Static linking to OpenCV is not possible on macOS

[zsy-cn]

Static linking to OpenCV is not possible on macOS

Operating System and version: macOS Sonoma 14.8.1
OpenCV version used: 4.12.0
How did you install OpenCV?: brew install opencv
GoCV version used: 0.42.0
Go version: go1.25.0 darwin/amd64

go build -tags opencvstatic ./cmd/capwindow/main.go

otool -L main   
main:
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_gapi.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_stitching.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_alphamat.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_aruco.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_bgsegm.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_bioinspired.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_ccalib.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_dnn_objdetect.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_dnn_superres.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_dpm.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_face.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_freetype.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_fuzzy.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_hfs.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_img_hash.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_intensity_transform.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_line_descriptor.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_mcc.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_quality.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_rapid.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_reg.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_rgbd.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_saliency.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_sfm.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_signal.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_stereo.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_structured_light.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_phase_unwrapping.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_superres.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_optflow.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_surface_matching.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_tracking.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_highgui.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_datasets.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_text.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_plot.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_videostab.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_videoio.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_viz.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_wechat_qrcode.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_xfeatures2d.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_shape.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_ml.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_ximgproc.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_video.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_xobjdetect.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_objdetect.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_calib3d.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_imgcodecs.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_features2d.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_dnn.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_flann.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_xphoto.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_photo.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_imgproc.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/local/opt/opencv/lib/libopencv_core.412.dylib (compatibility version 412.0.0, current version 4.12.0)
        /usr/lib/libresolv.9.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
        /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1336.61.1)
        /usr/lib/libc++.1.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1600.157.0)

[deadprogram]

Hello @zsy-cn you are correct that this is not possible on macOS, and not limited to GoCV.

macOS just does not allow static linking overall.

[sandalwoodbox]

I've been trying to find a solution to this problem as well. Granted that this isn't possible on MacOS - is there any workaround? I see people talking about including the dylib as part of the binary (?) but haven't yet figured out how to actually do that.

[sandalwoodbox]

Possibly relevant information?

• https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12499232/embedding-frameworks-in-a-mac-app-bundle
• https://www.reddit.com/r/tauri/comments/1k36yap/include_dynamic_lib_in_the_macos_app_package/

I guess you have to have a step to copy the dylibs into your app package and then update the linking (using install_name_tool) to point there instead.

[sandalwoodbox]

I was able to get the dylibs included properly using https://github.com/auriamg/macdylibbundler