignee: -
• Target version: -
• ruby -v: ruby 3.4.0dev (2024-10-15 master 3da3cabf98) +PRISM [x86_64-linux]
• Backport: 3.1: UNKNOWN, 3.2: UNKNOWN, 3.3: UNKNOWN

[vo.x (Vit Ondruch)]

Trying to prepare Ruby 3.4 package for Fedora, it seems that since 1, the ruby executable is installed into /usr/libexec/x86_64-linux/bin:

installing binary commands:         /usr/libexec/x86_64-linux/bin

Unfortunately, the PR does not explain anything about reasons why. To me, using libexec is surprising, because according to FHS 2, the directory is for internal binaries. What is even more surprising is usage of the bin subdirectory there, which IMHO does not follow any standard or convention (I don't have /usr/libexec/x86_64-linux/bin directory on my Fedora yet).

Just FTR, these are the configuration options used:

/builddir/build/BUILD/ruby-3.4.0_20241016git3da3cabf98-build/ruby-3.4.0-3da3cabf98/configure --build=x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu --host=x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu --program-prefix= --disable-dependency-tracking --prefix=/usr --exec-prefix=/usr --bindir=/usr/bin --sbindir=/usr/sbin --sysconfdir=/etc --datadir=/usr/share --includedir=/usr/include --libdir=/usr/lib64 --libexecdir=/usr/libexec --localstatedir=/var --runstatedir=/run --sharedstatedir=/var/lib --mandir=/usr/share/man --infodir=/usr/share/info --with-rubylibprefix=/usr/share/ruby --with-archlibdir=/usr/lib64 --with-rubyarchprefix=/usr/lib64/ruby --with-sitedir=/usr/local/share/ruby/site_ruby --with-sitearchdir=/usr/local/lib64/ruby/site_ruby --with-vendordir=/usr/share/ruby/vendor_ruby --with-vendorarchdir=/usr/lib64/ruby/vendor_ruby --with-rubyhdrdir=/usr/include --with-rubyarchhdrdir=/usr/include '--with-sitearchhdrdir=$(sitehdrdir)/$(arch)' '--with-vendorarchhdrdir=$(vendorhdrdir)/$(arch)' --with-rubygemsdir=/usr/share/rubygems --with-ruby-pc=ruby.pc --with-compress-debug-sections=no --disable-rpath --enable-mkmf-verbose --enable-shared --with-ruby-version= --enable-multiarch --enable-yjit

The --enable-multiarch is among the options. It is used not because Fedora would be multiarch, but because it provides the highest flexibility.

[alanwu (Alan Wu)]

I'm not familiar with this area, but using --enable-multiarch when not multiarch seems like a misuse of the feature. Also, can you explain where you'd like it to place ruby?

[vo.x (Vit Ondruch)]

but using --enable-multiarch when not multiarch seems like a misuse of the feature.

I don't disagree. If I had other option, I'd use it. If somebody is interested to help, I'll gladly open separate ticket to share what are my thoughts on this topic.

can you explain where you'd like it to place ruby?

It is hard to guess what was the reason for 1 (and actually that should be the content of PR / commit message. Can this be improved, please?). So to me, it is questionable why the /usr/libexec/ + symlink are used on the first place. But given this is reasonable change, then the path should likely be /usr/libexec/x86_64-linux/ruby. At least this is my interpretation of FHS 2 and that would be aligned with what is the standard on Fedora (although admittedly, we would also leave out the x86_64-linux, because Fedora is not multilib).

BTW I also don't understand why if usage of /usr/libexec/ + symlink was deemed useful, why it should be mulitilib only.

[vo.x (Vit Ondruch)]

vo.x (Vit Ondruch) wrote in #note-2:

the path should likely be /usr/libexec/x86_64-linux/ruby

Just to clarify, the ruby would be the binary. Of course it could also be directory should there be need for more files in libexec