OS Manuals

/usr/bin/eu-readelf

Utilities and DSOs to handle ELF files and DWARF data

From elfutils 0.197-r0 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running eu-readelf --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage: eu-readelf [OPTION...] FILE...
Print information from ELF file in human-readable form.

 ELF input selection:
      --dwarf-skeleton=FILE  Used with -w to find the skeleton Compile Units in
                             FILE associated with the Split Compile units in a
                             .dwo input file
      --elf-section[=SECTION]   Use the named SECTION (default .gnu_debugdata)
                             as (compressed) ELF input data

 ELF output selection:
  -a, --all                  All these plus -p .strtab -p .dynstr -p .comment
  -A, --arch-specific        Display architecture specific information, if any
      --dyn-syms             Display (only) the dynamic symbol table
  -d, --dynamic              Display the dynamic segment
  -e, --exception            Display sections for exception handling
  -g, --section-groups       Display the section groups
  -h, --file-header          Display the ELF file header
  -I, --histogram            Display histogram of bucket list lengths
  -l, --program-headers      Display the program headers
  -n, --notes[=SECTION]      Display the ELF notes
  -r, --relocs               Display relocations
  -s, --symbols[=SECTION]    Display the symbol table sections
  -S, --section-headers      Display the sections' headers
  -V, --version-info         Display versioning information

 Additional output selection:
  -c, --archive-index        Display the symbol index of an archive
  -D, --use-dynamic          Use the dynamic segment when possible for
                             displaying info
  -p, --strings[=SECTION]    Print string contents of sections
  -w, --debug-dump[=SECTION] Display DWARF section content.  SECTION can be one
                             of abbrev, addr, aranges, cu_index,
                             decodedaranges, frame, gdb_index, info, info+,
                             loc, line, decodedline, ranges, pubnames, str,
                             macinfo, macro or exception
  -x, --hex-dump=SECTION     Dump the uninterpreted contents of SECTION, by
                             number or name

 Output control:
  -N, --numeric-addresses    Do not find symbol names for addresses in DWARF
                             data
  -U, --unresolved-address-offsets
                             Display just offsets instead of resolving values
                             to addresses in DWARF data
  -W, --wide                 Ignored for compatibility (lines always wide)
  -z, --decompress           Show compression information for compressed
                             sections (when used with -S); decompress section
                             before dumping data (when used with -p or -x)

  -?, --help                 Give this help list
      --usage                Give a short usage message
      --version              Print program version

Mandatory or optional arguments to long options are also mandatory or optional
for any corresponding short options.

Report bugs to https://sourceware.org/bugzilla.
Options (34)
OptionDescriptionSource
--dwarf-skeleton FILEUsed with -w to find the skeleton Compile Units in FILE associated with the Split Compile units in a .dwo input file.help + man
--elf-section SECTIONUse the named SECTION (default .gnu_debugdata) as (compressed) ELF input datahelp
-a, --allEquivalent to specifying --file-header, --program-headers, --sections, --symbols, --relocs, --dynamic, --notes, --version-info, --arch-specific, --section-groups and --histogram.help + man + man
-A, --arch-specificDisplays architecture-specific information in the file, if there is any.help + man + man
--dyn-symsDisplay (only) the dynamic symbol table.help + man
-d, --dynamicDisplays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.help + man + man
-e, --exceptionDisplay sections for exception handling.help + man + man
-g, --section-groupsDisplays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it has any.help + man + man
-h, --file-headerDisplays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the file.help + man + man
-I, --histogramDisplay a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents of the symbol tables.help + man + man
-l, --program-headersDisplay the program headershelp + man + man
-n, --notes SECTION[--notes [section name]](#notes)help + man
-r, --relocsDisplays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.help + man + man
-s, --symbols SECTIONDisplay the symbol table sectionshelp + man
-S, --section-headersDisplays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it has any.help + man + man
-V, --version-infoDisplays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they exist.help + man + man
-c, --archive-indexDisplays the file symbol index information contained in the header part of binary archives.help + man + man
-D, --use-dynamicUse the dynamic segment when possible for displaying infohelp
-p, --strings SECTIONPrint string contents of sectionshelp + man
-w, --debug-dump SECTIONSECTION can be one of abbrev, addr, aranges, cu_index, decodedaranges, frame, gdb_index, info, info+, loc, line, decodedline, ranges, pubnames, str, macinfo, macro or exceptionhelp + man
-x, --hex-dump SECTIONDisplays the contents of the indicated section name as a hexadecimal bytes.help + man + man
-N, --numeric-addressesDo not find symbol names for addresses in DWARF datahelp
-U, --unresolved-address-offsetsDisplay just offsets instead of resolving values to addresses in DWARF datahelp
-W, --wideIgnored for compatibility (lines always wide).help + man + man
-z, --decompressRequests that the section(s) being dumped by x, R or p options are decompressed before being displayed.help + man + man
-?, --helpDisplay the command line options understood by eu-readelf.help + man
--usageGive a short usage messagehelp
--versionDisplay the version number of eu-readelf.help + man
--segmentsDisplays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it has any. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--sections (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--syms[--symbols [section name]](#symbols) (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--string-dump numberDisplays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-v (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-H (in the manual page but not in --help)man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.