How to Compile libvpx from Source

Compiling libvpx from source allows developers to customize the VP8 and VP9 video codecs for specific platforms, optimize performance, and enable experimental features. This guide provides a straightforward, step-by-step walkthrough to clone the official repository, configure the build environment, and compile the library on Unix-like systems such as Linux and macOS.

Prerequisites

Before beginning the compilation process, you must install the necessary build tools and assembler.

On Debian/Ubuntu-based systems, run:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y build-essential git yasm nasm

On macOS (using Homebrew), run:

brew install git yasm nasm

Note: yasm or nasm is highly recommended, as libvpx relies heavily on assembly optimizations for speed.

Step 1: Clone the Repository

Retrieve the latest source code from the official WebM Project repository:

git clone https://chromium.googlesource.com/webm/libvpx
cd libvpx

To build a specific stable release instead of the master branch, list the tags and checkout the desired version:

git tag
git checkout v1.13.1  # Replace with the desired version

Step 2: Configure the Build

libvpx uses a custom configure script. You can customize the build using various flags.

Create a build directory to keep the source tree clean:

mkdir build && cd build
../configure --prefix=/usr/local --enable-shared --disable-examples --disable-unit-tests

Common Configuration Flags:

• --prefix=/usr/local: Defines where the compiled binaries and libraries will be installed.
• --enable-shared: Builds shared libraries (.so or .dylib) in addition to static ones (.a).
• --disable-examples: Speeds up compilation by skipping the build of sample applications.
• --enable-vp9-highbitdepth: Enables support for 10-bit and 12-bit user profiles.

To see all available configuration options, run:

../configure --help

Step 3: Compile the Library

Run the make command to compile the source code. You can speed up the compilation process by utilizing multiple CPU cores with the -j flag:

make -j$(nproc)

(On macOS, use make -j$(sysctl -n hw.ncpu) instead).

Step 4: Install the Library

Once the build finishes successfully, install the compiled headers and libraries to your system:

sudo make install

Step 5: Verify the Installation

Confirm that the library is installed and accessible by checking the configuration header or using pkg-config:

pkg-config --modversion vpx

This will output the installed version of libvpx, indicating that the library is successfully compiled and ready for use in your development projects.