An object file is a file that contains machine code or bytecode, as well as other data and metadata, generated by a compiler or assembler from source code during the compilation or assembly process. The machine code that is generated is known as object code.
The object code is usually relocatable, and not usually directly executable. There are various formats for object files, and the same machine code can be packaged in different object file formats. An object file may also work like a shared library.
The metadata that object files may include can be used for linking or debugging; it includes information to resolve symbolic cross-references between different modules, relocation information, stack unwinding information, comments, program symbols, and debugging or profiling information. Other metadata may include the date and time of compilation, the compiler name and version, and other identifying information.
The term "object program" dates from at least the 1950s:
A term in automatic programming for the machine language program produced by the machine by translating a source program written by the programmer in a language similar to algebraic notation.[1]
A linker is used to combine the object code into one executable program or library pulling in precompiled system libraries as needed.
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An objectfile is a file that contains machine code or bytecode, as well as other data and metadata, generated by a compiler or assembler from source...
like file systems which manages data as a file hierarchy, and block storage which manages data as blocks within sectors and tracks. Each object is typically...
un-linked objectfiles directly from the compiler OBJ – objectfile on Windows RLL – used in Microsoft operating systems together with a DLL file to store...
Intel hexadecimal objectfile format, Intel hex format or Intellec Hex is a file format that conveys binary information in ASCII text form, making it possible...
targeted objectfiles. Apple Computer acquired NeXT in 1996 and continued to work with the OPENSTEP code. Mach-O became the native objectfile format in...
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation, pronounced /ˈdʒeɪsən/ or /ˈdʒeɪˌsɒn/) is an open standard file format and data interchange format that uses human-readable...
instance of a class or array Object (IBM i), the fundamental unit of data storage in the IBM i operating system Objectfile, the output of a compiler or...
object code must either be placed in an executable file, a library file, or an objectfile. Object code is a portion of machine code that has not yet...
data in a shared objectfile. The soname is a string, which is used as a "logical name" describing the functionality of the object. Typically, that name...
The SHS file extension is primarily associated with Shell Scrap ObjectFiles produced by Microsoft Windows. They are created by selecting part of a document...
VOB (for video object) is the container format in DVD-Video media. VOB can contain digital video, digital audio, subtitles, DVD menus and navigation contents...
binary file (.bin, binary disk image, used to compile operating systems), though position-independent code is supported only for ELF objectfiles. It also...
set of programming tools for creating and managing binary programs, objectfiles, libraries, profile data, and assembly source code. They were originally...
file format code and needed a couple of magic numbers: one for the persistent objectfile, and one for classes. I used CAFEDEAD for the objectfile format...
named Extensible Linking Format), is a common standard file format for executable files, object code, shared libraries, and core dumps. First published...
List of free file formats List of motion and gesture file formats Magic number (programming) Objectfile Video file format Windows file types Filename...
Relocatable Object Module Format, an Objectfile for Intel microprocessors COFF, the objectfile format on 32-bit and 64-bit Windows Wavefront .obj file, a 3D...
The Portable Executable (PE) format is a file format for executables, object code, DLLs and others used in 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows operating...
The Common ObjectFile Format (COFF) is a format for executable, object code, and shared library computer files used on Unix systems. It was introduced...
Object Module Format (OMF) may refer to: Object Module Format (ICL), an object-file format for the ICL VME operating system Object Module Format (Intel)...
The Binary File Descriptor library (BFD) is the GNU Project's main mechanism for the portable manipulation of objectfiles in a variety of formats. As...
Windows, store files and other objects only as a stream of bytes, and have little or no information about the data stored in the files. Such file systems also...