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Install mysql2 on MacOS Mojave
Raw
mysql2-mojave.md

For MacOS Catalina, visit Install mysql2 on MacOS Catalina

Problem

Installing mysql2 gem errors on MacOS Mojave.

Solution

Make sure openssl is installed on Mac via Homebrew.

brew install openssl

Install mysql2 gem.

gem install mysql2 -v '0.5.2' -- --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib --with-cppflags=-I/usr/local/opt/openssl/include
@ShadSterling
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ShadSterling commented Mar 26, 2021

I only seemed to need bundle config build.mysql2 --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib. When I used bundle config build.mysql2 --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib --with-cppflags=-I/usr/local/opt/openssl/include, I got the following error:

This is the key line in the error:

/Users/dale/.rbenv/versions/2.6.2/bin/ruby -I /Users/dale/.rbenv/versions/2.6.2/lib/ruby/2.6.0 -r ./siteconf20190525-54468-194taa7.rb extconf.rb --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib\ --with-cppflags=-I/usr/local/opt/openssl/include

Note the extra backslashes; it's escaping the string in the bundle config so it's passed to extconf.rb as a single parameter, which is silently ignored.

In my case it was also enough to only specify the lib dir. I'm guessing the --with-opt-dir in the newer comments is a way to set both with a single option in cases where the include dir also needs to be set. It would be better if bundle had a way to specify multiple parameters.

I did this with bundle config --local build.mysql2 --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib, including --local so it would be saved in the repo so future developers don't have to hunt this down like I did, but we'll see if that breaks our CICD.

@enowmbi
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enowmbi commented Mar 26, 2021

Great it works 👍

@jbaranski
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jbaranski commented Jun 8, 2021

👍

@KimGemRuby
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KimGemRuby commented Jun 21, 2021

this true solution is brew install mysql

@denemorhun
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denemorhun commented Jun 24, 2021

This issue persist in Big Sur:

urrent directory: /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3/ext/mysql2
make "DESTDIR=" clean

current directory: /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3/ext/mysql2
make "DESTDIR="
compiling client.c
compiling infile.c
compiling mysql2_ext.c
compiling result.c
compiling statement.c
linking shared-object mysql2/mysql2.bundle
ld: warning: directory not found for option '-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib'
ld: library not found for -lzstd
clang: error: linker command failed with exit code 1 (use -v to see invocation)
make: *** [mysql2.bundle] Error 1

make failed, exit code 2

Gem files will remain installed in /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3 for inspection.
Results logged to /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/extensions/-darwin-20/2.6.0/mysql2-0.5.3/gem_make.out
bash-3.2$ gem install mysql2 -v '0.5.3' -- --with-mysql-config=/usr/local/opt/mysql-client/bin/mysql_config --srcdir=/usr/local/opt/mysql/include --platform=ruby --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib --with-cppflags=-I/usr/local/opt/openssl/include

Building native extensions with: '--with-mysql-config=/usr/local/opt/mysql-client/bin/mysql_config --srcdir=/usr/local/opt/mysql/include --platform=ruby --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib --with-cppflags=-I/usr/local/opt/openssl/include'
This could take a while...
ERROR: Error installing mysql2:
ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

current directory: /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3/ext/mysql2

/Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/bin/ruby -I /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/2.6.0 -r ./siteconf20210624-12722-nl7ij9.rb extconf.rb --with-mysql-config=/usr/local/opt/mysql-client/bin/mysql_config --srcdir=/usr/local/opt/mysql/include --platform=ruby --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib --with-cppflags=-I/usr/local/opt/openssl/include
checking for rb_absint_size()... yes
checking for rb_absint_singlebit_p()... yes
checking for rb_wait_for_single_fd()... yes

Cannot find mysql_config at /usr/local/opt/mysql-client/bin/mysql_config

*** extconf.rb failed ***
Could not create Makefile due to some reason, probably lack of necessary
libraries and/or headers. Check the mkmf.log file for more details. You may
need configuration options.

