explore whether -load_hidden will work around flat namespace

[flavorjones]

demonstrating that we can use -load_hidden to work around -flat_namespace

[stevecheckoway]

Another idea is to link the extension with -Wl,-no_exported_symbols,-exported_symbol,init which should cause the extension to only have a single defined symbol, init. (In Nokogiri's case, that would be Init_nokogiri.) But as you noted, this is going to break anything that assumes Nokogiri will define the libxml2 symbols.

[flavorjones]

Yes, I think long-term the right thing to do with Nokogiri is to make an API decision on whether libxml2/libxslt/gumbo symbols are exported, write some tests to make sure we're exporting only what we want, and then figure out what combination of options (is it --exported-symbols-list, is it -no_exported_symbols,-exported_symbol,Init_nokogiri, etc.) is best to implement visibility.

[stevecheckoway]

That sounds like exactly the right decision.

[flavorjones]

See sparklemotion/nokogiri#2746