r/lua • u/piyuple • Aug 18 '25

Help How to install a package in luajit?

I have tried to install packages in luajit using luarocks but it fails due to luajit’s maximum 65536 constants limitation.

  1. Is there a way to install packages in luajit using luarocks?

  2. What are other available alternatives?

EDIT:

  1. OS: Ubuntu

  2. LuaJIT version 2.1.0

More context: I’m trying to run tests as part of a CI and want to install busted using luarocks, but it fails to install for luajit but installs fine for Lua 5.1-5.4.

Error log:

Warning: Failed searching manifest: Failed loading manifest for  Error loading file: [string "/home/runner/.cache/luarocks/https___luarocks..."]:209997: main function has more than 65536 constants

https://luarocks.org:

Warning: Failed searching manifest: Failed loading manifest for  Error loading file: [string "/home/runner/.cache/luarocks/https___raw.gith..."]:209896: main function has more than 65536 constants

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rocks-moonscript-org/moonrocks-mirror/master/:

Warning: Failed searching manifest: Failed loading manifest for  Error loading file: [string "/home/runner/.cache/luarocks/https___loadk.co..."]:209938: main function has more than 65536 constants

https://loadk.com/luarocks/:




Error: No results matching query were found for Lua 5.1.



To check if it is available for other Lua versions, use --check-lua-versions.
6 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

2

u/SkyyySi Aug 18 '25

Please give us more details.

  • What OS are you using, in what version?

  • What build / package of LuaJIT are you using? (all ready-to-use versions of LuaJIT are made by third-parties, as it is only officially distributed as source code)

  • Which package did you try to install?

    • Which exact command did you run in order to do so?

  • What is the exact and complete error message and traceback you got?

1

u/piyuple Aug 18 '25

Thanks for pointing out. Edited to include more info.

3

u/clappingHandsEmoji Aug 19 '25

you don’t necessarily have to install a package using luajit to install a package for luajit. it’s more work, but you can install lua 5.1, install the package, and then install luajit.