Static linking libssl.a and libcrypto.a on Linux x64 fails

[Michael Wojcik]

> From: Aijaz Baig [mailto:aijazbaig1 at gmail.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2019 19:58

> However my current concern here is meeting libSSL and libCrypto's dependencies on
> host libraries on Linux platform. For instance, when I talked about 'linking' errors
> with respect to symbols like 'dlopen', so as I mentioned, I had to specify '-ldl'
> and '-lz' to the gcc linker that suggests a dynamic dependency on these platform
> libraries.

The -l flag can specify static as well as dynamic libraries, so its use doesn't in itself imply dynamic linking.

However, if you need libdl, then something in the application or one or more of the libraries contains references to runtime dynamic linking functions, which suggests the application may be doing explicit dynamic linking. And if memory serves, libdl is only available as a shared object, not as a static library.

> I was trying to understand the components that would be needed to package the whole
> shebang into an archive which I can later 'just run' on a similar Linux system that
> has been completely stripped down for purposes of size and speed

Ultimately, you can only statically link objects that you have available for static linking. If you only have the C runtime (glibc) or libz or whatever as a dynamic library, then dynamic linking is your only option for them.

Also, static linking generally increases the size requirements, since you duplicate object code into applications rather than having it in a single shared object.

--
Michael Wojcik
Distinguished Engineer, Micro Focus