diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9b08be5941..837a8c0b8b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -83,6 +83,11 @@ parameter is added into `spdk_app_opts_init` function.
 Change the return type of function `spdk_nbd_stop` from void to int. And update the
 `spdk_nbd_fini` with two parameters to make its behavior from sync to async.
 
+### build
+
+SPDK now generates pkg-config files to simplify the process of determining which
+libraries must be linked into an SPDK application.
+
 ### nvmf
 
 nvmf_fc_lld_fini() now takes callback and hence updating FC Broadcom LLD driver
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e1a49bceb4..a50fa94359 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ clean: $(DIRS-y)
 	$(Q)rm -rf build/fio
 	$(Q)rm -rf build/examples
 	$(Q)rm -rf build/include
+	$(Q)rm -rf build/lib/pkgconfig
 	$(Q)find build/lib ! -name .gitignore -type f -delete
 
 install: all
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ mk/cc.mk:
 	false
 
 build_dir: mk/cc.mk
-	$(Q)mkdir -p build/lib
+	$(Q)mkdir -p build/lib/pkgconfig
 	$(Q)mkdir -p build/bin
 	$(Q)mkdir -p build/fio
 	$(Q)mkdir -p build/examples
diff --git a/doc/Doxyfile b/doc/Doxyfile
index 1b1850a250..69f5a59263 100644
--- a/doc/Doxyfile
+++ b/doc/Doxyfile
@@ -833,6 +833,7 @@ INPUT                  += \
                          nvmf_tracing.md \
                          overview.md \
                          peer_2_peer.md \
+                         pkgconfig.md \
                          porting.md \
                          shfmt.md \
                          spdkcli.md \
diff --git a/doc/pkgconfig.md b/doc/pkgconfig.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5cde70a173
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/pkgconfig.md
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# Linking SPDK applications with pkg-config {#pkgconfig}
+
+The SPDK build system generates pkg-config files to facilitate linking
+applications with the correct set of SPDK and DPDK libraries. Using pkg-config
+in your build system will ensure you do not need to make modifications
+when SPDK adds or modifies library dependencies.
+
+If your application is using the SPDK nvme library, you would use the following
+to get the list of required SPDK libraries:
+
+~~~
+PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/path/to/spdk/build/lib/pkgconfig pkg-config --libs spdk_nvme
+~~~
+
+To get the list of required SPDK and DPDK libraries to use the DPDK-based
+environment layer:
+
+~~~
+PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/path/to/spdk/build/lib/pkgconfig pkg-config --libs spdk_env_dpdk
+~~~
+
+When linking with static libraries, the dependent system libraries must also be
+specified. To get the list of required system libraries:
+
+~~~
+PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/path/to/spdk/build/lib/pkgconfig pkg-config --libs spdk_syslibs
+~~~
+
+Note that SPDK libraries use constructor functions liberally, so you must surround
+the library list with extra linker options to ensure these functions are not dropped
+from the resulting application binary.  Here is an example Makefile snippet that
+shows how to use pkg-config to link an application that uses the SPDK nvme shared
+library:
+
+~~~
+PKG_CONFIG_PATH = $(SPDK_DIR)/build/lib/pkgconfig
+SPDK_LIB := $(shell PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH)" pkg-config --libs spdk_nvme
+DPDK_LIB := $(shell PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH)" pkg-config --libs spdk_env_dpdk
+
+app:
+	$(CC) -o app app.o -pthread -Wl,--no-as-needed $(SPDK_LIB) $(DPDK_LIB) -Wl,--as-needed
+~~~
+
+If using the SPDK nvme static library:
+
+~~~
+PKG_CONFIG_PATH = $(SPDK_DIR)/build/lib/pkgconfig
+SPDK_LIB := $(shell PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH)" pkg-config --libs spdk_nvme
+DPDK_LIB := $(shell PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH)" pkg-config --libs spdk_env_dpdk
+SYS_LIB := $(shell PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH)" pkg-config --libs --static spdk_syslibs
+
+app:
+	$(CC) -o app app.o -pthread -Wl,--whole-archive $(SPDK_LIB) $(DPDK_LIB) -Wl,--no-whole-archive \
+		$(SYS_LIB)
+~~~
diff --git a/doc/user_guides.md b/doc/user_guides.md
index e392c81e7b..adf4465e6b 100644
--- a/doc/user_guides.md
+++ b/doc/user_guides.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 - @subpage system_configuration
 - @subpage libraries
+- @subpage pkgconfig
 - @subpage app_overview
 - @subpage iscsi
 - @subpage nvmf
diff --git a/lib/env_dpdk/Makefile b/lib/env_dpdk/Makefile
index 738cb88807..f29182a5ab 100644
--- a/lib/env_dpdk/Makefile
+++ b/lib/env_dpdk/Makefile
@@ -45,3 +45,12 @@ LIBNAME = env_dpdk
 SPDK_MAP_FILE = $(abspath $(CURDIR)/spdk_env_dpdk.map)
 
