Compilation Issues with Bitcoin: A Comprehensive Guide
As a fan of cryptocurrency, it’s natural to want to build and deploy your own version of the popular Bitcoin blockchain. However, compiling Bitcoin can be a daunting task due to its complex dependencies and strict licensing requirements. In this article, we’ll delve into some common issues encountered when building Bitcoin using CMake and provide guidance on how to overcome them.
The Error: Leveldb
not found
The error message you received indicates that the Leveldb library is missing from your build path. The Leveldb database is a core component of Bitcoin, providing a lightweight alternative to traditional databases for storing data.
To fix this issue, you’ll need to add the following directory to your CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR
variable in the CMake configuration file (CMakeLists.txt
) or use the --add_module
option when compiling:
- CMake Configuration File (CMakeLists.txt):
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10)
add_package(BitcoinLib)
target_include_directories(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
Leveledb::Leveledb
*
Using CMake:
CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake .. -DBUILD_EXTENSION=Leveldb
- Compilation Command:
cmake --build .
Common Compilation Issues and Solutions
- No
Leveledb
Library Found:Ensure that the Leveldb library is installed on your system’s PATH environment variable.
- CMake Error (Leveldb not found):
* Check if you have the Leveldb development package installed.
* Use CMake to build and link against Leveledb
.
- Missing
Leveledb
Library:
* Reinstall the Leveledb
library by running apt-get install leveldb-dev
(for Ubuntu-based systems) or brew install leveldb
(if using Homebrew).
- No
Leveledb
Library Found on Linux: Ensure that the Leveldb development package is installed for your Linux distribution.
Best Practices and Next Steps
- When building Bitcoin, always use the latest version of CMake to ensure compatibility with the most recent dependencies.
- For a successful build, make sure to provide the correct path to the
Leveledb
library when compiling.
- Consider using a build system like Meson or Scons for more flexibility and control over your build process.
By following these troubleshooting steps and best practices, you should be able to successfully compile and deploy your own Bitcoin version. Happy building!