Object file format - Revision history

Anonymoususer852: Add elfdump to Software and References. Add Executable and Linkable Format to Links.

2025-08-10T01:05:15Z

Add elfdump to Software and References. Add Executable and Linkable Format to Links.

Dan Tobias at 16:10, 8 March 2015

2015-03-08T16:10:41Z

Dan Tobias at 16:10, 8 March 2015

2015-03-08T16:10:32Z

Felix: make it generic

2015-03-08T15:21:34Z

make it generic

Dan Tobias at 22:43, 9 March 2014

2014-03-09T22:43:43Z

Dan Tobias: Created page with "{{FormatInfo |subcat=Archiving |extensions={{ext|o}}, {{ext|obj}} }} '''Object file format''' is the format of machine code produced by a compiler of a [[..."

2014-03-09T22:42:46Z

Created page with "{{FormatInfo |subcat=Archiving |extensions={{ext|o}}, {{ext|obj}} }} '''Object file format''' is the format of machine code produced by a compiler of a [[..."

New page

{{FormatInfo
|subcat=Archiving
|extensions={{ext|o}}, {{ext|obj}}
}}
'''Object file format''' is the format of [[Machine language|machine code]] produced by a compiler of a [[Programming Languages|programming language]] prior to the final linking stage when [[executables|are produced]]. The object file is not directly runnable, since it contains relocatable code which needs to be run through a linker to combine it with other object files and libraries that are part of a particular program package and convert the memory references to be consistent throughout the package.

There isn't one single "object file format", as the formats are platform and system architecture specific, though standards have sometimes emerged in families of operating systems (e.g., Unix-like systems). Object files of various formats frequently use .obj and .o file extensions.

On Intel chip architectures such as have been used for the PC-DOS/Windows platforms, a format called Relocatable Object Module Format is used. Unix-style systems typically use formats based on [[COFF]].

This program/executable format should not be confused with other unrelated uses of the term "object file" for files containing representations of [[3D and CAD/CAM Models|3D objects]], some of which confusingly use .obj extensions also.

== Links ==
* [[Wikipedia:Object file|Wikipedia: Object file]]
* [[Wikipedia:Relocatable Object Module Format|Wikipedia: Relocatable Object Module Format]]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 |extensions={{ext|o}}, {{ext|obj}}
 }}
-'''Object file format''' is the format of [[Machine language|machine code]] produced by a compiler of a [[Programming Languages|programming language]] prior to the final linking stage when [[executables]] are produced]]. The object file is not directly runnable, since it contains relocatable code which needs to be run through a linker to combine it with other object files and libraries that are part of a particular program package and convert the memory references to be consistent throughout the package.
+'''Object file format''' is the format of [[Machine language|machine code]] produced by a compiler of a [[Programming Languages|programming language]] prior to the final linking stage when [[executables]] are produced. The object file is not directly runnable, since it contains relocatable code which needs to be run through a linker to combine it with other object files and libraries that are part of a particular program package and convert the memory references to be consistent throughout the package.
 There isn't one single "object file format", as the formats are platform and system architecture specific, though standards have sometimes emerged in families of operating systems (e.g., Unix-like systems). Object files of various formats frequently use .obj and .o file extensions.

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 This program/executable format should not be confused with other unrelated uses of the term "object file" for files containing representations of [[3D and CAD/CAM Models|3D objects]], some of which confusingly use .obj extensions also.
 == Links ==
 * [[Wikipedia:Object file|Wikipedia: Object file]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{FormatInfo
-|subcat=Archiving
+|subcat=Development
 |extensions={{ext|o}}, {{ext|obj}}
 }}