ISSUE #331: Crashes on start - v2.1.3 - Ubuntu 24.04

[codrod]

After more testing on Fedora and Ubuntu I am now able to run the same binaries on both systems.

Only static linkage for libbfd was required but as part of that linkage we also have to handle libbfd's transitive dependencies which are libiberity, libsframe, libzstd, and libz. Note that libbfd.a must be linked before its dependencies otherwise the linker wont include the required symbols since it is a one-pass linker.

I also added dynamic linkage for libgcc_s because on Fedora (and other systems) libunwind does not include symbols for handling exceptions in the standard C++ runtime. Instead those symbols are included as part of libgcc_s so I linked against both.

Finally I updated the build pipeline. Note we now need Ubuntu 24.04 to build because libsframe is a fairly recent addition to libbfd (2023ish) so the binutils package on Ubuntu 22.04, and other distros from the same time period, do not include libsframe. This will probably cause issues if attempting to build the repository on older Linux versions but I did statically link libsframe so the binaries will run on older systems even if we can't build on them.

[gemini-code-assist]

Summary of Changes

Hello @codrod, I'm Gemini Code Assist¹! I'm currently reviewing this pull request and will post my feedback shortly. In the meantime, here's a summary to help you and other reviewers quickly get up to speed!

This pull request addresses critical startup crashes on Linux systems, specifically Ubuntu 24.04, by refining the linking process for core libraries. It ensures robust exception handling and updates the build environment to accommodate newer library dependencies, improving overall stability and compatibility across different Linux distributions.

Highlights

• Linux Linking Fixes: Implemented static linkage for libbfd and its transitive dependencies (libiberty, libsframe, libzstd, libz) to resolve startup crashes on Linux, ensuring correct symbol resolution.
• Exception Handling: Added dynamic linkage for libgcc_s and libunwind to correctly handle C++ exceptions, particularly on systems where libunwind alone does not provide the necessary symbols.
• Build Environment Update: Updated the build pipeline to require Ubuntu 24.04, as libsframe is a recent addition to libbfd, necessitating a newer binutils package for successful compilation.

Changelog

• compile/common/bee.lua
  • Removed the exclusion of Linux crash-related sources from the build.
  • Modified Linux ldflags to include static libbfd, libiberty, libsframe, and dynamic libzstd, libz.
  • Added unwind and gcc_s to the Linux links configuration.

Ignored Files

• Ignored by pattern: .github/workflows/** (1)
  • .github/workflows/build.yml

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[gemini-code-assist]

Code Review

This pull request addresses a startup crash on Ubuntu 24.04 by adjusting the Linux build configuration. The changes involve enabling the Linux crash handler and modifying linker flags to statically link libbfd and its dependencies, which is a good approach for portability. I've suggested one improvement to further enhance this portability by statically linking all dependencies to avoid potential runtime issues on older systems.