tdep-developers · MaxMignolet · Jan 16, 2026 · Jan 16, 2026 · Jan 16, 2026 · Jan 16, 2026
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_simple_compilation_and_test.yml b/.github/workflows/ci_simple_compilation_and_test.yml
@@ -40,6 +40,20 @@ jobs:
               libopenmpi-dev \
               libfftw3-dev \
               libscalapack-openmpi-dev
+
+          sudo pip3 install --upgrade meson
+          # to circumvent meson issue with system path & pkg-config
+          # https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/issues/12993
+          # https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/issues/11088
+          export PKG_CONFIG_ALLOW_SYSTEM_LIBS=1
+          export PKG_CONFIG_ALLOW_SYSTEM_CFLAGS=1
+          # sudo apt-get install -y pkg-config # this version is too old... manual install
+          wget https://distfiles.ariadne.space/pkgconf/pkgconf-2.5.1.tar.xz
+          tar -xf pkgconf-2.5.1.tar.xz
+          cd pkgconf-2.5.1
+          ./configure --prefix=/usr
+          make
+          sudo make install
       - name: compile TDEP with debug flags
         id: compile_debug
         run: |
@@ -48,8 +62,18 @@ jobs:
           cat .github/important_settings.fastcompile >> important_settings
           cat .github/important_settings.x86_64_debugflags >> important_settings
           bash build_things.sh --nthreads_make ${{ env.N_THREADS }}
-      - name: compile TDEP production
+          rm -r build # clean build dir
+      - name: compile TDEP with meson
         if: steps.compile_debug.outcome == 'success'
+        id: compile_meson
+        run: |
+          meson setup build
+          cd build
+          meson compile
+          meson install
+          rm -r build # clean build dir
+      - name: compile TDEP production
+        if: steps.compile_meson.outcome == 'success'
         id: compile_production
         run: |
           cd ${{ github.workspace }}

diff --git a/INSTALL.md b/INSTALL.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Installation
 - python should be installed
 - gnuplot should be installed
 
-**Note: The `build_things.sh` script assumes that TDEP was cloned and lives in a git repository. If you wish obtain TDEP in another you have to adjust the script.**
+**Note: The `build_things.sh` script assumes that TDEP was cloned and lives in a git repository. If you wish obtain TDEP in another way you have to adjust the script.**
 
 **If you have a package manager, `homebrew`, `apt-get`, `yay`, `pacman`, you name it, getting these dependencies should be straightforward.**
 
@@ -78,29 +78,6 @@ i.e., add the respective lines to your `.bashrc` and you are all set up!
 
 **If problems occur, please look at the [Troubleshooting section below](#Troubleshooting). If you cannot fix the error, please reach out, e.g., via the [issue tracker](https://github.com/tdep-developers/tdep/issues).**
 
-## Meson build system
-
-Alternativaly to the `build_things.sh` script, there is also the possibility to use [Meson](https://mesonbuild.com/). It is a build automation tool, and  it supports incremental builds. The dependencies should be installed in standard locations (e.g. `/usr/local/`) or specified in the `PKG_CONFIG_PATH`.
-
-First setup the git version for the code: 
-```setup_git_version.sh```
-Then you can run the configuration step:
-```meson setup build```
-And finally compile the code:
-```
-cd build
-meson compile
-meson install
-```
-
-If some dependencies are not found, please make sure that they are in your PKG_CONFIG_PATH. For example, put something of the form in your `.bashrc` / `.bash_profile` :
-```export PKG_CONFIG_PATH="/path/to/your/netcdf/:${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}"```
-Depending on the method used to install the required libraries, they may not be automatically put inside the search path (Homebrew is known to not always do it).
-You can make sure that `pkg-config` is able to find the dependencies by running: `pkg-config --libs hdf5`
-Meson will first try to find dependencies via `pkg-config`. If it does not find them, it will try to use CMake (if installed/loaded).
-
-Once the configuration step is done, everything should go smoothly. The binaries will be in build/bin/executable_name.
-
 ## Check your installation
 
 We advise to run the tests in [`./tests`](./tests)  to check your installation.
@@ -122,6 +99,7 @@ where `FC` and `CC` should point to the same Fortran/C compilers you are using t
 - [macOS](#macOS)
 - [Supercomputers](#Supercomputers)
 - [Platform-agnostic installation using Anaconda](#Anaconda)
+- [Platform-agnostic installation using the Meson build system](#Meson-build-system)
 
 ## macOS
 
@@ -146,6 +124,10 @@ There are two template settings files you can look into:
 
 One convenient, (mostly) platform-agnostic way to install TDEP is to use [Anaconda](https://anaconda.org/).
 