Provided configuration options:
--with-opt-dir
--without-opt-dir
--with-opt-include
--without-opt-include=${opt-dir}/include
--with-opt-lib
--without-opt-lib=${opt-dir}/lib
--with-make-prog
--without-make-prog
--srcdir=.
--curdir
--ruby=/Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/bin/$(RUBY_BASE_NAME)
--with-mysql-dir
--without-mysql-dir
--with-mysql-include
--without-mysql-include=${mysql-dir}/include
--with-mysql-lib
--without-mysql-lib=${mysql-dir}/lib
--with-mysql-config

To see why this extension failed to compile, please check the mkmf.log which can be found here:

/Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/extensions/-darwin-20/2.6.0/mysql2-0.5.3/mkmf.log

extconf failed, exit code 1

Gem files will remain installed in /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3 for inspection.
Results logged to /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/extensions/-darwin-20/2.6.0/mysql2-0.5.3/gem_make.out

@jmgarnier
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jmgarnier commented Jul 14, 2021

On Apple silicon M1:

gem install mysql2 -v '0.5.3' -- --with-opt-dir=$(brew --prefix openssl)

@shireeshj
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shireeshj commented Jul 23, 2021

On Apple silicon M1:

gem install mysql2 -v '0.5.3' -- --with-opt-dir=$(brew --prefix openssl)

The above did not work for me on Apple Silicon M1.
However, this worked:

gem install mysql2 -- --srcdir=/usr/local/mysql/include

Or with bundler

bundle config build.mysql2 --srcdir=/usr/local/mysql/include
bundle install

@jmgarnier
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jmgarnier commented Jul 23, 2021

@shireeshj you are not using Homebrew?

@shireeshj
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shireeshj commented Jul 23, 2021 •
edited
Loading

@shireeshj you are not using Homebrew?

Using homebrew to install mysql.

@shobhitchittora
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shobhitchittora commented Jul 28, 2021 

bundle config build.mysql2 --srcdir=/usr/local/mysql/include
bundle install

This worked for me. Thanks all.

@gukandrew
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gukandrew commented Jul 30, 2021 •
edited
Loading

Alternative way is to install using Brew's Cellar Openssl. Tested on MacOS Big Sur with brew:

gem install mysql2 -v '0.4.10' -- --with-cflags=\"-I$(brew --cellar [email protected])/1.1.1k/include\" --with-ldflags=\"-L$(brew --cellar [email protected])/1.1.1k/lib\"

@ARSLANALI2121
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ARSLANALI2121 commented Aug 12, 2021

If you came here because you're trying to bundle your project into a specific directory and the gem won't build, you can tell bundler to use these build flags when it installs the gem.

bundle config build.mysql2 --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib --with-cppflags=-I/usr/local/opt/openssl/include
bundle install --path .bundle

Thanks

@ssagli
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ssagli commented Sep 21, 2021

This issue persist in Big Sur:

urrent directory: /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3/ext/mysql2
make "DESTDIR=" clean

current directory: /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3/ext/mysql2
make "DESTDIR="
compiling client.c
compiling infile.c
compiling mysql2_ext.c
compiling result.c
compiling statement.c
linking shared-object mysql2/mysql2.bundle
ld: warning: directory not found for option '-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib'
ld: library not found for -lzstd
clang: error: linker command failed with exit code 1 (use -v to see invocation)
make: *** [mysql2.bundle] Error 1

make failed, exit code 2

Gem files will remain installed in /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3 for inspection.
Results logged to /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/extensions/-darwin-20/2.6.0/mysql2-0.5.3/gem_make.out
bash-3.2$ gem install mysql2 -v '0.5.3' -- --with-mysql-config=/usr/local/opt/mysql-client/bin/mysql_config --srcdir=/usr/local/opt/mysql/include --platform=ruby --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib --with-cppflags=-I/usr/local/opt/openssl/include

Building native extensions with: '--with-mysql-config=/usr/local/opt/mysql-client/bin/mysql_config --srcdir=/usr/local/opt/mysql/include --platform=ruby --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib --with-cppflags=-I/usr/local/opt/openssl/include'
This could take a while...
ERROR: Error installing mysql2:
ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

current directory: /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3/ext/mysql2

/Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/bin/ruby -I /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/2.6.0 -r ./siteconf20210624-12722-nl7ij9.rb extconf.rb --with-mysql-config=/usr/local/opt/mysql-client/bin/mysql_config --srcdir=/usr/local/opt/mysql/include --platform=ruby --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib --with-cppflags=-I/usr/local/opt/openssl/include

checking for rb_absint_size()... yes
checking for rb_absint_singlebit_p()... yes
checking for rb_wait_for_single_fd()... yes

Cannot find mysql_config at /usr/local/opt/mysql-client/bin/mysql_config

*** extconf.rb failed ***
Could not create Makefile due to some reason, probably lack of necessary
libraries and/or headers. Check the mkmf.log file for more details. You may
need configuration options.

Provided configuration options:
--with-opt-dir
--without-opt-dir
--with-opt-include
--without-opt-include=${opt-dir}/include
--with-opt-lib
--without-opt-lib=${opt-dir}/lib
--with-make-prog
--without-make-prog
--srcdir=.
--curdir
--ruby=/Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/bin/$(RUBY_BASE_NAME)
--with-mysql-dir
--without-mysql-dir
--with-mysql-include
--without-mysql-include=${mysql-dir}/include
--with-mysql-lib
--without-mysql-lib=${mysql-dir}/lib
--with-mysql-config

To see why this extension failed to compile, please check the mkmf.log which can be found here:

/Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/extensions/-darwin-20/2.6.0/mysql2-0.5.3/mkmf.log

extconf failed, exit code 1

Gem files will remain installed in /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3 for inspection.
Results logged to /Users/dorhun/.rbenv/versions/2.6.3/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/extensions/-darwin-20/2.6.0/mysql2-0.5.3/gem_make.out

I had the same issue on Mac Big Sur 11.6. after running these commands it worked:
brew install openssl
brew install mysql
then
gem install mysql2 -v '0.5.3' -- --with-ldflags=-L/usr/local/opt/openssl/lib --with-cppflags=-I/usr/local/opt/openssl/include

@EnglonKavhuru
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EnglonKavhuru commented Nov 9, 2021

Thank you! But seems that doesn't work for macOS Mojave 10.14.5 with gem 'mysql2', '0.3.18'. I got this error:

Gem::Ext::BuildError: ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

    current directory: /Users/user/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.3.0/gems/mysql2-0.3.18/ext/mysql2
/Users/user/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.3.0/bin/ruby -I /Users/user/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.3.0/lib/ruby/site_ruby/2.3.0 -r ./siteconf20190729-60037-dvrkxr.rb extconf.rb
--with-opt-dir\=/usr/local/opt/openssl
checking for ruby/thread.h... yes
checking for rb_thread_call_without_gvl() in ruby/thread.h... yes
checking for rb_thread_blocking_region()... no
checking for rb_wait_for_single_fd()... yes
checking for rb_hash_dup()... yes
checking for rb_intern3()... yes
-----
Using mysql_config at /usr/local/bin/mysql_config
-----
checking for mysql.h... yes
checking for errmsg.h... yes
checking for mysqld_error.h... yes
-----
Setting rpath to /usr/local/Cellar/mysql/8.0.16/lib
-----
creating Makefile

current directory: /Users/user/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.3.0/gems/mysql2-0.3.18/ext/mysql2
make "DESTDIR=" clean

