# The Linux ELF HOWTO

## Daniel Barlow `<daniel.barlow@sjc.ox.ac.uk>`

v1.11, 13 September 1995

This document describes how to migrate your Linux system to compile and run programs in the ELF binary format. It falls into three conceptual parts: (1) What ELF is, and why/whether you should upgrade, (2) How to upgrade to ELF-capability, and (3) what you can do then.

## 1. What is ELF? An introduction

- 1.1 What ELF isn't
- 1.2 Why you should(n't) convert to ELF

## 2. Installation

- 2.1 Background
- 2.2 Before you start --- Notes and Caveats
- 2.3 You will need ...
- 2.4 Rearranging your filesystem
- 2.5 What it should look like (outline directory structure)
- 2.6 Common errors (Don't Panic!)

## 3. Building programs in ELF

- 3.1 Ordinary programs
- 3.2 Building libraries
- 3.3 Programs with dynamic loading
- 3.4 Debugging

## 4. Patches and binaries

- 4.1 Upgrade:
- 4.2 Patch

## 5. Further information

## 6. Legalese