Switch most users from abandoned `libelf` to `elfutils`

[trofi]

Describe the bug

libelf did not see an update since 2014: https://github.com/Distrotech/libelf. elfutils is a popular API compatible (?) ELF parser that most users expect.

I suggest switching most users (or maybe even all?) from libelf to elfutils. A few examples which should very likely use elfutils:

$ git grep -F ', libelf'
...
pkgs/development/libraries/mesa/default.nix:, libelf, libvdpau
pkgs/os-specific/linux/iproute/default.nix:, db, iptables, libelf, libmnl
pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/manual-config.nix:, libelf, cpio, elfutils, zstd, python3Minimal, zlib, pahole, kmod, ubootTools

Priorities

Add a 👍 reaction to issues you find important.

[philiptaron]

Here's a cheap-and-cheerful list of items that might need attention. There are about 40.

$ rg libelf --sort=path -g '*.nix' -m1 -w
pkgs/applications/audio/lv2lint/default.nix
1:{ stdenv, lib, fetchurl, pkg-config, meson, ninja, lv2, lilv, curl, libelf }:

pkgs/applications/emulators/dynamips/default.nix
5:, libelf

pkgs/applications/emulators/mgba/default.nix
8:, libelf

pkgs/applications/misc/elf-dissector/default.nix
9:, libelf

pkgs/applications/misc/opencpn/default.nix
18:, libelf

pkgs/applications/networking/ids/suricata/default.nix
13:, libelf

pkgs/applications/science/electronics/nvc/default.nix
10:, libelf

pkgs/applications/virtualization/libnvidia-container/default.nix
6:, libelf

pkgs/development/compilers/clasp/default.nix
60:    libelf

pkgs/development/compilers/wcc/default.nix
1:{ lib, stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, capstone, libbfd, libelf, libiberty, readline }:

pkgs/development/embedded/avrdude/default.nix
1:{ lib, stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, cmake, bison, flex, libusb-compat-0_1, libelf

pkgs/development/libraries/glib/default.nix
11:, libiconv, zlib, libffi, pcre2, libelf, gnome, libselinux, bash, gnum4, gtk-doc, docbook_xsl, docbook_xml_dtd_45, libxslt

pkgs/development/libraries/libdwarf/20210528.nix
1:{ callPackage, zlib, libelf }:

pkgs/development/libraries/libdwarf/common.nix
1:{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, buildInputs, hash, version, libelf, url, knownVulnerabilities }:

pkgs/development/libraries/libelf/default.nix
11:  pname = "libelf";

pkgs/development/libraries/mesa/default.nix
6:, libelf, libvdpau

pkgs/development/libraries/spdk/default.nix
16:, libelf

pkgs/development/rocm-modules/5/rocm-runtime/default.nix
10:, libelf

pkgs/development/tools/analysis/hotspot/default.nix
14:, libelf

pkgs/development/tools/misc/prelink/default.nix
5:, libelf

pkgs/development/tools/misc/vtable-dumper/default.nix
1:{ lib, stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, libelf }:

pkgs/development/tools/profiling/EZTrace/default.nix
5:  libelf,

pkgs/development/tools/profiling/malt/default.nix
3:, cmake, nodejs, libelf, libunwind

pkgs/development/tools/simavr/default.nix
1:{ lib, stdenv, makeSetupHook, fetchFromGitHub, libelf, which, pkg-config, freeglut

pkgs/games/steam/fhsenv.nix
103:    libelf

pkgs/os-specific/bsd/freebsd/default.nix
314:      rm ''${!outputDev}/0-include/libelf.h

pkgs/os-specific/linux/dpdk/default.nix
5:, libbsd, numactl, libbpf, zlib, libelf, jansson, openssl, libpcap, rdma-core

pkgs/os-specific/linux/iproute/default.nix
3:, db, iptables, libelf, libmnl

pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/manual-config.nix
2:, libelf, cpio, elfutils, zstd, python3Minimal, zlib, pahole, kmod, ubootTools

pkgs/os-specific/linux/ndiswrapper/default.nix
1:{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, kernel, perl, kmod, libelf }:

pkgs/os-specific/linux/odp-dpdk/default.nix
14:, libelf

pkgs/servers/frr/clippy-helper.nix
11:, libelf

pkgs/servers/frr/default.nix
18:, libelf

pkgs/tools/misc/rmlint/default.nix
8:, libelf

pkgs/tools/security/chipsec/default.nix
5:, libelf

[Artturin]

Arch has the libelf package as an output of the elfutils package

https://archlinux.org/packages/core/x86_64/libelf/

https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/packaging/packages/elfutils/-/blob/main/PKGBUILD?ref_type=heads#L142

[Atemu]

If it's API-compatible, I'd be in favour of removing the old, putting an alias in its place and replacing the remaining usages of libelf with elfutils.

[philiptaron]

I'm taking a crack at this.