FIXED: extconf.rb:8:in `require’: no such file to load — mkmf (LoadError)

While reading Linux Journal Issue 181 today, I stumbled upon a section explaining about running Ruby on Rails on Apache using an Apache module called Phusion Passenger, also known as mod_rails.

To install Passenger, I followed the instruction provided in the magazine:

sudo gem install passenger

Unxpectedly, I got the following error:

Building native extensions. This could take a while...
ERROR: Error installing passenger:
ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

/usr/bin/ruby1.8 extconf.rb
extconf.rb:8:in `require': no such file to load -- mkmf (LoadError)
from extconf.rb:8

Gem files will remain installed in /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/fastthread-1.0.7 for inspection.
Results logged to /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/fastthread-1.0.7/ext/fastthread/gem_make.out

What’s happening? What did I do wrong?

According to a blog post by Al Hoang, a Ruby dev package needed to be installed. Well, I wouldn’t have a clue about this!

So, to FIX this, I need to install ruby1.8-dev:

$ sudo apt-get install ruby1.8-dev
...

Now, I’m ready to install Passenger gem:

$ sudo gem install passenger
Building native extensions. This could take a while...
Successfully installed passenger-2.2.4
1 gem installed
Installing ri documentation for passenger-2.2.4...
Installing RDoc documentation for passenger-2.2.4...

Credit: Fixing ‘mkmf’ load error Ruby in Ubuntu

26 thoughts on “FIXED: extconf.rb:8:in `require’: no such file to load — mkmf (LoadError)”

  8. ljeremie says:

    Hi,
    I experienced the same problem on Debian and after I tried your solution I had another problem :
    ——–
    ERROR: Error installing passenger:
    ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

    /usr/bin/ruby1.8 extconf.rb install passenger
    creating Makefile

    make
    sh: make: command not found
    ———-
    I solved my problem by typing :
    sudo apt-get install build-essential

    I hope it will help !

    Reply
  9. Louie van Bommel says:

    Thanks! Worked like a charm. And very clear and to the point description! Ahhh, I was almost scared away from ruby but you rescued me from the brink.

    Reply
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