# Unable to find dynamic system library 'readline' zig 0.16.0

**URL:** <https://forum.codecrafters.io/t/unable-to-find-dynamic-system-library-readline-zig-0-16-0/16108>\
**Category:** Bug Reports\
**Tags:** challenge:shell\
**Created:** [May 14, 2026, 1:52pm UTC](https://forum.codecrafters.io/t/unable-to-find-dynamic-system-library-readline-zig-0-16-0/16108 "2026-05-14T13:52:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nathanielketema](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/forum.codecrafters.io/nathanielketema/32/25687_2.png) [@nathanielketema](https://forum.codecrafters.io/u/nathanielketema)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 1:52pm UTC](https://forum.codecrafters.io/t/unable-to-find-dynamic-system-library-readline-zig-0-16-0/16108/1 "2026-05-14T13:52:10Z")

</div>

I’m stuck on Stage #ZV2

Here are my logs:

```auto
[build] Starting build...
[build] If you don't see logs for 60s+, please contact us at hello@codecrafters.io
[build] Step 1 complete.
[build] Step 2 complete.
[build] Step 3 complete.
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[build] Step 12 complete.
[build] Step 13 complete.
[build] Step 14 complete.
[build] Step 15 complete.
[build] > install
[build] > +- install main
[build] > +- compile exe main Debug native
[build] > +- translate-c failure
[build] > error: error: unable to find dynamic system library 'readline' using strategy 'paths_first'. sea
rched paths:
[build] > /usr/local/lib/libreadline.so
[build] > /usr/local/lib/libreadline.a
[build] > /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libreadline.so
[build] > /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libreadline.a
[build] > /lib64/libreadline.so
[build] > /lib64/libreadline.a
[build] > /lib/libreadline.so
[build] > /lib/libreadline.a
[build] > /usr/lib64/libreadline.so
[build] > /usr/lib64/libreadline.a
[build] > /usr/lib/libreadline.so
[build] > /usr/lib/libreadline.a
[build] > /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libreadline.so
[build] > /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libreadline.a
[build] >        
[build] > error: process exited with error code 1
[build] > failed command: /usr/local/zig/zig translate-c -lc --cache-dir .zig-cache --global-cache-dir /ro
ot/.cache/zig -lreadline /app/src/readline.h --listen=-
[build] > 
[build] > Build Summary: 0/4 steps succeeded (1 failed)
[build] > install transitive failure
[build] > +- install main transitive failure
[build] > +- compile exe main Debug native transitive failure
[build] > +- translate-c failure
[build] > 
[build] > error: the following build command failed with exit code 1:
[build] > .zig-cache/o/e85b732f23700b42d37e64f9365f0f27/build /usr/local/zig/zig /usr/local/zig/lib /app .
zig-cache /root/.cache/zig --seed 0x657652ca -Zd0dd61c1d84372ef
[build] Error: process "/bin/sh -c .codecrafters/compile.sh" did not complete successfully: exit code: 1.
[build] > failed command: /usr/local/zig/zig translate-c -lc --cache-dir .zig-cache --global-cache-dir /ro
ot/.cache/zig -lreadline /app/src/readline.h --listen=-
[build] > 
[build] > Build Summary: 0/4 steps succeeded (1 failed)
[build] > install transitive failure
[build] > +- install main transitive failure
[build] > +- compile exe main Debug native transitive failure
[build] > +- translate-c failure
[build] > 
[build] > error: the following build command failed with exit code 1:
[build] > .zig-cache/o/e85b732f23700b42d37e64f9365f0f27/build /usr/local/zig/zig /usr/local/zig/lib /app .
zig-cache /root/.cache/zig --seed 0x657652ca -Zd0dd61c1d84372ef
[build] Build failed. Check the logs above for the reason.
[build] If you think this is a CodeCrafters error, please contact us at hello@codecrafters.io.

Looks like your codebase failed to build.
If you think this is a CodeCrafters error, please let us know at
hello@codecrafters.io.

```

It works on my machine 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andy1li](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/forum.codecrafters.io/andy1li/32/10_2.png) [@andy1li](https://forum.codecrafters.io/u/andy1li)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 8:04pm UTC](https://forum.codecrafters.io/t/unable-to-find-dynamic-system-library-readline-zig-0-16-0/16108/3 "2026-05-14T20:04:57Z")

</div>

Hey @nathanielketema, sorry about that, this was an issue on our end.

We’ve fixed it in [this PR](https://github.com/codecrafters-io/build-your-own-shell/pull/353), so could you try submitting again? Let me know if you still run into any issues.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/uploads/codecrafters/original/3X/7/0/700657133935c15703e22c7c8870394f6e6dc27d.svg) [@system](https://forum.codecrafters.io/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 8:05pm UTC](https://forum.codecrafters.io/t/unable-to-find-dynamic-system-library-readline-zig-0-16-0/16108/4 "2026-05-21T20:05:51Z")

</div>

Closed on May 21, 2026, 8:05pm UTC

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