ios - Error installing cocoapods : Failed to build gem native extension

Question

I am trying to install cocoapods to my mac [ macOs bigSur 11.1 , Xcode 11.3 ] but after typing sudo gem install cocoapods i get the following error

things i have tried :

1. i was able to install older version of cocoapods using sudo gem install -n /usr/local/bin cocoapods -v 1.8.4 but i need the latest version.
2. Installing homebrew is taking a lot of time.
3. sudo xcode-select --switch/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
4. sudo gem uninstall cocoapods and then installing again.

 ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

    current directory: /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ffi-1.15.0/ext/ffi_c

> /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/bin/ruby -I /Library/Ruby/Site/2.6.0 -r ./siteconf20210508-1385-1wle4hr.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
        --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=/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/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
    /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:467:in `try_do': The compiler failed to generate an executable file. (RuntimeError)
    You have to install development tools first.
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:585:in `block in try_compile'
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:534:in `with_werror'
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:585:in `try_compile'
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:1109:in `block in have_header'
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:959:in `block in checking_for'
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:361:in `block (2 levels) in postpone'
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:331:in `open'
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:361:in `block in postpone'
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:331:in `open'
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:357:in `postpone'
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:958:in `checking_for'
        from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/lib/ruby/2.6.0/mkmf.rb:1108: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:
    
      /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/extensions/universal-darwin-20/2.6.0/ffi-1.15.0/mkmf.log
    
    extconf failed, exit code 1
    
    Gem files will remain installed in /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/gems/ffi-1.15.0 for inspection.
    Results logged to /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.6.0/extensions/universal-darwin-20/2.6.0/ffi-1.15.0/gem_make.out

Answer 1

The problem is that you are trying to use the system ruby. Don’t. It doesn’t belong to you. If you have to say sudo or you see System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby in the output, you’re doing it wrong.

Install Xcode and/or the Xcode tools, install homebrew, use rbenv to install your own ruby, and use it. Then you can install the cocoapods gem and off you go.