Comparison_of_executable_file_formats

Comparison of executable file formats

Comparison of executable file formats

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This is a comparison of binary executable file formats which, once loaded by a suitable executable loader, can be directly executed by the CPU rather than being interpreted by software. In addition to the binary application code, the executables may contain headers and tables with relocation and fixup information as well as various kinds of meta data. Among those formats listed, the ones in most common use are PE (on Microsoft Windows), ELF (on Linux and most other versions of Unix), Mach-O (on macOS and iOS) and MZ (on DOS).

More information Format name, Operating system ...

Notes

  1. Metadata is casually used to describe the controlling data used in software architectures that are more abstract or configurable. Most executable file formats include what may be termed "metadata" that specifies certain, usually configurable, behavioral runtime characteristics. However, it is difficult if not impossible to precisely distinguish program "metadata" from general aspects of stored-program computing architecture; if the machine reads it and acts on it, it is a computational instruction, and the prefix "meta" has little significance.
    In Java, the Java class file format contains metadata used by the Java compiler and the Java virtual machine to dynamically link classes and to support reflective programming (reflection). The Java Platform, Standard Edition since J2SE 5.0 has included a metadata facility to allow additional annotations that are used by development tools.
    In DOS, the COM file format does not normally include metadata, while the EXE file and Windows Portable Executable (PE) formats do. These metadata can include the company that published the program, the date the program was created, the version number, and more.
    In the .NET framework executable format, extra metadata is included to allow reflection at runtime.

References

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    "ElfIcon: Icons for ELF files". Compholio.com. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
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    "Windows Authenticode Portable Executable Signature Format". Microsoft. 29 August 2008. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
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    History of Portable Executable
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    "Mac OS X ABI Mach-O File Format Reference". Apple Inc. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
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    "a.out(5) - FreeBSD Man Pages". Freebsd.org. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
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    "Files Reference – XCOFF Object File Format". IBM.
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    "MPW Command Reference - DumpPEF". Apple Inc. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008.
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    DOS stub of New Executable
  12. [12]
    "LX - Linear eXecutable Module Format Description". 3 June 1992. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
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