Focusing on the Executable and Linkable Format (ELF) used in Linux and Unix systems, this book explores how code is compiled, linked, and loaded into memory, and how the operating system executes it. You’ll learn to analyse ELF files, debug and optimize programs at the binary level, write custom linker scripts, and understand dynamic linking and symbol resolution.

ELF files are important because low-level programming and binary analysis are critical skills for system programmers, embedded developers, and security researchers. With the rise of performance optimization, cybersecurity, and resource-constrained environments (e.g., IoT), understanding executables is more relevant than ever.

Executable Files for Linux provides a hands-on, modern approach to a topic often overlooked in learning resources today.

What You Will Learn

· Analyse and modify ELF files to optimize software performance

· Debug and optimize programs at the binary level

· Write custom linker scripts for complex projects

· Understand dynamic linking, lazy loading, and symbol resolution

· Explore kernel-level processes for loading and executing binaries

Who This Book Is For

Developers and programmers working on operating systems, embedded systems, or low-level software as well as performance engineers and security professionals

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Why Is My "Hello World" So Big?

Chapter 2: ELF: Demystifying the Executable Format

Chapter 3: Where Your C Code Lives: Understanding ELF Sections

Chapter 4: Before mainO: The Secret Life of Global Variables in C

Chapter 5: The Linker: Bringing Your C Code Together

Chapter 6: Relocations: How the Linker Patches Your Code

Chapter 7: Symbols: The Linker's Address Book

Chapter 8: Customizing the Layout: Introduction to Linker Scripts

Chapter 9: Dynamic Linking in C: Shrinking Executables and Sharing Code

Chapter 10: Lazy Loading: Dynamic Linking on Demand

Chapter 11: Taking Control: Environment Variables for Dynamic Linking

Chapter 12: Understanding Linux Executable Loading: A Deep Dive into Kernel Internals

Chapter 13: Weak Symbols: A Linker's Flexibility

Chapter 14: Level Up Your C: Key Takeaways About Linking and Loading

About the Author

Mohit Mishra is a low-level programming enthusiast with extensive experience in executable file formats (ELF), linking, loading, and debugging. He has worked on projects involving ELF file analysis, dynamic linking, and performance optimization. Mohit is the creator of the 'Reversing Bits Cheatsheets' repository, which provides comprehensive guides on tools essential for assembly programming, reverse engineering, and binary analysis. His technical articles and tutorials on low-level programming have been widely appreciated by the developer community.