elf(5) — Linux manual pages

Name

elf — format of Executable and Linking Format (ELF) files

Synopsis

#include <elf.h>

DESCRIPTION

The header file (elf.h) defines the format of ELF executable binary files. Amongst these files are normal executable files, relocatable object files, core files and shared libraries.

An executable file using the ELF file format consists of an ELF header, followed by a program header table or a section header table, or both. The ELF header is always at offset zero of the file. The program header table and the section header table's offset in the file are defined in the ELF header. The two tables describe the rest of the particularities of the file.

This header file describes the above mentioned headers as C structures and also includes structures for dynamic sections, relocation sections and symbol tables.

The following types are used for N-bit architectures (N=32,64, ElfN stands for Elf32 or Elf64, uintN_t stands for uint32_t or uint64_t):

ElfN_Addr       Unsigned program address, uintN_t
ElfN_Off        Unsigned file offset, uintN_t
ElfN_Section    Unsigned section index, uint16_t
ElfN_Versym     Unsigned version symbol information, uint16_t
Elf_Byte        unsigned char
ElfN_Half       uint16_t
ElfN_Sword      int32_t
ElfN_Word       uint32_t
ElfN_Sxword     int64_t
ElfN_Xword      uint64_t

	Note
	The *BSD terminology is a bit different. There Elf64_Half is twice as large as Elf32_Half, and Elf64Quarter is used for uint16_t. In order to avoid confusion these types are replaced by explicit ones in the below.

All data structures that the file format defines follow the “natural” size and alignment guidelines for the relevant class. If necessary, data structures contain explicit padding to ensure 4-byte alignment for 4-byte objects, to force structure sizes to a multiple of 4, etc.

The ELF header is described by the type Elf32_Ehdr or Elf64_Ehdr:

#define EI_NIDENT 16

typedef	struct {
	unsigned char	`e_ident`[EI_NIDENT];
	uint16_t	`e_type`;
	uint16_t	`e_machine`;
	uint32_t	`e_version`;
	ElfN_Addr	`e_entry`;
	ElfN_Off	`e_phoff`;
	ElfN_Off	`e_shoff`;
	uint32_t	`e_flags`;
	uint16_t	`e_ehsize`;
	uint16_t	`e_phentsize`;
	uint16_t	`e_phnum`;
	uint16_t	`e_shentsize`;
	uint16_t	`e_shnum`;
	uint16_t	`e_shstrndx`;
} ElfN_Ehdr;

The fields have the following meanings:

e_ident

This array of bytes specifies to interpret the file, independent of the processor or the file's remaining contents. Within this array everything is named by macros, which start with the prefix EI_ and may contain values which start with the prefix ELF. The following macros are defined:

EI_MAG0

The first byte of the magic number. It must be filled with ELFMAG0. (0: 0x7f)

EI_MAG1

The second byte of the magic number. It must be filled with ELFMAG1. (1: 'E')

EI_MAG2

The third byte of the magic number. It must be filled with ELFMAG2. (2: 'L')

EI_MAG3

The fourth byte of the magic number. It must be filled with ELFMAG3. (3: 'F')

EI_CLASS

The fifth byte identifies the architecture for this binary:

ELFCLASSNONE

This class is invalid.

ELFCLASS32

This defines the 32-bit architecture. It supports machines with files and virtual address spaces up to 4 Gigabytes.

ELFCLASS64

This defines the 64-bit architecture.

EI_DATA

The sixth byte specifies the data encoding of the processor-specific data in the file. Currently these encodings are supported:

ELFDATANONE

Unknown data format.

ELFDATA2LSB

Two's complement, little-endian.

ELFDATA2MSB

Two's complement, big-endian.

EI_VERSION

The version number of the ELF specification:

EV_NONE

Invalid version.

EV_CURRENT

Current version.

EI_OSABI

This byte identifies the operating system and ABI to which the object is targeted. Some fields in other ELF structures have flags and values that have platform specific meanings; the interpretation of those fields is determined by the value of this byte. E.g.:

ELFOSABI_NONE

Same as ELFOSABI_SYSV

ELFOSABI_SYSV

UNIX System V ABI.

ELFOSABI_HPUX

HP-UX ABI.

