How to fix libv8 error from Gemfile on Mavericks?

Question

When I run bundle install I get

An error occurred while installing libv8 (3.11.8.17), and Bundler cannot continue.
Make sure that `gem install libv8 -v '3.11.8.17'` succeeds before bundling.

Libv8 is dependency for lunchy and therubyracer gems.

I have locked in my Gemfile.lock libv8 gem on 3.11.8.17

But I found that I can downgrade it to 3.3.10.4

bundle install / update: libv8 (therubyracer) installation fails (with native extensions)

How to do that?

I also found working 3.11.8.17 gem but don't know how to implement it on my system. https://github.com/cowboyd/libv8/issues/107#issuecomment-26146673

Antimonic

Can you update libv8 to 3.16.14.3 and therubyracer to 0.12.0? I've seen similar issue today and bumping those gems fixed it. – Jaquelinejaquelyn

Answer 1

You can actually install that version on Mavericks:

gem install libv8 -v 3.11.8.17 -- --with-system-v8

I can confirm this works with rbenv and ruby 1.9.3p448

See a similar thread here Installing libv8 gem on OS X 10.9+

Rosierosily

worked like a charm for me. what's the long term implication of using this over homebrew? Is it going to be more difficult to maintain? – Flan

Hi Nikola. Homebrew packages are getting there with Mavericks. However there are some things you can do to set up for success with your gem compilations etc. See https://mcmap.net/q/120020/-gem-install-debugger-v-39-1-5-0-39-fails – Rosierosily

Answer 2

You need to reinstall libv8

$ gem uninstall libv8
$ brew install v8
$ gem install therubyracer

Rosenbaum

Answer 3

Try with

gem "therubyracer", "~> 0.10.2" to Gemfile

And it will install dependent gem libv8 (3.3.10.4) and the issue of build gem native extension failure got resolve.

Nw

Answer 4

try upgrading your ruby to the highest patch level. libv8 and the rubyracer gem installed right away after I upgraded ruby-1.8.7 after going from p357 to p375.

Hittite

Answer 5

Follow the below commands, this will solve the problem for sure:

gem install rmagick -v '2.13.2'

and then do: gem install libv8 -v 3.11.8.17 -- --with-system-v8

Redoubtable