pod install giving error related to ruby gems and libffi

Question

I create an app using react-native init, and in the iOS folder run pod install. However, I get the following error:

/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require': dlopen(/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ffi-1.13.1/lib/ffi_c.bundle, 0x0009): dependent dylib '@rpath/libffi.6.dylib' not found for '/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ffi-1.13.1/lib/ffi_c.bundle'. relative file paths not allowed '@rpath/libffi.6.dylib' - /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ffi-1.13.1/lib/ffi_c.bundle (LoadError)

I ran brew install libffi and brew upgrade libffi and retried. Same result.

Running pod --version gives:

sh-3.2# pod --version
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/universal-darwin19/rbconfig.rb:229: warning: Insecure world writable dir /usr/local/bin in PATH, mode 040777
Traceback (most recent call last):
    23: from /usr/local/bin/pod:23:in `<main>'
    22: from /usr/local/bin/pod:23:in `load'
    21: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/cocoapods-1.9.3/bin/pod:36:in `<top (required)>'
    20: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    19: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    18: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/cocoapods-1.9.3/lib/cocoapods.rb:17:in `<top (required)>'
    17: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/cocoapods-1.9.3/lib/cocoapods.rb:75:in `<module:Pod>'
    16: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    15: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    14: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/cocoapods-1.9.3/lib/cocoapods/core_overrides.rb:1:in `<top (required)>'
    13: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    12: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    11: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/cocoapods-1.9.3/lib/cocoapods/sources_manager.rb:5:in `<top (required)>'
    10: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
     9: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
     8: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/typhoeus-1.4.0/lib/typhoeus.rb:2:in `<top (required)>'
     7: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
     6: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
     5: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ethon-0.12.0/lib/ethon.rb:2:in `<top (required)>'
     4: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
     3: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
     2: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ffi-1.13.1/lib/ffi.rb:4:in `<top (required)>'
     1: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require': cannot load such file -- 2.6/ffi_c (LoadError)
    24: from /usr/local/bin/pod:23:in `<main>'
    23: from /usr/local/bin/pod:23:in `load'
    22: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/cocoapods-1.9.3/bin/pod:36:in `<top (required)>'
    21: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    20: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    19: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/cocoapods-1.9.3/lib/cocoapods.rb:17:in `<top (required)>'
    18: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/cocoapods-1.9.3/lib/cocoapods.rb:75:in `<module:Pod>'
    17: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    16: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    15: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/cocoapods-1.9.3/lib/cocoapods/core_overrides.rb:1:in `<top (required)>'
    14: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    13: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    12: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/cocoapods-1.9.3/lib/cocoapods/sources_manager.rb:5:in `<top (required)>'
    11: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
    10: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
     9: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/typhoeus-1.4.0/lib/typhoeus.rb:2:in `<top (required)>'
     8: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
     7: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
     6: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ethon-0.12.0/lib/ethon.rb:2:in `<top (required)>'
     5: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
     4: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
     3: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ffi-1.13.1/lib/ffi.rb:3:in `<top (required)>'
     2: from /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ffi-1.13.1/lib/ffi.rb:6:in `rescue in <top (required)>'
     1: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require': dlopen(/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ffi-1.13.1/lib/ffi_c.bundle, 0x0009): dependent dylib '@rpath/libffi.6.dylib' not found for '/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ffi-1.13.1/lib/ffi_c.bundle'. relative file paths not allowed '@rpath/libffi.6.dylib' - /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ffi-1.13.1/lib/ffi_c.bundle (LoadError)

I installed a non-system latest version of ruby in macOS, but still get the error:

~ % pod                      
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/universal-darwin19/rbconfig.rb:229: warning: Insecure world writable dir /Users/prikshetsharma/Library in PATH, mode 040777
Traceback (most recent call last):
    2: from /usr/local/bin/pod:23:in `<main>'
    1: from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems.rb:302:in `activate_bin_path'
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/rubygems.rb:283:in `find_spec_for_exe': can't find gem cocoapods (>= 0.a) with executable pod (Gem::GemNotFoundException)
prikshetsharma@Prikshets-MacBook-Pro ~ % sudo gem install cocoapods
Building native extensions. This could take a while...
ERROR:  Error installing cocoapods:
    ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

