 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(September 2023) |
| | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(September 2023) |
The .debug_info section of an ELF contains information generated by compilers to describe the source code while debugging by keeping symbols and its type, scope, file, line number, etc. The .debug_info [1] section is one of the main components of DWARF [2] [3] debug info files. [4] This is generated by a compiler when -g switch or its variants are used.
| Section Name | Description |
|---|---|
| .debug_types | Contains the non-trivial types. Stored as a hash structure so that duplicate type definition can be removed easily. |
| .debug_str | Contains strings that are not placed in the .debug_info and .debug_types sections. The linker merges the string tables to eliminate duplicates. |
| .debug_aranges | Contain range lists to define what pieces of a program's text belong to which subprograms and compilation units. |
| .debug_loc | Contain lists of expressions that describe to the debugger the location of a variable based on the PC value. |
| .debug_line | Contain a description of the mapping from PC values to source locations. |
| .debug_abbrev | Provide the definitions for abbreviation codes used in describing the debug info in the .debug_info and .debug_types sections. |
| .debug_pubnames | Is an index to help fetching of symbol debug information without having to scan object files. |
| .debug_pubtypes | Is an index to help fetching of type information. |
In computing, the Executable and Linkable Format, is a common standard file format for executable files, object code, shared libraries, and core dumps. First published in the specification for the application binary interface (ABI) of the Unix operating system version named System V Release 4 (SVR4), and later in the Tool Interface Standard, it was quickly accepted among different vendors of Unix systems. In 1999, it was chosen as the standard binary file format for Unix and Unix-like systems on x86 processors by the 86open project.
The GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) is an optimizing compiler produced by the GNU Project supporting various programming languages, hardware architectures and operating systems. The Free Software Foundation (FSF) distributes GCC as free software under the GNU General Public License. GCC is a key component of the GNU toolchain and the standard compiler for most projects related to GNU and the Linux kernel. With roughly 15 million lines of code in 2019, GCC is one of the biggest free programs in existence. It has played an important role in the growth of free software, as both a tool and an example.
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