+## Meson build system
+
+To use the Meson build system instead of the `build_things.sh` script, see [INSTALL_Meson.md](INSTALL_Meson.md).
+
 ### Prepare environment
 
 

diff --git a/INSTALL_Meson.md b/INSTALL_Meson.md
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+Installation with the Meson build system
+===
+
+Alternativaly to the `build_things.sh` script, there is also the possibility to use [Meson](https://mesonbuild.com/). It is a build automation tool, and  it supports incremental builds. The dependencies should be installed in standard locations (e.g. `/usr/local/`) or specified in the `PKG_CONFIG_PATH`.
+
+First setup the git version for the code:
+```setup_git_version.sh```
+Then you can run the configuration step:
+```meson setup build```
+And finally compile the code:
+```
+cd build
+meson compile
+meson install
+```
+
+If some dependencies are not found, please make sure that they are in your PKG_CONFIG_PATH. For example, put a line of the form in your `.bashrc` / `.bash_profile` :
+```export PKG_CONFIG_PATH="/path/to/your/hdf5/:${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}"```
+Depending on the method used to install the required libraries, they may not be automatically put inside the search path (Homebrew is known to not always do it).
+You can make sure that `pkg-config` is able to find the dependencies by running: `pkg-config --libs hdf5`
+Meson will first try to find dependencies via `pkg-config`. If it does not find them, it will try to use CMake (if installed/loaded).
+
+Once the configuration step is done, everything should go smoothly. The binaries will be in build/bin/executable_name.
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
@@ -1,17 +1,49 @@
-project('tdep', 'fortran', 'c', 'cpp')
+project('tdep',
+        'fortran', 'c', 'cpp',
+        meson_version: '>=1.1',
+        default_options: ['buildtype=custom', 'debug=true', 'optimization=3'])
 add_project_arguments('-cpp', language: 'fortran')
 add_project_arguments('-ffree-line-length-none', language: 'fortran')
 # add_project_arguments('-std=f2008', language: 'fortran')
 add_project_arguments('-fallow-argument-mismatch', language: 'fortran')
 
 # global dependencies:
+
+# mpi
 dep_mpi = dependency('mpi', language: 'fortran')
-dep_blas = dependency('blas')
-dep_lapack = dependency('lapack')
+
+# linear algebra
+dep_linalg_found = false
+# 1) try accelerate framework for macos (if wanted)
+if build_machine.system() == 'darwin' and get_option('accfrmwrk') == true
+  dep_linalg = dependency('appleframeworks', modules : 'accelerate', required: false)
+  dep_linalg_found = dep_linalg.found()
+endif
+
+# 2) try blas/openblas + lapack otherwise
+if not dep_linalg_found
+  dep_blas = dependency('blas', required: false)
+  if not dep_blas.found()
+    message('Did not find the blas library. Trying with openblas')
+    dep_blas = dependency('openblas', required: true) # required as it is the last try
+  endif
+  dep_lapack = dependency('lapack', required: true)
+  dep_linalg = [dep_blas, dep_lapack]
+endif
+# # add some common path to pkg-config search path
+# env = environ()
+# env.prepend('PKG_CONFIG_PATH', '/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu')
+
+# message(get_option('linalg_flavor'))
+
+# fft
 dep_fftw = dependency('fftw3')
+
+# hdf5
 dep_hdf5 = dependency('hdf5', language: 'fortran', version: '>1.10.7')
-dep_netcdf = dependency('netcdf', language: 'fortran')
-dep_all = [dep_mpi, dep_blas, dep_lapack, dep_fftw, dep_hdf5, dep_netcdf]
+
+# dep_all = [dep_mpi, dep_blas, dep_lapack, dep_fftw, dep_hdf5]
+dep_all = [dep_mpi, dep_linalg, dep_fftw, dep_hdf5]
 
 subdir('src/libolle')
 subdir('src/libflap')