 include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.lib.mk
+
+LIBDPDK_PKGCONFIG = $(call pkgconfig_filename,spdk_dpdklibs)
+
+$(LIBDPDK_PKGCONFIG): $(PKGCONFIG)
+	$(Q)$(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/scripts/pc_libs.sh \
+		"-L$(DPDK_ABS_DIR)/lib $(DPDK_LIB_LIST:%=-l%)" "" DPDK spdk_dpdklibs > $@
+	$(Q)echo Requires: spdk_dpdklibs >> $(PKGCONFIG)
+
+all : $(LIBDPDK_PKGCONFIG)
diff --git a/mk/spdk.common.mk b/mk/spdk.common.mk
index 5c1f34d8ad..f43f3f6935 100644
--- a/mk/spdk.common.mk
+++ b/mk/spdk.common.mk
@@ -413,3 +413,7 @@ endef
 define add_whole_archive
 -Wl,--whole-archive $(1) -Wl,--no-whole-archive
 endef
+
+define pkgconfig_filename
+$(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/build/lib/pkgconfig/$(1).pc
+endef
diff --git a/mk/spdk.lib.mk b/mk/spdk.lib.mk
index aab386cc2f..75af2d9a58 100644
--- a/mk/spdk.lib.mk
+++ b/mk/spdk.lib.mk
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
 include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.common.mk
 include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.lib_deps.mk
-
+include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.modules.mk
 
 ifeq ($(SPDK_MAP_FILE),)
 $(error SPDK_MAP_FILE is not set for lib $(LIBNAME))
@@ -53,10 +53,12 @@ LIB := $(call spdk_lib_list_to_static_libs,$(LIBNAME))
 SHARED_LINKED_LIB := $(LIB:.a=.so)
 SHARED_REALNAME_LIB := $(SHARED_LINKED_LIB:.so=.so.$(SO_SUFFIX))
 
+PKGCONFIG = $(call pkgconfig_filename,spdk_$(LIBNAME))
+
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_SHARED),y)
-DEP := $(SHARED_LINKED_LIB)
+DEP := $(SHARED_LINKED_LIB) $(PKGCONFIG)
 else
-DEP := $(LIB)
+DEP := $(LIB) $(PKGCONFIG)
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(OS),FreeBSD)
@@ -80,6 +82,13 @@ ifeq ($(SPDK_NO_LIB_DEPS),)
 SPDK_DEP_LIBS = $(call spdk_lib_list_to_shared_libs,$(DEPDIRS-$(LIBNAME)))
 endif
 
+MODULES-bdev = spdk_bdev_modules
+MODULES-sock = spdk_sock_modules
+MODULES-accel = spdk_accel_modules
+ifeq ($(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/lib/env_dpdk,$(CONFIG_ENV))
+MODULES-event = spdk_env_dpdk_rpc
+endif
+
 .PHONY: all clean $(DIRS-y)
 
 all: $(BUILD_DEP)
@@ -95,6 +104,11 @@ $(SHARED_REALNAME_LIB): $(LIB)
 	$(Q)echo "  SO $(notdir $@)"; \
 	$(call spdk_build_realname_shared_lib,$^,$(SPDK_MAP_FILE),$(LOCAL_SYS_LIBS),$(SPDK_DEP_LIBS))
 
+$(PKGCONFIG): $(LIB)
+	$(Q)$(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/scripts/pc.sh $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR) $(LIBNAME) $(SO_SUFFIX) \
+		"$(DEPDIRS-$(LIBNAME):%=spdk_%) $(MODULES-$(LIBNAME))" \
+		"" > $@
+
 $(LIB): $(OBJS)
 	$(LIB_C)
 
diff --git a/module/Makefile b/module/Makefile
index 5662634b73..45badef255 100644
--- a/module/Makefile
+++ b/module/Makefile
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 
 SPDK_ROOT_DIR := $(abspath $(CURDIR)/..)
 include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.common.mk
+include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.modules.mk
 