current directory: /Users/user/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.3.0/gems/mysql2-0.3.18/ext/mysql2
make "DESTDIR="
compiling infile.c
compiling client.c
client.c:359:33: warning: implicit conversion loses integer precision: 'long' to 'unsigned int' [-Wshorten-64-to-32]
        elapsed_time = end_time - start_time;
                     ~ ~~~~~~~~~^~~~~~~~~~~~
client.c:431:3: error: use of undeclared identifier 'my_bool'
  my_bool res = mysql_read_query_result(client);
  ^
client.c:433:19: error: use of undeclared identifier 'res'
  return (void *)(res == 0 ? Qtrue : Qfalse);
                  ^
client.c:762:3: error: use of undeclared identifier 'my_bool'
  my_bool boolval;
  ^
client.c:793:7: error: use of undeclared identifier 'boolval'
      boolval = (value == Qfalse ? 0 : 1);
      ^
client.c:794:17: error: use of undeclared identifier 'boolval'
      retval = &boolval;
                ^
client.c:797:10: error: use of undeclared identifier 'MYSQL_SECURE_AUTH'; did you mean 'MYSQL_DEFAULT_AUTH'?
    case MYSQL_SECURE_AUTH:
         ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
         MYSQL_DEFAULT_AUTH
/usr/local/Cellar/mysql/8.0.16/include/mysql/mysql.h:188:3: note: 'MYSQL_DEFAULT_AUTH' declared here
  MYSQL_DEFAULT_AUTH,
  ^
client.c:798:7: error: use of undeclared identifier 'boolval'
      boolval = (value == Qfalse ? 0 : 1);
      ^
client.c:799:17: error: use of undeclared identifier 'boolval'
      retval = &boolval;
                ^
client.c:830:38: error: use of undeclared identifier 'boolval'
        wrapper->reconnect_enabled = boolval;
                                     ^
client.c:1163:56: warning: implicit conversion loses integer precision: 'size_t' (aka 'unsigned long') to 'unsigned int' [-Wshorten-64-to-32]
  mysql2rb = mysql2_mysql_enc_name_to_rb(charset_name, charset_name_len);
             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~               ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
client.c:1196:38: error: use of undeclared identifier 'MYSQL_SECURE_AUTH'; did you mean 'MYSQL_DEFAULT_AUTH'?
  return _mysql_client_options(self, MYSQL_SECURE_AUTH, value);
                                     ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                                     MYSQL_DEFAULT_AUTH
/usr/local/Cellar/mysql/8.0.16/include/mysql/mysql.h:188:3: note: 'MYSQL_DEFAULT_AUTH' declared here
  MYSQL_DEFAULT_AUTH,
  ^
2 warnings and 10 errors generated.
make: *** [client.o] Error 1

make failed, exit code 2

Gem files will remain installed in /Users/user/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.3.0/gems/mysql2-0.3.18 for inspection.
Results logged to /Users/user/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.3.0/extensions/x86_64-darwin-18/2.3.0/mysql2-0.3.18/gem_make.out

An error occurred while installing mysql2 (0.3.18), and Bundler cannot continue.
Make sure that `gem install mysql2 -v '0.3.18' --source 'https://rubygems.org/'` succeeds before bundling.

In Gemfile:
  mysql2

I am getting the same error when I try to run the command bundle install, how did you managed to solve it?

@bhargavaruby
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bhargavaruby commented Nov 9, 2021 

gem install mysql2  
                                           
Building native extensions. This could take a while...
ERROR:  Error installing mysql2:
	ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

    current directory: /Users/bhargavap/.rbenv/versions/2.6.6/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3/ext/mysql2
/Users/bhargavap/.rbenv/versions/2.6.6/bin/ruby -I /Users/bhargavap/.rbenv/versions/2.6.6/lib/ruby/2.6.0 -r ./siteconf20211109-84053-5ctkl1.rb extconf.rb
checking for rb_absint_size()... yes
checking for rb_absint_singlebit_p()... yes
checking for rb_wait_for_single_fd()... yes
-----
Using mysql_config at /opt/homebrew/bin/mysql_config
-----
checking for mysql.h... yes
checking for errmsg.h... yes
checking for SSL_MODE_DISABLED in mysql.h... yes
checking for SSL_MODE_PREFERRED in mysql.h... yes
checking for SSL_MODE_REQUIRED in mysql.h... yes
checking for SSL_MODE_VERIFY_CA in mysql.h... yes
checking for SSL_MODE_VERIFY_IDENTITY in mysql.h... yes
checking for MYSQL.net.vio in mysql.h... yes
checking for MYSQL.net.pvio in mysql.h... no
checking for MYSQL_ENABLE_CLEARTEXT_PLUGIN in mysql.h... yes
checking for SERVER_QUERY_NO_GOOD_INDEX_USED in mysql.h... yes
checking for SERVER_QUERY_NO_INDEX_USED in mysql.h... yes
checking for SERVER_QUERY_WAS_SLOW in mysql.h... yes
checking for MYSQL_OPTION_MULTI_STATEMENTS_ON in mysql.h... yes
checking for MYSQL_OPTION_MULTI_STATEMENTS_OFF in mysql.h... yes
checking for my_bool in mysql.h... no
-----
Don't know how to set rpath on your system, if MySQL libraries are not in path mysql2 may not load
-----
-----
Setting libpath to /opt/homebrew/Cellar/mysql/8.0.27/lib
-----
creating Makefile