ELFOSABI_NETBSD

NetBSD ABI.

ELFOSABI_LINUX

Linux ABI.

ELFOSABI_SOLARIS

Solaris ABI.

ELFOSABI_IRIX

IRIX ABI.

ELFOSABI_FREEBSD

FreeBSD ABI.

ELFOSABI_TRU64

TRU64 UNIX ABI.

ELFOSABI_ARM

ARM architecture ABI.

ELFOSABI_STANDALONE

Stand-alone (embedded) ABI.

EI_ABIVERSION

This byte identifies the version of the ABI to which the object is targeted. This field is used to distinguish among incompatible versions of an ABI. The interpretation of this version number is dependent on the ABI identified by the EI_OSABI field. Applications conforming to this specification use the value 0.

EI_PAD

Start of padding. These bytes are reserved and set to zero. Programs which read them should ignore them. The value for EI_PAD will change in the future if currently unused bytes are given meanings.

EI_BRAND

Start of architecture identification.

EI_NIDENT

The size of the e_ident array.

e_type: This member of the structure identifies the object file type:

ET_NONE

An unknown type.

ET_REL

A relocatable file.

ET_EXEC

An executable file.

ET_DYN

A shared object.

ET_CORE

A core file.

e_machine: This member specifies the required architecture for an individual file. E.g.:

EM_NONE

An unknown machine.

EM_M32

AT&T WE 32100.

EM_SPARC

Sun Microsystems SPARC.

EM_386

Intel 80386.

EM_68K

Motorola 68000.

EM_88K

Motorola 88000.

EM_860

Intel 80860.

EM_MIPS

EM_PARISC

HP/PA.

EM_SPARC32PLUS

SPARC with enhanced instruction set.

EM_PPC

PowerPC.

EM_PPC64

PowerPC 64-bit.

EM_S390

IBM S/390

EM_ARM

Advanced RISC Machines

EM_SH

Renesas SuperH

EM_SPARCV9

SPARC v9 64-bit.

EM_IA_64

Intel Itanium

EM_X86_64

AMD x86-64

EM_VAX

DEC Vax.

e_version: This member identifies the file version:

EV_NONE

Invalid version.

EV_CURRENT

Current version.

e_entry

This member gives the virtual address to which the system first transfers control, thus starting the process. If the file has no associated entry point, this member holds zero.

e_phoff

This member holds the program header table's file offset in bytes. If the file has no program header table, this member holds zero.

e_shoff

This member holds the section header table's file offset in bytes. If the file has no section header table this member holds zero.

e_flags

This member holds processor-specific flags associated with the file. Flag names take the form EF_`machine_flag'. Currently no flags have been defined.

e_ehsize

This member holds the ELF header's size in bytes.

e_phentsize

This member holds the size in bytes of one entry in the file's program header table; all entries are the same size.

e_phnum

This member holds the number of entries in the program header table. Thus the product of e_phentsize and e_phnum gives the table's size in bytes. If a file has no program header, e_phnum holds the value zero.

e_shentsize

This member holds a sections header's size in bytes. A section header is one entry in the section header table; all entries are the same size.

e_shnum

This member holds the number of entries in the section header table. Thus the product of e_shentsize and e_shnum gives the section header table's size in bytes. If a file has no section header table, e_shnum holds the value of zero.

e_shstrndx

This member holds the section header table index of the entry associated with the section name string table. If the file has no section name string table, this member holds the value SHN_UNDEF.

SHN_UNDEF

This value marks an undefined, missing, irrelevant, or otherwise meaningless section reference. For example, a symbol “defined” relative to section number SHN_UNDEF is an undefined symbol.

SHN_LORESERVE

This value specifies the lower bound of the range of reserved indices.

SHN_LOPROC

Values greater than or equal to SHN_HIPROC are reserved for processor-specific semantics.

SHN_HIPROC

Values less than or equal to SHN_LOPROC are reserved for processor-specific semantics.

SHN_ABS

This value specifies absolute values for the corresponding reference. For example, symbols defined relative to section number SHN_ABS have absolute values and are not affected by relocation.

SHN_COMMON

Symbols defined relative to this section are common symbols, such as Fortran COMMON or unallocated C external variables.

