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Configuration Flags

When the application is being built, these flags determine what capabilities are included in Shairport Sync. For example, to include DSP capabilities – needed for a loudness filter – you would include the --with-convolution flag in the list of options at the ./configure ... stage when building the application.

In the following sections, Shairport Sync's compilation configuration options are detailed by catgegory.

AirPlay 2 or AirPlay

Flag
`--with-airplay-2`

AirPlay 2 is the current version of the AirPlay protocol. It offers multi-room operation and integration with the Home application. However, the Shairport Sync implementation is doesn't support iTunes on Windows, and its integration with the Home app and support for remote control is incomplete. Additionally, it requires a somewhat more powerful computer system (Raspberry Pi 2 equivalent or better) and a recent (2018 or later) version of a Debian-like Linux, Alpine Linux or FreeBSD. It has not been tested on other Linux distributions such as OpenWrt. Finally, AirPlay 2 can be lossy – in one mode of operation, audio is encoded in 256kbps AAC.

AirPlay (aka AirPlay 1) is an older version of the AirPlay protocol. If offers multi-room operation to iTunes on macOS or Windows, the Music app on macOS and some third-party computer applications such as OwnTone. It will run on lower powered machines, e.g. the original Raspberry Pi and many embedded devices. This version of AirPlay is lossless – audio is received in 44,100 frames per second 16-bit interleaved stereo ALAC format. It is compatible with a wider range of Linux distributions, back to around 2012. However, support for this version of AirPlay seems to be gradually waning. It does not offer multi-room operation to iOS, iPadOS or AppleTV and is incompatible with HomePod. It is not integrated with the Home app.

To build Shairport Sync for AirPlay 2, include the --with-airplay-2 option in the ./configure ... options. You will also have to include extra libraries. Omitting this option will cause Shairport Sync to be built for the older AirPlay protocol.

Audio Output

Flags
`--with-alsa`
`--with-sndio`
`--with-pa`
`--with-pw`
`--with-ao`
`--with-jack`
`--with-soundio`
`--with-stdout`
`--with-pipe`

Shairport Sync has a number of different "backends" that send audio to an onward destination, e.g. an audio subsystem for output to a Digital to Audio Converter and thence to loudspeakers, or to a pipe for further processing. You can use configuration options to include support for multiple backends at build time and select one of them at runtime.

Here are the audio backend configuration options:

--with-alsa Output to the Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) system. This is recommended for highest quality.
--with-sndio Output to the FreeBSD-native sndio system.
--with-pa Include the PulseAudio audio back end.
--with-pw Output to the PipeWire system.
--with-ao Output to the libao system. No synchronisation.
--with-jack Output to the Jack Audio system.
--with-soundio Include an optional backend module for audio to be output through the soundio system. No synchronisation.
--with-stdout Include an optional backend module to enable raw audio to be output through standard output (STDOUT).
--with-pipe Include an optional backend module to enable raw audio to be output through a unix pipe.

PulseAudio and PipeWire

Many recent Linux distributions with a GUI -- "desktop" Linuxes -- use PulseAudio or PipeWire to handle sound. There are two things to consider with these sound servers:

They may not always be available: a sound server generally becomes available when a user logs in via the GUI and disappears when the user logs out; it is not available when the system starts up and it is not available to non-GUI users. This means that Shairport Sync can not run as a daemon (see "Daemonisation" below) using a sound server unless the sound server is configured as a system-wide service.
The fidelity of the audio is unknown: once audio is delivered to the sound server, it is unknown what happens to it as it is processed through PulseAudio to arrives eventually at the loudspeakers.

It should be noted that both PulseAudio and PipeWire provide a default ALSA pseudo device that enables ALSA-compatible programs to send audio. Shairport Sync can therefore use the ALSA backend with PulseAudio- or PipeWire-based systems.

Audio Options

Flags
`--with-soxr`
`--with-apple-alac`
`--with-convolution`

--with-soxr Allows Shairport Sync to use libsoxr-based resampling for improved interpolation. Recommended.
--with-apple-alac Allows Shairport Sync to use the Apple ALAC Decoder. Requires libalac.
--with-convolution Includes a convolution filter that can be used to apply effects such as frequency and phase correction, and a loudness filter that compensates for the non-linearity of the human auditory system. Requires libsndfile.

Metadata

Flags
`--with-metadata`

Metadata such as track name, artist name, album name, cover art and more can be requested from the player and passed to other applications.

--with-metadata Adds support for Shairport Sync to request metadata and to pipe it to a compatible application. See https://github.com/mikebrady/shairport-sync-metadata-reader for a sample metadata reader.

