This guide provides a step-by-step process to install Zlib from source code on Ubuntu Linux. Follow the commands and their expected outputs for a successful installation.

1. Install Build Dependencies

Install the necessary tools for compiling Zlib:

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sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential checkinstall

Expected Output:
The system updates the package list and installs build-essential (GCC, make, etc.) and checkinstall.

2. Download Zlib Source Code

Download the latest Zlib source code:

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wget https://zlib.net/zlib-1.2.11.tar.gz

Expected Output:
A file named zlib-1.2.11.tar.gz is downloaded to the current directory.

3. Extract the Source Code

Extract the tarball:

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tar -xvzf zlib-1.2.11.tar.gz

Expected Output:
A directory named zlib-1.2.11 is created, containing the source code.

4. Navigate to the Source Directory

Move into the extracted directory:

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cd zlib-1.2.11

Expected Output:
The terminal is now inside the zlib-1.2.11 directory.

5. Configure the Build

Run the configuration script:

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./configure --prefix=/usr/local/zlib

Expected Output:
The script checks the system and prepares the build environment. Example output:

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Checking for gcc...  
Checking for shared library support...  
Configuring zlib 1.2.11...

6. Compile the Source Code

Compile Zlib using make:

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make

Expected Output:
The system compiles the source code. Example output:

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gcc -O3 -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE=1 -I. -c -o example.o test/example.c  
gcc -O3 -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE=1 -o example example.o -L. -lz

7. Install Zlib

Install the compiled Zlib library:

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sudo make install

Expected Output:
The library is installed to /usr/local/zlib. Example output:

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Installing shared library: /usr/local/zlib/lib/libz.so.1.2.11  
Installing static library: /usr/local/zlib/lib/libz.a

8. Verify the Installation

Check the installed version of Zlib:

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/usr/local/zlib/lib/libz.so.1.2.11 --version

Expected Output:
The version information is displayed:

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zlib 1.2.11

9. Update the Library Cache

Update the system’s library cache:

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sudo ldconfig

Expected Output:
No output if successful. The system updates the library cache.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed Zlib from source code on Ubuntu Linux. This method allows for custom configurations and specific version installations. For further details, refer to the official Zlib documentation.