    current directory: /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/2.7.0/gems/ffi-1.13.1/ext/ffi_c
/usr/local/opt/ruby/bin/ruby -I /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0 -r ./siteconf20200630-11975-1rzj6u8.rb extconf.rb
checking for ffi.h... *** 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
    --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=/usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/bin/$(RUBY_BASE_NAME)
    --with-ffi_c-dir
    --without-ffi_c-dir
    --with-ffi_c-include
    --without-ffi_c-include=${ffi_c-dir}/include
    --with-ffi_c-lib
    --without-ffi_c-lib=${ffi_c-dir}/lib
    --enable-system-libffi
    --disable-system-libffi
    --with-libffi-config
    --without-libffi-config
    --with-pkg-config
    --without-pkg-config
    --with-ffi-dir
    --without-ffi-dir
    --with-ffi-include
    --without-ffi-include=${ffi-dir}/include
    --with-ffi-lib
    --without-ffi-lib=${ffi-dir}/lib
/usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0/mkmf.rb:471:in `try_do': The compiler failed to generate an executable file. (RuntimeError)
You have to install development tools first.
    from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0/mkmf.rb:613:in `try_cpp'
    from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0/mkmf.rb:1124:in `block in have_header'
    from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0/mkmf.rb:971:in `block in checking_for'
    from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0/mkmf.rb:361:in `block (2 levels) in postpone'
    from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0/mkmf.rb:331:in `open'
    from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0/mkmf.rb:361:in `block in postpone'
    from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0/mkmf.rb:331:in `open'
    from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0/mkmf.rb:357:in `postpone'
    from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0/mkmf.rb:970:in `checking_for'
    from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib/ruby/2.7.0/mkmf.rb:1123:in `have_header'
    from extconf.rb:10:in `system_libffi_usable?'
    from extconf.rb:42:in `<main>'

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

  /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/2.7.0/extensions/x86_64-darwin-19/2.7.0/ffi-1.13.1/mkmf.log

extconf failed, exit code 1

Gem files will remain installed in /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/2.7.0/gems/ffi-1.13.1 for inspection.
Results logged to /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/2.7.0/extensions/x86_64-darwin-19/2.7.0/ffi-1.13.1/gem_make.out

How to fix this?

The mkmf.log file gives:

~ % cat   /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/2.7.0/extensions/x86_64-darwin-19/2.7.0/ffi-1.13.1/mkmf.log

package configuration for libffi is not found
"clang -o conftest -I/usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/include/ruby-2.7.0/x86_64-darwin19 -I/usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/include/ruby-2.7.0/ruby/backward -I/usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/include/ruby-2.7.0 -I.  -I/usr/local/opt/libyaml/include -I/usr/local/opt/[email protected]/include -I/usr/local/opt/readline/include -D_XOPEN_SOURCE -D_DARWIN_C_SOURCE -D_DARWIN_UNLIMITED_SELECT -D_REENTRANT   -O3 -ggdb3 -Wall -Wextra -Wdeprecated-declarations -Wdivision-by-zero -Wimplicit-function-declaration -Wimplicit-int -Wpointer-arith -Wshorten-64-to-32 -Wwrite-strings -Wmissing-noreturn -Wno-constant-logical-operand -Wno-long-long -Wno-missing-field-initializers -Wno-overlength-strings -Wno-parentheses-equality -Wno-self-assign -Wno-tautological-compare -Wno-unused-parameter -Wno-unused-value -Wunused-variable -Wextra-tokens  -fno-common -pipe conftest.c  -L. -L/usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/lib -L/usr/local/opt/libyaml/lib -L/usr/local/opt/[email protected]/lib -L/usr/local/opt/readline/lib -L. -fstack-protector-strong -L/usr/local/lib -L/usr/local/opt/libyaml/lib -L/usr/local/opt/[email protected]/lib -L/usr/local/opt/readline/lib     -lruby.2.7   "
In file included from conftest.c:1:
In file included from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/include/ruby-2.7.0/ruby.h:33:
In file included from /usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/include/ruby-2.7.0/ruby/ruby.h:29:
/usr/local/Cellar/ruby/2.7.1_2/include/ruby-2.7.0/ruby/defines.h:126:10: fatal error: 'stdio.h' file not found
#include <stdio.h>
         ^~~~~~~~~
1 error generated.
checked program was:
/* begin */
1: #include "ruby.h"
2: 
3: int main(int argc, char **argv)
4: {
5:   return !!argv[argc];
6: }
/* end */

-- EDIT --

I installed rbenv but on installing ruby on rbenv I get the following error:

BUILD FAILED (OS X 10.15.5 using ruby-build 20200520)

Inspect or clean up the working tree at /var/folders/96/df02xppj77g7dx698gtmwmrw0000gn/T/ruby-build.20200708153637.16832.69ltru
Results logged to /var/folders/96/df02xppj77g7dx698gtmwmrw0000gn/T/ruby-build.20200708153637.16832.log

Last 10 log lines:
checking build system type... x86_64-apple-darwin19.5.0
checking host system type... x86_64-apple-darwin19.5.0
checking target system type... x86_64-apple-darwin19.5.0
checking whether the C compiler works... yes
checking for C compiler default output file name... a.out
checking for suffix of executables... 
checking whether we are cross compiling... configure: error: in `/var/folders/96/df02xppj77g7dx698gtmwmrw0000gn/T/ruby-build.20200708153637.16832.69ltru/ruby-2.2.2':
configure: error: cannot run C compiled programs.
If you meant to cross compile, use `--host'.
See `config.log' for more details

Answer 1

What worked for me: gem install ffi

I had the error you had above and found this post suggesting that it could be related to specific version of the ffi gem. Updating the gem resolved the error and allowed me to pod install.