14. readelf

readelf [ -a | --all ] [ -h | --file-header] [ -l | --program-headers | --segments] [ -S | --section-headers | --sections] [ -e | --headers] [ -s | --syms | --symbols] [ -n | --notes] [ -r | --relocs] [ -d | --dynamic] [ -V | --version-info] [ -D | --use-dynamic] [ -x <number> | --hex-dump=<number>] [ -w[liapr] | --debug-dump[=info,=line,=abbrev,=pubnames,=ranges]] [ --histogram] [ -v | --version] [ -H | --help] elffile...

readelf displays information about one or more ELF format object files. The options control what particular information to display.

elffile... are the object files to be examined. At the moment, readelf does not support examining archives, nor does it support examing 64 bit ELF files.

The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are equivalent. At least one option besides `-v' or `-H' must be given.

-a

--all

Equivalent to specifiying `--file-header', `--program-headers', `--sections', `--symbols', `--relocs', `--dynamic', `--notes' and `--version-info'.

-h

--file-header

Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the file.

-l

--program-headers

--segments

Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it has any.

-S

--sections

--section-headers

Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it has any.

-s

--symbols

--syms

Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.

-e

--headers

Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to `-h -l -S'.

-n

--notes

Displays the contents of the NOTE segment, if it exists.

-r

--relocs

Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it ha one.

-d

--dynamic

Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.

-V

--version-info

Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they exist.

-D

--use-dynamic

When displaying symbols, this option makes readelf use the symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the symbols section.

-x <number>

--hex-dump=<number>

Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.

-w[liapr]

--debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=ranges]

Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.

--histogram

Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents of the symbol tables.

-v

--version

Display the version number of readelf.

-H

--help

Display the command line options understood by readelf.