SHN_HIRESERVE

This value specifies the upper bound of the range of reserved indices between SHN_LORESERVE and SHN_HIRESERVE, inclusive; the values do not reference the section header table. That is, the section header table does not contain entries for the reserved indices.

An executable or shared object file's program header table is an array of structures, each describing a segment or other information the system needs to prepare the program for execution. An object file segment contains one or more sections. Program headers are meaningful only for executable and shared object files. A file specifies its own program header size with the ELF header's e_phentsize and e_phnum members. The ELF program header is described by the type Elf32_Phdr or Elf64_Phdr depending on the architecture:

typedef	struct {
	uint32_t	`p_type`;
	Elf32_Off	`p_offset`;
	Elf32_Addr	`p_vaddr`;
	Elf32_Addr	`p_paddr`;
	uint32_t	`p_filesz`;
	uint32_t	`p_memsz`;
	uint32_t	`p_flags`;
	uint32_t	`p_align`;
} Elf32_Phdr;

typedef	struct {
	uint32_t	`p_type`;
	uint32_t	`p_flags`;
	Elf64_Off	`p_offset`;
	Elf64_Addr	`p_vaddr`;
	Elf64_Addr	`p_paddr`;
	uint64_t	`p_filesz`;
	uint64_t	`p_memsz`;
	uint64_t	`p_align`;
} Elf64_Phdr;

The main difference between the 32-bit and the 64-bit program header lies in the location of the p_flags member in the total struct.

p_type

This member of the Phdr struct tells what kind of segment this array element describes or how to interpret the array element's information.

PT_NULL

The array element is unused and the other members' values are undefined. This lets the program header have ignored entries.

PT_LOAD

The array element specifies a loadable segment, described by p_filesz and p_memsz. The bytes from the file are mapped to the beginning of the memory segment. If the segment's memory size (p_memsz) is larger than the file size (p_filesz), the “extra” bytes are defined to hold the value 0 and to follow the segment's initialized area. The file size may not be larger than the memory size. Loadable segment entries in the program header table appear in ascending order, sorted on the p_vaddr member.

PT_DYNAMIC

The array element specifies dynamic linking information.

PT_INTERP

The array element specifies the location and size of a null-terminated pathname to invoke as an interpreter. This segment type is meaningful only for executable files (though it may occur for shared objects). However it may not occur more than once in a file. If it is present, it must precede any loadable segment entry.

PT_NOTE

The array element specifies the location and size for auxiliary information.

PT_SHLIB

This segment type is reserved but has unspecified semantics. Programs that contain an array element of this type do not conform to the ABI.

PT_PHDR

The array element, if present, specifies the location and size of the program header table itself, both in the file and in the memory image of the program. This segment type may not occur more than once in a file. Moreover, it may only occur if the program header table is part of the memory image of the program. If it is present, it must precede any loadable segment entry.

PT_LOPROC

Values greater than or equal to PT_HIPROC are reserved for processor-specific semantics.

PT_HIPROC

Values less than or equal to PT_LOPROC are reserved for processor-specific semantics.

p_offset: This member holds the offset from the beginning of the file at which the first byte of the segment resides.
p_vaddr: This member holds the virtual address at which the first byte of the segment resides in memory.
p_paddr: On systems for which physical addressing is relevant, this member is reserved for the segment's physical address. Under BSD this member is not used and must be zero.
p_filesz: This member holds the number of bytes in the file image of the segment. It may be zero.
p_memsz: This member holds the number of bytes in the memory image of the segment. It may be zero.
p_flags: This member holds flags relevant to the segment:

PF_X

An executable segment.

PF_W

A writable segment.

PF_R

A readable segment.

A text segment commonly has the flags PF_X and PF_R. A data segment commonly has PF_X, PF_W and PF_R.

p_align: This member holds the value to which the segments are aligned in memory and in the file. Loadable process segments must have congruent values for p_vaddr and p_offset, modulo the page size. Values of zero and one mean no alignment is required. Otherwise, p_align should be a positive, integral power of two, and p_vaddr should equal p_offset, modulo p_align.

A file's section header table lets one locate all the file's sections. The section header table is an array of Elf32_Shdr or Elf64_Shdr structures. The ELF header's e_shoff member gives the byte offset from the beginning of the file to the section header table. e_shnum holds the number of entries the section header table contains. e_shentsize holds the size in bytes of each entry.

