Beta OS X releases should facilicate building/running WebKit from source

Originator:jalkut
Number:rdar://21703162 Date Originated:07-Jul-2015 09:57 AM
Status:Open Resolved:
Product:OS X Product Version:Any Beta
Classification:Serious Bug Reproducible:Always
 
Summary:
WebKit, as an open source project seeks to capitalize on the cumulative effort of developers around the world, including non-Apple-employees.

Unfortunately, any such developers who also have reason to stay at the bleeding edge of OS X beta software releases become cut off from WebKit development and testing whenever an OS X beta release program is in effect.

I'm not completely sure of the causes, but I know that a pivotal component is the platform/OS-specific "system interface" library checked in to e.g. WebKitLibraries/libWebKitSystemInterfaceYosemite.a. As far as I know, this library is currently required to build and run WebKit, and a version suitable for a particular major release (e.g. El Capitan 10.11) is only ever updated after the release has gone final.

I am assuming this is the central cause of the problem that prevents WebKit nightly builds from being downloaded and run on OS X beta release systems.

I don't know whether the reasons for the existence of these system interface libraries has historically been technical, political, or a mix of each.

I would like to be a more active participant in the WebKit open source project but I am precluded from doing so without jumping through additional hoops (maintaining a second system with older OS X installed, or using a virtual machine).

I think it would benefit the WebKit project and, by assocation, Apple, if this limitation were somehow lifted so that developers who install OS X betas are empowered to build and run, and to download nightly builds, of the WebKit project.

Steps to Reproduce:


Expected Results:


Actual Results:


Version:
10.11 (15A204h)

Notes:


Configuration:


Attachments:

Comments

Additional thoughts on the subject: http://indiestack.com/2015/07/webkit-hacking-from-the-bleeding-edge/


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