Chilkat for Lua — Downloads

Which download do I need?

A Lua C module is built for one Lua version line, so each download is for one Lua ABI and one platform:

lua -v                                   # which Lua
lua -e "print(_VERSION, package.cpath)"  # its version and where it looks for C modules

Platforms: Windows (win32, x64, arm64), Linux glibc (x86_64, aarch64, armv7l), Alpine Linux musl (x86_64, aarch64), macOS (arm64, x86_64). The Linux builds do not load on Alpine, nor the reverse.

Windows

Each .zip contains a code-signed chilkat.dll, linked with the C runtime statically (no redistributable needed). The DLL imports the Lua C API by name from lua51.dll, lua54.dll or lua55.dll — whichever your lua.exe uses, MSVC- or MinGW-built, LuaJIT's lua51.dll included. Getting started →

Linux (x86_64, aarch64, armv7l)

For glibc-based distributions (Debian/Ubuntu, RHEL/Fedora, SUSE, Arch, Raspberry Pi OS, …). Each .tar.gz contains chilkat.so. Alpine Linux uses musl and needs the Alpine downloads below. Getting started →

Alpine Linux (x86_64, aarch64)

For musl-based systems (Alpine Linux, including the official Alpine Docker images).

macOS (Apple silicon, Intel)

Each .tar.gz contains a code-signed chilkat.so (the extension Lua looks for on macOS too). Homebrew's lua (5.4) and luajit work with these.

Getting started

1. Download and extract

   tar xzf chilkat-lua5.4-x86_64-linux.tar.gz        # Linux / Alpine / macOS (your file name)
   # Windows: right-click the .zip → Extract All, or:  tar -xf chilkat-lua5.4-x64.zip

   macOS only: if the browser added a quarantine attribute, clear it so Gatekeeper does not block the module: xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine chilkat-lua5.4-arm64-macosx

2. What's in the download

   chilkat-lua<abi>-<platform>/
   ├─ chilkat.so            the module (chilkat.dll on Windows)
   ├─ types/chilkat.lua     LuaLS annotations for editors
   ├─ test.lua              checks that the module loads
   ├─ README.txt
   └─ license files and a software bill of materials (chilkat.cdx.json)

3. Try it without installing

   From the extracted folder (test.lua adds the current directory to package.cpath):

   lua test.lua

4. Install

   Copy chilkat.so (or chilkat.dll) into a directory on your Lua's package.cpath — e.g. /usr/local/lib/lua/5.4, or on Windows the directory of lua.exe — or point LUA_CPATH at its directory (LUA_CPATH="/opt/chilkat/?.so;;"). Or use the one-command installer or LuaRocks above.

5. Unlock

   Chilkat is fully functional for a 30-day trial. Call unlock_bundle once when your program starts; any string starts the trial, and your purchased unlock code is used the same way:

   assert(chilkat.unlock_bundle("Anything for 30-day trial"))

A first program

local chilkat = require("chilkat")
assert(chilkat.unlock_bundle("Anything for 30-day trial"))

local http = chilkat.Http.new()
http.connect_timeout = 10                              -- properties are fields
http:set_event_handler({
    percent_done = function(pct) io.write(pct, "%\r") end,   -- return true to abort
})

local html, err = http:quick_get_str("https://www.chilkatsoft.com/")
if not html then
    print(err)                                         -- the reason: http.last_error_text
    os.exit(1)
end
print("HTTP " .. http.last_status .. ", " .. #html .. " bytes")

local json = chilkat.JsonObject.new()
assert(json:load('{"a":1,"b":"x"}'))                  -- assert() raises with the Chilkat log
print(json:int_of("a"), json:string_of("b"))

The API in brief

The same classes, members and behavior as every other Chilkat product, in Lua style.

Troubleshooting

module 'chilkat' not found

chilkat.so / chilkat.dll is not in any directory of package.cpath of the Lua that runs the script: print it with lua -e "print(package.cpath)", or set LUA_CPATH.

undefined symbol: lua_newuserdatauv (or another lua_ function)

The download is for another Lua version: use chilkat-lua5.1-* for Lua 5.1 and LuaJIT, chilkat-lua5.4-* for 5.4, chilkat-lua5.5-* for 5.5. It can also mean the host program was built without exporting the Lua API (a statically linked Lua that cannot load any C module).

Windows: The specified module could not be found

The module imports the Lua API from lua51.dll / lua54.dll / lua55.dll. A Lua whose DLL has another name (for example lua5.4.dll), or a lua.exe without a Lua DLL, cannot load it; use a build with the standard DLL name (LuaBinaries, LuaJIT, MSYS2, vcpkg).

Error loading shared library on Alpine (or the reverse)

A glibc (Linux) build on Alpine Linux, or an Alpine build on a glibc distribution: use the download for the C library of the system.

macOS: the module “cannot be opened” or fails a code-signature check

Clear the download's quarantine attribute: xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine <extracted folder>.

chilkat.Http has no property 'conect_timeout'

Property names are checked: a misspelled property raises an error instead of being silently ignored.