A section header table index is a subscript into this array. Some section header table indices are reserved. An object file does not have sections for these special indices:

SHN_UNDEF: This value marks an undefined, missing, irrelevant or otherwise meaningless section reference.
SHN_LORESERVE: This value specifies the lower bound of the range of reserved indices.
SHN_LOPROC: Values greater than or equal to SHN_HIPROC are reserved for processor-specific semantics.
SHN_HIPROC: Values less than or equal to SHN_LOPROC are reserved for processor-specific semantics.
SHN_ABS: This value specifies the absolute value for the corresponding reference. For example, a symbol defined relative to section number SHN_ABS has an absolute value and is not affected by relocation.
SHN_COMMON: Symbols defined relative to this section are common symbols, such as FORTRAN COMMON or unallocated C external variables.
SHN_HIRESERVE: This value specifies the upper bound of the range of reserved indices. The system reserves indices between SHN_LORESERVE and SHN_HIRESERVE, inclusive. The section header table does not contain entries for the reserved indices.

The section header has the following structure:

typedef	struct {
	uint32_t	`sh_name`;
	uint32_t	`sh_type`;
	uint32_t	`sh_flags`;
	Elf32_Addr	`sh_addr`;
	Elf32_Off	`sh_offset`;
	uint32_t	`sh_size`;
	uint32_t	`sh_link`;
	uint32_t	`sh_info`;
	uint32_t	`sh_addralign`;
	uint32_t	`sh_entsize`;
} Elf32_Shdr;

typedef	struct {
	uint32_t	`sh_name`;
	uint32_t	`sh_type`;
	uint64_t	`sh_flags`;
	Elf64_Addr	`sh_addr`;
	Elf64_Off	`sh_offset`;
	uint64_t	`sh_size`;
	uint32_t	`sh_link`;
	uint32_t	`sh_info`;
	uint64_t	`sh_addralign`;
	uint64_t	`sh_entsize`;
} Elf64_Shdr;

No real differences exist between the 32-bit and 64-bit section headers.

sh_name

This member specifies the name of the section. Its value is an index into the section header string table section, giving the location of a null-terminated string.

sh_type

This member categorizes the section's contents and semantics.

SHT_NULL

This value marks the section header as inactive. It does not have an associated section. Other members of the section header have undefined values.

SHT_PROGBITS

This section holds information defined by the program, whose format and meaning are determined solely by the program.

SHT_SYMTAB

This section holds a symbol table. Typically, SHT_SYMTAB provides symbols for link editing, though it may also be used for dynamic linking. As a complete symbol table, it may contain many symbols unnecessary for dynamic linking. An object file can also contain a SHT_DYNSYM section.

SHT_STRTAB

This section holds a string table. An object file may have multiple string table sections.

SHT_RELA

This section holds relocation entries with explicit addends, such as type Elf32_Rela for the 32-bit class of object files. An object may have multiple relocation sections.

SHT_HASH

This section holds a symbol hash table. An object participating in dynamic linking must contain a symbol hash table. An object file may have only one hash table.

SHT_DYNAMIC

This section holds information for dynamic linking. An object file may have only one dynamic section.

SHT_NOTE

This section holds information that marks the file in some way.

SHT_NOBITS

A section of this type occupies no space in the file but otherwise resembles SHT_PROGBITS. Although this section contains no bytes, the sh_offset member contains the conceptual file offset.

SHT_REL

This section holds relocation offsets without explicit addends, such as type Elf32_Rel for the 32-bit class of object files. An object file may have multiple relocation sections.

SHT_SHLIB

This section is reserved but has unspecified semantics.

SHT_DYNSYM

This section holds a minimal set of dynamic linking symbols. An object file can also contain a SHT_SYMTAB section.

SHT_LOPROC

This value up to and including SHT_HIPROC is reserved for processor-specific semantics.

SHT_HIPROC

This value down to and including SHT_LOPROC is reserved for processor-specific semantics.

SHT_LOUSER

This value specifies the lower bound of the range of indices reserved for application programs.