diff --git a/meson.options b/meson.options
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# wether to use the apple accelerate framework on macos
+option('accfrmwrk', type : 'boolean', value : false)
+# option('linalg_flavor', type : 'combo', choices : ['auto', 'lapack', 'mkl'])
+# option('fft_flavor', type : 'combo', choices : ['auto', 'fftw', 'mkl_dfti'])
diff --git a/src/anharmonic_free_energy/meson.build b/src/anharmonic_free_energy/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('anharmonic_free_energy',
+exec_name='anharmonic_free_energy'
+executable(exec_name,
            'energy.f90',
            'epot.f90',
            'main.f90',
@@ -9,4 +10,4 @@ executable('anharmonic_free_energy',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('anharmonic_free_energy', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/anharmonic_free_energy', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/atomic_distribution/meson.build b/src/atomic_distribution/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('atomic_distribution',
+exec_name='atomic_distribution'
+executable(exec_name,
            'correlationfunction.f90',
            'diffraction.f90',
            'main.f90',
@@ -13,4 +14,4 @@ executable('atomic_distribution',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('atomic_distribution', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/atomic_distribution', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/canonical_configuration/meson.build b/src/canonical_configuration/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('canonical_configuration',
+exec_name='canonical_configuration'
+executable(exec_name,
            'main.f90',
            'options.f90',
            'semirandom.f90',
@@ -8,4 +9,4 @@ executable('canonical_configuration',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('canonical_configuration', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/canonical_configuration', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/crystal_structure_info/meson.build b/src/crystal_structure_info/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('crystal_structure_info',
+exec_name='crystal_structure_info'
+executable(exec_name,
            'main.f90',
            'options.f90',
            link_with: [libolle, libflap],
@@ -7,4 +8,4 @@ executable('crystal_structure_info',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('crystal_structure_info', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/crystal_structure_info', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/dump_dynamical_matrices/meson.build b/src/dump_dynamical_matrices/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('dump_dynamical_matrices',
+exec_name='dump_dynamical_matrices'
+executable(exec_name,
            'main.f90',
            'options.f90',
            link_with: [libolle, libflap],
@@ -7,4 +8,4 @@ executable('dump_dynamical_matrices',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('dump_dynamical_matrices', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/dump_dynamical_matrices', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/extract_forceconstants/meson.build b/src/extract_forceconstants/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('extract_forceconstants',
+exec_name='extract_forceconstants'
+executable(exec_name,
            'main.f90',
            'options.f90',
            link_with: [libolle, libflap],
@@ -7,4 +8,4 @@ executable('extract_forceconstants',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('extract_forceconstants', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/extract_forceconstants', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/generate_structure/meson.build b/src/generate_structure/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('generate_structure',
+exec_name='generate_structure'
+executable(exec_name,
            'autocell.f90',
            'main.f90',
            'options.f90',
@@ -8,4 +9,4 @@ executable('generate_structure',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('generate_structure', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/generate_structure', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/lineshape/meson.build b/src/lineshape/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('lineshape',
+exec_name='lineshape'
+executable(exec_name,
            'dielscatter.f90',
            'dielscatter_helper.f90',
            # 'dielscatter_matrixelement.f90',
@@ -20,4 +21,4 @@ executable('lineshape',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('lineshape', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/lineshape', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/pack_simulation/meson.build b/src/pack_simulation/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('pack_simulation',
+exec_name='pack_simulation'
+executable(exec_name,
            'main.f90',
            'options.f90',
            link_with: [libolle, libflap],
@@ -7,4 +8,4 @@ executable('pack_simulation',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('pack_simulation', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/pack_simulation', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/phasespace_surface/meson.build b/src/phasespace_surface/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('phasespace_surface',
+exec_name='phasespace_surface'
+executable(exec_name,
            'main.f90',
            'options.f90',
            'type_phasespacesurface.f90',
@@ -8,4 +9,4 @@ executable('phasespace_surface',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('phasespace_surface', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/phasespace_surface', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/phonon_dispersion_relations/meson.build b/src/phonon_dispersion_relations/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('phonon_dispersion_relations',
+exec_name='phonon_dispersion_relations'
+executable(exec_name,
            'activity.f90',
            'densityplots.f90',
            'densityplots_stuntscattering.f90',
@@ -13,4 +14,4 @@ executable('phonon_dispersion_relations',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('phonon_dispersion_relations', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/phonon_dispersion_relations', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/refine_structure/meson.build b/src/refine_structure/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('refine_structure',
+exec_name='refine_structure'
+executable(exec_name,
            'lo_spacegroup_applyoperation.f90',
            'lo_spacegroup_charactertable.f90',
            'lo_spacegroup.f90',
@@ -13,4 +14,4 @@ executable('refine_structure',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('refine_structure', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/refine_structure', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name/ exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/samples_from_md/meson.build b/src/samples_from_md/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('samples_from_md',
+exec_name='samples_from_md'
+executable(exec_name,
            'main.f90',
            'options.f90',
            link_with: [libolle, libflap],
@@ -7,4 +8,4 @@ executable('samples_from_md',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('samples_from_md', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/samples_from_md', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/thermal_conductivity/meson.build b/src/thermal_conductivity/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('thermal_conductivity',
+exec_name='thermal_conductivity'
+executable(exec_name,
            'cumulative_kappa.f90',
            'kappa.f90',
            'main.f90',
@@ -10,4 +11,4 @@ executable('thermal_conductivity',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('thermal_conductivity', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/thermal_conductivity', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
diff --git a/src/thermal_conductivity_2023/meson.build b/src/thermal_conductivity_2023/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-executable('thermal_conductivity_2023',
+exec_name='thermal_conductivity_2023'
+executable(exec_name,
            'main.f90',
            'mfp.f90',
            'options.f90',
@@ -11,4 +12,4 @@ executable('thermal_conductivity_2023',
            install: true,
            install_dir: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin')
 
-install_symlink('thermal_conductivity_2023', pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'bin/thermal_conductivity_2023', install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')
+install_symlink(exec_name, pointing_to: meson.project_build_root() / 'src' / exec_name / exec_name, install_dir: meson.project_source_root() / 'bin')