 DIRS-y = bdev blob blobfs accel event sock
 ifeq ($(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/lib/env_dpdk,$(CONFIG_ENV))
@@ -49,7 +50,33 @@ DEPDIRS-event := bdev blob
 
 .PHONY: all clean $(DIRS-y)
 
-all: $(DIRS-y)
+BDEV_MODULES_PKGCONFIG = $(call pkgconfig_filename,spdk_bdev_modules)
+ACCEL_MODULES_PKGCONFIG = $(call pkgconfig_filename,spdk_accel_modules)
+SOCK_MODULES_PKGCONFIG = $(call pkgconfig_filename,spdk_sock_modules)
+SYSLIBS_PKGCONFIG = $(call pkgconfig_filename,spdk_syslibs)
+
+PRIVATE_SYSLIBS = $(SYS_LIBS)
+ifeq ($(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/lib/env_dpdk,$(CONFIG_ENV))
+PRIVATE_SYSLIBS += $(DPDK_PRIVATE_LINKER_ARGS)
+endif
+
+MODULES_PKGCONFIG = $(BDEV_MODULES_PKGCONFIG) $(ACCEL_MODULES_PKGCONFIG)
+MODULES_PKGCONFIG += $(SOCK_MODULES_PKGCONFIG) $(SYSLIBS_PKGCONFIG)
+
+$(BDEV_MODULES_PKGCONFIG):
+	$(Q)$(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/scripts/pc_modules.sh bdev "$(BLOCKDEV_MODULES_LIST:%=spdk_%)" > $@
+
+$(ACCEL_MODULES_PKGCONFIG):
+	$(Q)$(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/scripts/pc_modules.sh accel "$(ACCEL_MODULES_LIST:%=spdk_%)" > $@
+
+$(SOCK_MODULES_PKGCONFIG):
+	$(Q)$(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/scripts/pc_modules.sh sock "$(SOCK_MODULES_LIST:%=spdk_%)" > $@
+
+$(SYSLIBS_PKGCONFIG):
+	$(Q)$(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/scripts/pc_libs.sh "" "$(PRIVATE_SYSLIBS)" System spdk_syslibs > $@
+
+all: $(DIRS-y) $(MODULES_PKGCONFIG)
+
 clean: $(DIRS-y)
 
 include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.subdirs.mk
diff --git a/scripts/pc.sh b/scripts/pc.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..53bff26d16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/pc.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+cat << EOF
+Description: SPDK $2 library
+Name: spdk_$2
+Version: $3
+Libs: -L$1/build/lib -lspdk_$2
+Requires: $4
+Libs.private: $5
+Cflags: -I$1/build/include
+EOF
diff --git a/scripts/pc_libs.sh b/scripts/pc_libs.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..6a0cfb117e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/pc_libs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+cat << EOF
+Description: $3 libraries used by SPDK
+Name: $4
+Version: 1.0
+Libs: $1
+Libs.private: $2
+EOF
diff --git a/scripts/pc_modules.sh b/scripts/pc_modules.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..295ba0fab8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/pc_modules.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+cat << EOF
+Description: SPDK $1 modules
+Name: spdk_$1_modules
+Version: 1.0
+Requires: $2
+EOF
diff --git a/test/external_code/hello_world/Makefile b/test/external_code/hello_world/Makefile
index a75e0681cf..be17800fd7 100644
--- a/test/external_code/hello_world/Makefile
+++ b/test/external_code/hello_world/Makefile
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@
 #  OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #
 
-DPDK_LIB = -lspdk_env_dpdk -lrte_eal -lrte_mempool -lrte_ring -lrte_mbuf -lrte_mempool_ring -lrte_pci
-DPDK_LIB += -lrte_bus_pci -lrte_kvargs -lrte_vhost -lrte_net -lrte_hash -lrte_telemetry
-DPDK_LIB += -lrte_cryptodev -lrte_power -lrte_rcu
+PKG_CONFIG_PATH = $(SPDK_LIB_DIR)/pkgconfig
+
+DPDK_LIB := $(shell PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH)" pkg-config --libs spdk_env_dpdk)
+SPDK_BDEV_LIB := $(shell PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH)" pkg-config --libs spdk_event_bdev)
+SYS_LIB := $(shell PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH)" pkg-config --libs --static spdk_syslibs)
 