Inter Process Communication

Flags
`--with-mqtt-client`
`--with-dbus-interface`
`--with-dbus-test-client`
`--with-mpris-interface`
`--with-mpris-test-client`

Shairport Sync offers three Inter Process Communication (IPC) interfaces: an MQTT interface, an MPRIS-like interface and a Shairport Sync specific "native" D-Bus interface loosely based on MPRIS. The options are as follows:

--with-mqtt-client Includes a client for MQTT,
--with-dbus-interface Includes support for the native Shairport Sync D-Bus interface,
- --with-dbus-test-client Compiles a D-Bus test client application,
--with-mpris-interface Includes support for a D-Bus interface conforming as far as possible with the MPRIS standard,
- --with-mpris-test-client Compiles an MPRIS test client application.

D-Bus and MPRIS commands and properties can be viewed using utilities such as D-Feet.

MPRIS

The MPRIS interface has to depart somewhat from full MPRIS compatibility due to logical differences between Shairport Sync and a full standalone audio player such as Rhythmbox. Basically there are some things that Shairport Sync itself can not control that a standalone player can control. A good example is volume control. MPRIS has a read-write Volume property, so the volume can be read or set. However, all Shairport Sync can do is request the player to change the volume control. This request may or may not be carried out, and it may or may not be done accurately. So, in Shairport Sync's MPRIS interface, Volume is a read-only property, and an extra command called SetVolume is provided.

Other Configuration Options

Configuration Files

Flags
`--sysconfdir=<directory>`

Shairport Sync will look for a configuration file – shairport-sync.conf by default – when it starts up. By default, it will look in the directory specified by the sysconfdir configuration variable, which defaults to /usr/local/etc. This is normal in BSD Unixes, but is unusual in Linux. Hence, for Linux installations, you need to set the sysconfdir variable to /etc using the configuration setting --sysconfdir=/etc.

Daemonisation

Flags
`--with-libdaemon`
`--with-piddir=<pathname>`

A daemon is a computer program that runs as a background process, rather than being under the direct control of an interactive user. Shairport Sync is designed to run as a daemon. FreeBSD and most recent Linux distributions can run an application as a daemon without special modifications. However, in certain older distributions and in special cases it may be necessary to enable Shairport Sync to daemonise itself. Use the --with-libdaemon configuration option:

--with-libdaemon Includes a demonising library needed if you want Shairport Sync to demonise itself with the -d option. Not needed for systemd-based systems which demonise programs differently.
--with-piddir=<pathname> Specifies a pathname to a directory in which to write the PID file which is created when Shairport Sync daemonises itself and used to locate the deamon process to be killed with the -k command line option.

Automatic Start

Flags
`--with-systemd`
`--with-systemdsystemunitdir=<dir>`
`--with-systemv`
`--with-freebsd-service`
`--with-sygwin-service`

Daemon programs such as Shairport Sync need to be started automatically, so that the service they provide becomes available without further intervention. Typically this is done using startup scripts. Four options are provided – two for Linux, one for FreeBSD and one for CYGWIN. In Linux, the choice depends on whether systemd is used or not. If systemd is installed, then the --with-systemd option is suggested. If not, the --with-systemv option is suggested.

--with-systemd Includes a script to create a Shairport Sync service that can optionally launch automatically at startup on systemd-based Linuxes. Default is not to to install. Note: an associated special-purpose option allows you to specify where the systemd service file will be placed:
- --with-systemdsystemunitdir=<dir> Specifies the directory for systemd service files.
--with-systemv Includes a script to create a Shairport Sync service that can optionally launch automatically at startup on System V based Linuxes. Default is not to to install.
--with-freebsd-service Includes a script to create a Shairport Sync service that can optionally launch automatically at startup on FreeBSD. Default is not to to install.
--with-cygwin-service Includes a script to create a Shairport Sync service that can optionally launch automatically at startup on CYGWIN. Default is not to to install.

Cryptography

Flags
`--with-ssl=openssl`
`--with-ssl=mbedtls`
`--with-ssl=polarssl`

AirPlay 2 operation requires the OpenSSL libraries, so the option --with-ssl=openssl is mandatory.

For classic Shairport Sync, the options are as follows:

--with-ssl=openssl Uses the OpenSSL cryptography toolkit. This is mandatory for AirPlay 2 operation.
--with-ssl=mbedtls Uses the Mbed TLS cryptography library. Only suitable for classic AirPlay operation – do not include it in an AirPlay 2 configuration.
--with-ssl=polarssl Uses the PolarSSL cryptography library. This is deprecated – PolarSSL has been replaced by Mbed TLS. Only suitable for classic AirPlay operation – do not include it in an AirPlay 2 configuration.

Zeroconf/Bonjour

Flags
`--with-avahi`
`--with-tinysvcmdns`
`--with-external-mdns`
`--with-dns_sd`

AirPlay devices advertise their existence and status using Zeroconf (aka Bonjour).

AirPlay 2 operation requires the Avahi libraries, so the option --with-avahi is mandatory.