current directory: /Users/bhargavap/.rbenv/versions/2.6.6/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3/ext/mysql2
make "DESTDIR=" clean

current directory: /Users/bhargavap/.rbenv/versions/2.6.6/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3/ext/mysql2
make "DESTDIR="
compiling client.c
compiling infile.c
compiling mysql2_ext.c
compiling result.c
compiling statement.c
linking shared-object mysql2/mysql2.bundle
ld: library not found for -lzstd
clang: error: linker command failed with exit code 1 (use -v to see invocation)
make: *** [mysql2.bundle] Error 1

make failed, exit code 2

Gem files will remain installed in /Users/bhargavap/.rbenv/versions/2.6.6/lib/ruby/gems/2.6.0/gems/mysql2-0.5.3 for inspection.

I am getting the error 'library not found for -lzstd' can someone help me.

@gukandrew
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gukandrew commented Nov 9, 2021

@bhargavaruby try this:

brew install openssl zstd
gem install mysql2 -v '0.5.3' -- --with-opt-dir="$(brew --prefix [email protected])" --with-ldflags=\"-L$(brew --cellar zstd)/1.5.0/lib\"

@bhargavaruby
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bhargavaruby commented Nov 9, 2021

thanks @gukandrew
it's working...

@khoerodin
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khoerodin commented Nov 13, 2021

Thanks @gukandrew 🥳

@leonmezu1
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leonmezu1 commented Dec 2, 2021

Thanks worked like a charm @gukandrew

@iamajvillalobos
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iamajvillalobos commented Dec 6, 2021 

bundle config build.mysql2 --srcdir=/usr/local/mysql/include
bundle install

This worked for me on MacOS Monterey w/ Macbook Air M1 2020

@pbredenberg
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pbredenberg commented Dec 17, 2021

@gukandrew confirmed working for me on my MBA M1 2020

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ghost commented Jan 21, 2022

In case none of the solutions above worked for you on an Apple M1 silicon, you may want to have a look at this one:
brianmario/mysql2#1175 (comment)

@bparanj
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bparanj commented Feb 21, 2022

This:

bundle config build.mysql2 --srcdir=/usr/local/mysql/include
bundle install

worked for me on Monterey 12.2.1 with M1 chip

@dblanken
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dblanken commented Mar 10, 2022

Thank you @bparanj. That worked perfectly for me as well.

@DavidAmyot
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DavidAmyot commented Jun 26, 2023

Tried all of the solutions from multiple sources/websites and the only one that worked on a M2 2023 was gem install mysql2 -v '0.3.18' -- --srcdir=/opt/homebrew/Cellar/mysql/8.0.33_2/include. Other solutions were working for more recent versions of the mysql2 gem though.

@fcastaneitron
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fcastaneitron commented Feb 7, 2024

Tried all of the solutions from multiple sources/websites and the only one that worked on a M2 2023 was gem install mysql2 -v '0.3.18' -- --srcdir=/opt/homebrew/Cellar/mysql/8.0.33_2/include. Other solutions were working for more recent versions of the mysql2 gem though.

Awesome!!! This was the only solution that worked for me. You saved my day!

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