Executables

Revision as of 01:07, 24 June 2014

Container formats for machine executable code. These often define different sections to be loaded into memory. Some formats may be compatible with different CPU architectures.

Directly executable

• a.out
• COFF — The Common Object File Format, an executable format originally designed for use in UNIX System V
• Commodore 64 binary executable (.prg)
• DOS executable (.com) — 16 bit DOS executable
• ELF
• EXE — MS-DOS, MS Windows, and others
  • MS-DOS EXE
  • NE (New Executable)
  • Linear Executable
  • PE (Portable Executable, actually a COFF variant)
• Intel HEX
• iOS app (.app) (see also IPA for archived version, and Mobile Provision file for provision file accompanying apps)
• Mach-O
• Psion IMG (and APP)
• Psion OPO (and OPA)

Shared libraries, chained files, etc.

(can't be run by themselves, but are used at runtime by other executables)

• Assembly manifest (Windows) (.manifest)
• Dynamic library (OS X or iOS) (.dylib)
• Dynamic-link library (Windows) (.dll)
• Turbo Pascal chain file (.chn)

See also Source code for code in a higher-level programming language that needs to be compiled, assembled, or interpreted, and Development for other files used in the development process, including object and library files that get linked into a finished executable.

Virtual machine code

• Bytecode (or p-code) — programs "compiled" into machine-independent code that loads or runs more quickly than raw interpreted source code; runs in an interpreter
• Universal Machine (ICFP programming contest 2006)

Links

• Download Wrappers and Unwanted Software are pure evil
• Flappy Bird implementations for various classic platforms
• Library of Congress Recommended Format Specifications: Software/Gaming