 # Shows how to compile both an external bdev and an external application against the SPDK combined shared object and dpdk shared objects.
 bdev_shared_combo:
@@ -42,9 +44,9 @@ bdev_shared_combo:
 
 # Shows how to compile both an external bdev and an external application against the SPDK individual shared objects and dpdk shared objects.
 bdev_shared_iso:
-	$(CC) $(COMMON_CFLAGS) -L../passthru -Wl,-rpath=$(SPDK_LIB_DIR),--no-as-needed -o hello_bdev ./hello_bdev.c \
-	-lpassthru_external -lspdk_event_bdev -lspdk_event_accel -lspdk_event_vmd -lspdk_bdev -lspdk_bdev_malloc -lspdk_log -lspdk_thread -lspdk_util -lspdk_event \
-	$(DPDK_LIB) -Wl,--no-whole-archive -lnuma
+	$(CC) $(COMMON_CFLAGS) -L../passthru -Wl,--no-as-needed -o hello_bdev ./hello_bdev.c \
+	-lpassthru_external $(SPDK_BDEV_LIB) \
+	$(DPDK_LIB)
 
 # Shows how to compile an external application against the SPDK combined shared object and dpdk shared objects.
 alone_shared_combo:
@@ -52,19 +54,15 @@ alone_shared_combo:
 
 # Shows how to compile an external application against the SPDK individual shared objects and dpdk shared objects.
 alone_shared_iso:
-	$(CC) $(COMMON_CFLAGS) -Wl,-rpath=$(SPDK_LIB_DIR),--no-as-needed -o hello_bdev ./hello_bdev.c -lspdk_event_bdev \
-	-lspdk_event_accel -lspdk_event_vmd -lspdk_bdev -lspdk_bdev_malloc -lspdk_log -lspdk_thread -lspdk_util -lspdk_event $(DPDK_LIB)
+	$(CC) $(COMMON_CFLAGS) -Wl,-rpath=$(SPDK_LIB_DIR),--no-as-needed -o hello_bdev ./hello_bdev.c \
+	$(SPDK_BDEV_LIB) $(DPDK_LIB)
 
 # Shows how to compile an external application against the SPDK archives.
 alone_static:
-	$(CC) $(COMMON_CFLAGS) -o hello_bdev ./hello_bdev.c -pthread -Wl,--whole-archive,-Bstatic -lspdk_bdev_malloc -lspdk_event_bdev -lspdk_event_accel -lspdk_event_vmd \
-	-lspdk_event_sock -lspdk_bdev -lspdk_accel -lspdk_event -lspdk_thread -lspdk_util -lspdk_conf -lspdk_trace -lspdk_log -lspdk_json \
-	-lspdk_jsonrpc -lspdk_rpc -lspdk_sock -lspdk_notify -lspdk_vmd \
-	$(DPDK_LIB) -Wl,--no-whole-archive,-Bdynamic -lnuma -luuid -ldl -lrt
+	$(CC) $(COMMON_CFLAGS) -o hello_bdev ./hello_bdev.c -pthread -Wl,--whole-archive,-Bstatic $(SPDK_BDEV_LIB) \
+	$(DPDK_LIB) -Wl,--no-whole-archive,-Bdynamic $(SYS_LIB)
 
 # Shows how to compile and external bdev and application sgainst the SPDK archives.
 bdev_static:
-	$(CC) $(COMMON_CFLAGS) -L../passthru -o hello_bdev ./hello_bdev.c -pthread -Wl,--whole-archive,-Bstatic -lpassthru_external -lspdk_bdev_malloc -lspdk_event_bdev \
-	-lspdk_event_accel -lspdk_event_vmd -lspdk_event_sock -lspdk_bdev -lspdk_accel -lspdk_event -lspdk_thread -lspdk_util -lspdk_conf -lspdk_trace \
-	-lspdk_log -lspdk_json -lspdk_jsonrpc -lspdk_rpc -lspdk_sock -lspdk_notify -lspdk_vmd $(DPDK_LIB) \
-	-Wl,--no-whole-archive,-Bdynamic -lnuma -luuid -ldl -lrt
+	$(CC) $(COMMON_CFLAGS) -L../passthru -o hello_bdev ./hello_bdev.c -pthread -Wl,--whole-archive,-Bstatic -lpassthru_external $(SPDK_BDEV_LIB) $(DPDK_LIB) \
+	-Wl,--no-whole-archive,-Bdynamic $(SYS_LIB)