md__r_e_a_d_m_e(3)

💖 NAME 💖

okay so bestie, gather round, because today we're meeting md__r_e_a_d_m_e — that's the man page name, section 3, and it's literally just the README for LAPACK. And what is LAPACK, you ask? It's a library of Fortran subroutines for solving the most commonly occurring problems in numerical linear algebra. yes. that's the whole thing. that's the girl. 👑

Now, before we get into it, let me show you her timeline, because she has been SERVING for decades and honestly the longevity is giving main character energy 🎀:

• VERSION 1.0 : February 29, 1992
• VERSION 1.0a : June 30, 1992
• VERSION 1.0b : October 31, 1992
• VERSION 1.1 : March 31, 1993
• VERSION 2.0 : September 30, 1994
• VERSION 3.0 : June 30, 1999
• VERSION 3.0 + update : October 31, 1999
• VERSION 3.0 + update : May 31, 2000
• VERSION 3.1 : November 2006
• VERSION 3.1.1 : February 2007
• VERSION 3.2 : November 2008
• VERSION 3.2.1 : April 2009
• VERSION 3.2.2 : June 2010
• VERSION 3.3.0 : November 2010
• VERSION 3.3.1 : April 2011
• VERSION 3.4.0 : November 2011
• VERSION 3.4.1 : April 2012
• VERSION 3.4.2 : September 2012
• VERSION 3.5.0 : November 2013
• VERSION 3.6.0 : November 2015
• VERSION 3.6.1 : June 2016
• VERSION 3.7.0 : December 2016
• VERSION 3.7.1 : June 2017
• VERSION 3.8.0 : November 2017
• VERSION 3.9.0 : November 2019
• VERSION 3.9.1 : April 2021
• VERSION 3.10.0 : June 2021
• VERSION 3.10.1 : April 2022
• VERSION 3.11.0 : November 2022
• VERSION 3.12.0 : November 2023

✨ iconic behavior, no notes ✨

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📚 DESCRIPTION 📚

So. LAPACK is a library of Fortran subroutines for solving the most commonly occurring problems in numerical linear algebra. that's the elevator pitch and it eats every time fr fr.

Now here's the part where I need you to listen 💜 — LAPACK is a freely-available software package. You can literally put it into commercial software packages (and people have, bestie, it's been done). All they ask is that proper credit be given to the authors, for example by citing the LAPACK Users' Guide. And the license used for the software is the modified BSD license. slay.

Like all software, it is copyrighted. It is not trademarked, but they do ask the following: if you modify the source for these routines, they ask that you change the name of the routine and comment the changes made to the original. (yes, rename your modified baby, that's the vibe check 🦋)

They will gladly answer any questions regarding the software. BUT — and this is the important bit — if a modification is done, it is the responsibility of the person who modified the routine to provide support. understood? you break it, you bought it 💅

LAPACK is available from GitHub. LAPACK releases are also available on netlib. two homes, twice the love 🫶

The distribution contains (1) the Fortran source for LAPACK, and (2) its testing programs. It also contains (3) the Fortran reference implementation of the Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms (the Level 1, 2, and 3 BLAS) needed by LAPACK. HOWEVER ⚠️ this code is intended for use only if there is no other implementation of the BLAS already available on your machine, because the efficiency of LAPACK depends very much on the efficiency of the BLAS. It also contains (4) CBLAS, a C interface to the BLAS, and (5) LAPACKE, a C interface to LAPACK. five things, count 'em, five 🌈

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🛠️ Installation 🛠️

• LAPACK can be installed with make. The configuration must be set in the make.inc file. A make.inc.example for a Linux machine running GNU compilers is given in the main directory. Some specific make.inc are also available in the INSTALL directory. okay periodt, let her cook 🍓
• LAPACK includes also the CMake build. You will need to have CMake installed on your machine. CMake will allow an easy installation on a Windows Machine. An example CMake build to install the LAPACK library under $HOME/.local/lapack/ is:

mkdir build
cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$HOME/.local/lapack ..
cmake --build . -j --target install

• LAPACK can be built and installed using vcpkg dependency manager:

git clone https://github.com/Microsoft/vcpkg.git
cd vcpkg
./bootstrap-vcpkg.sh  # ./bootstrap-vcpkg.bat for Windows
./vcpkg integrate install
./vcpkg install lapack

The lapack port in vcpkg is kept up to date by Microsoft team members and community contributors. If the version is out of date, please create an issue or pull request on the vcpkg repository. (bestie if it's stale, say something! they want the feedback, that's the community spirit 🧚)

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💌 User Support 💌

LAPACK has been thoroughly tested, on many different types of computers. The LAPACK project supports the package in the sense that reports of errors or poor performance will gain immediate attention from the developers. Such reports, descriptions of interesting applications, and other comments should be sent by email to the LAPACK team. yes, email. direct line to the devs. we love accessible queens 👑

A list of known problems, bugs, and compiler errors for LAPACK is maintained on netlib. Please see as well the GitHub issue tracker.

For further information on LAPACK please read our FAQ and Users' Guide. A user forum and specific information for running LAPACK under Windows. is also available to help you with the LAPACK library.

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🧪 Testing 🧪

LAPACK includes a thorough test suite. We recommend that, after compilation, you run the test suite. seriously, run the tests. it's self-care 💅✨

For complete information on the LAPACK Testing please consult LAPACK Working Note 41 "Installation Guide for LAPACK".

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🎀 LAPACKE 🎀

LAPACK now includes the LAPACKE package. LAPACKE is a Standard C language API for LAPACK that was born from a collaboration of the LAPACK and INTEL Math Kernel Library teams. a collab?? in this economy?? we love a crossover event 💖🔥

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okay that's the whole page bestie, you're officially caught up 🌸

and for the cute sign-off: this whole thing is LAPACK Version 3.12.0, dated Mon Jul 6 2026 17:38:28, and it lives at md__r_e_a_d_m_e(3). go forth and solve some linear algebra, you absolute icon 👑💜