LoadError: undefined symbol: __libc_single_threaded

[gbp]

Since 0.18.0 we're seeing this load error and have reproduced on a clean Debian Bullseye install.

$ docker run -it ruby:3.3-bullseye /bin/bash
...
root@794a95a98f8c:/# gem install mini_racer
...
Successfully installed mini_racer-0.18.0
...
root@794a95a98f8c:/# irb
irb(main):001> require 'mini_racer'
/usr/local/bundle/gems/mini_racer-0.18.0/lib/mini_racer.rb:22:in `load': /usr/local/bundle/extensions/aarch64-linux/3.3.0/mini_racer-0.18.0/mini_racer_extension.so: undefined symbol: __libc_single_threaded (LoadError)
	from /usr/local/bundle/gems/mini_racer-0.18.0/lib/mini_racer.rb:22:in `<top (required)>'
	from <internal:/usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb>:141:in `require'
	from <internal:/usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb>:141:in `rescue in require'
	from <internal:/usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb>:135:in `require'
	from (irb):1:in `<main>'
	from <internal:kernel>:187:in `loop'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/3.3.0/gems/irb-1.13.1/exe/irb:9:in `<top (required)>'
	from /usr/local/bin/irb:25:in `load'
	from /usr/local/bin/irb:25:in `<main>'
<internal:/usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb>:136:in `require': cannot load such file -- mini_racer (LoadError)
	from <internal:/usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb>:136:in `require'
	from (irb):1:in `<main>'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb/workspace.rb:121:in `eval'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb/workspace.rb:121:in `evaluate'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb/context.rb:633:in `evaluate_expression'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb/context.rb:600:in `evaluate'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1049:in `block (2 levels) in eval_input'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1380:in `signal_status'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1041:in `block in eval_input'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1120:in `block in each_top_level_statement'
	from <internal:kernel>:187:in `loop'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1117:in `each_top_level_statement'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1040:in `eval_input'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1021:in `block in run'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1020:in `catch'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1020:in `run'
	... 4 levels...

This works fine for Bookworm.

$ docker run -it ruby:3.3-bookworm /bin/bash
...
root@b67ce8166799:/# gem install mini_racer
...
Successfully installed mini_racer-0.18.0
...
root@b67ce8166799:/# irb
irb(main):001> require 'mini_racer'
=> true

[gbp]

Same issue when using Ruby 3.4 containers too.

[gbp]

Also same issue on x86_64-linux host.

$ docker run -it ruby:3.3-bullseye /bin/bash
...
root@950a9d79b2da:/# gem install mini_racer
Fetching mini_racer-0.18.0.gem
Fetching libv8-node-23.6.1.0-x86_64-linux.gem
Successfully installed libv8-node-23.6.1.0-x86_64-linux
Building native extensions. This could take a while...
Successfully installed mini_racer-0.18.0
...
root@950a9d79b2da:/# irb
irb(main):001> require 'mini_racer'
/usr/local/bundle/gems/mini_racer-0.18.0/lib/mini_racer.rb:22:in `load': /usr/local/bundle/extensions/x86_64-linux/3.3.0/mini_racer-0.18.0/mini_racer_extension.so: undefined symbol: __libc_single_threaded (LoadError)
	from /usr/local/bundle/gems/mini_racer-0.18.0/lib/mini_racer.rb:22:in `<top (required)>'
	from <internal:/usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb>:141:in `require'
	from <internal:/usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb>:141:in `rescue in require'
	from <internal:/usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb>:135:in `require'
	from (irb):1:in `<main>'
	from <internal:kernel>:187:in `loop'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/3.3.0/gems/irb-1.13.1/exe/irb:9:in `<top (required)>'
	from /usr/local/bin/irb:25:in `load'
	from /usr/local/bin/irb:25:in `<main>'
<internal:/usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb>:136:in `require': cannot load such file -- mini_racer (LoadError)
	from <internal:/usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb>:136:in `require'
	from (irb):1:in `<main>'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb/workspace.rb:121:in `eval'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb/workspace.rb:121:in `evaluate'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb/context.rb:633:in `evaluate_expression'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb/context.rb:600:in `evaluate'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1049:in `block (2 levels) in eval_input'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1380:in `signal_status'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1041:in `block in eval_input'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1120:in `block in each_top_level_statement'
	from <internal:kernel>:187:in `loop'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1117:in `each_top_level_statement'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1040:in `eval_input'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1021:in `block in run'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1020:in `catch'
	from /usr/local/lib/ruby/3.3.0/irb.rb:1020:in `run'
	... 4 levels...
irb(main):002>

[scraton]

Debian bullseye has a glibc version that doesn't appear to be supported by mini_racer. You may be able to get away with upgrading glibc within bullseye to >= 2.32. But bullseye reached EOL a few months ago, so you may be better off upgrading to bookworm.

[tisba]

I can also confirm that with the bullseye Ruby docker images, mini_racer won't load with the error message above. Compilation works fine.

Assuming this is indeed a version (runtime?) requirement, do we have the requirements for glibc and musl libc respectively documented somewhere? Is there a compile check we might be able to add so we can fail early during gem installation?

Regarding bullseye EOL: I think the Ruby images are based on bullseye LTS, which is supported until 2026-08-31 (https://wiki.debian.org/DebianReleases#Production_Releases). I don't know how much bullseye is in use, but IMO we should try not to break it, if we can, especially if it still officially supported.

/cc @SamSaffron @lloeki @bnoordhuis