SHT_HIUSER

This value specifies the upper bound of the range of indices reserved for application programs. Section types between SHT_LOUSER and SHT_HIUSER may be used by the application, without conflicting with current or future system-defined section types.

sh_flags: Sections support one-bit flags that describe miscellaneous attributes. If a flag bit is set in sh_flags, the attribute is “on” for the section. Otherwise, the attribute is “off” or does not apply. Undefined attributes are set to zero.

SHF_WRITE

This section contains data that should be writable during process execution.

SHF_ALLOC

This section occupies memory during process execution. Some control sections do not reside in the memory image of an object file. This attribute is off for those sections.

SHF_EXECINSTR

This section contains executable machine instructions.

SHF_MASKPROC

All bits included in this mask are reserved for processor-specific semantics.

sh_addr: If this section appears in the memory image of a process, this member holds the address at which the section's first byte should reside. Otherwise, the member contains zero.
sh_offset: This member's value holds the byte offset from the beginning of the file to the first byte in the section. One section type, SHT_NOBITS, occupies no space in the file, and its sh_offset member locates the conceptual placement in the file.
sh_size: This member holds the section's size in bytes. Unless the section type is SHT_NOBITS, the section occupies sh_size bytes in the file. A section of type SHT_NOBITS may have a non-zero size, but it occupies no space in the file.
sh_link: This member holds a section header table index link, whose interpretation depends on the section type.
sh_info: This member holds extra information, whose interpretation depends on the section type.
sh_addralign: Some sections have address alignment constraints. If a section holds a doubleword, the system must ensure doubleword alignment for the entire section. That is, the value of sh_addr must be congruent to zero, modulo the value of sh_addralign. Only zero and positive integral powers of two are allowed. Values of zero or one mean the section has no alignment constraints.
sh_entsize: Some sections hold a table of fixed-sized entries, such as a symbol table. For such a section, this member gives the size in bytes for each entry. This member contains zero if the section does not hold a table of fixed-size entries.

Various sections hold program and control information:

.bss: This section holds uninitialized data that contributes to the program's memory image. By definition, the system initializes the data with zeros when the program begins to run. This section is of type SHT_NOBITS. The attribute types are SHF_ALLOC and SHF_WRITE.
.comment: This section holds version control information. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. No attribute types are used.
.ctors: This section holds initialized pointers to the C++ constructor functions. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. The attribute types are SHF_ALLOC and SHF_WRITE.
.data: This section holds initialized data that contribute to the program's memory image. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. The attribute types are SHF_ALLOC and SHF_WRITE.
.data1: This section holds initialized data that contribute to the program's memory image. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. The attribute types are SHF_ALLOC and SHF_WRITE.
.debug: This section holds information for symbolic debugging. The contents are unspecified. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. No attribute types are used.
.dtors: This section holds initialized pointers to the C++ destructor functions. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. The attribute types are SHF_ALLOC and SHF_WRITE.
.dynamic: This section holds dynamic linking information. The section's attributes will include the SHF_ALLOC bit. Whether the SHF_WRITE bit is set is processor-specific. This section is of type SHT_DYNAMIC. See the attributes above.
.dynstr: This section holds strings needed for dynamic linking, most commonly the strings that represent the names associated with symbol table entries. This section is of type SHT_STRTAB. The attribute type used is SHF_ALLOC.
.dynsym: This section holds the dynamic linking symbol table. This section is of type SHT_DYNSYM. The attribute used is SHF_ALLOC.
.fini: This section holds executable instructions that contribute to the process termination code. When a program exits normally the system arranges to execute the code in this section. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. The attributes used are SHF_ALLOC and SHF_EXECINSTR.
.got: This section holds the global offset table. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. The attributes are processor-specific.
.hash: This section holds a symbol hash table. This section is of type SHT_HASH. The attribute used is SHF_ALLOC.
.init: This section holds executable instructions that contribute to the process initialization code. When a program starts to run the system arranges to execute the code in this section before calling the main program entry point. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. The attributes used are SHF_ALLOC and SHF_EXECINSTR.
.interp: This section holds the pathname of a program interpreter. If the file has a loadable segment that includes the section, the section's attributes will include the SHF_ALLOC bit. Otherwise, that bit will be off. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS.
.line: This section holds line number information for symbolic debugging, which describes the correspondence between the program source and the machine code. The contents are unspecified. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. No attribute types are used.
.note: This section holds information in the “Note Section” format described below. This section is of type SHT_NOTE. No attribute types are used. OpenBSD native executables usually contain a .note.openbsd.ident section to identify themselves, for the kernel to bypass any compatibility ELF binary emulation tests when loading the file.
.plt: This section holds the procedure linkage table. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. The attributes are processor-specific.
.relNAME: This section holds relocation information as described below. If the file has a loadable segment that includes relocation, the section's attributes will include the SHF_ALLOC bit. Otherwise the bit will be off. By convention, “NAME” is supplied by the section to which the relocations apply. Thus a relocation section for .text normally would have the name .rel.text. This section is of type SHT_REL.
.relaNAME: This section holds relocation information as described below. If the file has a loadable segment that includes relocation, the section's attributes will include the SHF_ALLOC bit. Otherwise the bit will be off. By convention, “NAME” is supplied by the section to which the relocations apply. Thus a relocation section for .text normally would have the name .rela.text. This section is of type SHT_RELA.
.rodata: This section holds read-only data that typically contributes to a non-writable segment in the process image. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. The attribute used is SHF_ALLOC.
.rodata1: This section holds read-only data that typically contributes to a non-writable segment in the process image. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. The attribute used is SHF_ALLOC.
.shstrtab: This section holds section names. This section is of type SHT_STRTAB. No attribute types are used.
.strtab: This section holds strings, most commonly the strings that represent the names associated with symbol table entries. If the file has a loadable segment that includes the symbol string table, the section's attributes will include the SHF_ALLOC bit. Otherwise the bit will be off. This section is of type SHT_STRTAB.
.symtab: This section holds a symbol table. If the file has a loadable segment that includes the symbol table, the section's attributes will include the SHF_ALLOC bit. Otherwise the bit will be off. This section is of type SHT_SYMTAB.
.text: This section holds the “text”, or executable instructions, of a program. This section is of type SHT_PROGBITS. The attributes used are SHF_ALLOC and SHF_EXECINSTR.

