pkg-config

Get compiler flags

$ pkg-config --cflags [library]

$ pkg-config --libs [library]

$ pkg-config --cflags --libs [library]

$ pkg-config --exists [library] && echo "Found"

$ pkg-config --modversion [library]

$ pkg-config --list-all

pkg-config [options] [packages]

pkg-config retrieves compiler and linker flags needed to build software against installed libraries. It reads metadata from .pc files that libraries install, providing the correct include paths, library paths, and link flags.
Build systems like autotools, CMake, and Meson use pkg-config to locate libraries portably. The --cflags flag returns compiler flags (include paths), --libs returns linker flags, and --modversion shows the installed version. Version constraints can be checked with --atleast-version.

PACKAGES

Package names.

Compiler flags.

Linker flags.

Check existence.

Show version.

List packages.

PKG_CONFIG_PATH

Colon-separated list of additional directories to search for .pc files.

Override the default .pc file search path entirely.

Requires .pc files. PKGCONFIGPATH for custom locations.

pkg-config was created to simplify library compilation and linking.

make(1), gcc(1), pkgconf(1)