String table sections hold null-terminated character sequences, commonly called strings. The object file uses these strings to represent symbol and section names. One references a string as an index into the string table section. The first byte, which is index zero, is defined to hold a null byte ('\0'). Similarly, a string table's last byte is defined to hold a null byte, ensuring null termination for all strings.

An object file's symbol table holds information needed to locate and relocate a program's symbolic definitions and references. A symbol table index is a subscript into this array.

typedef	struct {
	uint32_t	`st_name`;
	Elf32_Addr	`st_value`;
	uint32_t	`st_size`;
	unsigned char	`st_info`;
	unsigned char	`st_other`;
	uint16_t	`st_shndx`;
} Elf32_Sym;

typedef	struct {
	uint32_t	`st_name`;
	unsigned char	`st_info`;
	unsigned char	`st_other`;
	uint16_t	`st_shndx`;
	Elf64_Addr	`st_value`;
	uint64_t	`st_size`;
} Elf64_Sym;

The 32-bit and 64-bit versions have the same members, just in a different order.

st_name

This member holds an index into the object file's symbol string table, which holds character representations of the symbol names. If the value is non-zero, it represents a string table index that gives the symbol name. Otherwise, the symbol table has no name.

st_value

This member gives the value of the associated symbol.

st_size

Many symbols have associated sizes. This member holds zero if the symbol has no size or an unknown size.

st_info

This member specifies the symbol's type and binding attributes:

STT_NOTYPE

The symbol's type is not defined.

STT_OBJECT

The symbol is associated with a data object.

STT_FUNC

The symbol is associated with a function or other executable code.

STT_SECTION

The symbol is associated with a section. Symbol table entries of this type exist primarily for relocation and normally have STB_LOCAL bindings.

STT_FILE

By convention, the symbol's name gives the name of the source file associated with the object file. A file symbol has STB_LOCAL bindings, its section index is SHN_ABS, and it precedes the other STB_LOCAL symbols of the file, if it is present.

STT_LOPROC

This value up to and including STT_HIPROC is reserved for processor-specific semantics.

STT_HIPROC

This value down to and including STT_LOPROC is reserved for processor-specific semantics.