LIBTOOL(1) User Commands LIBTOOL(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

libtool - Provide generalized library-building support services

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**libtool** \[*OPTION*]... \[*MODE-ARG*]...

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Provide generalized library-building support services.

# [OPTIONS](#OPTIONS)

[**--config**](#config)

show all configuration variables

[**--debug**](#debug)

enable verbose shell tracing

[**-n**, **--dry-run**](#n)

display commands without modifying any files

[**--features**](#features)

display basic configuration information

**--finish**

use operation '--mode=finish'

[**--mode**=*MODE*](#mode)

use operation mode MODE

[**--no-finish**](#no)

don't update shared library cache

[**--no-quiet**, **--no-silent**](#no~2)

print default informational messages

[**--no-warnings**](#no~3)

equivalent to '-Wnone'

[**--preserve-dup-deps**](#preserve)

don't remove duplicate dependency libraries

[**--quiet**, **--silent**](#quiet)

don't print informational messages

[**--reorder-cache**=*DIRS*](#reorder)

reorder shared library cache for preferred DIRS

[**--tag**=*TAG*](#tag)

use configuration variables from tag TAG

[**-v**, **--verbose**](#v)

print more informational messages than default

[**--version**](#version)

print version information

[**-W**, **--warnings**=*CATEGORY*](#W)

report the warnings falling in CATEGORY \[all]

[**-h**, **--help**, **--help-all**](#h)

print short, long, or detailed help message

## [Warning categories include:](#Warning_categories_include:)

'all'

show all warnings

'none'

turn off all the warnings

'error'

warnings are treated as fatal errors

MODE must be one of the following:

[clean](#clean)

remove files from the build directory

[compile](#compile)

compile a source file into a libtool object

[execute](#execute)

automatically set library path, then run a program

[finish](#finish)

complete the installation of libtool libraries

[install](#install)

install libraries or executables

[link](#link)

create a library or an executable

[uninstall](#uninstall)

remove libraries from an installed directory

MODE-ARGS vary depending on the MODE. When passed as first option, '--mode=MODE' may be abbreviated as 'MODE' or a unique abbreviation of that.

GNU libtool home page: <https://www.gnu.org/s/libtool/>.

When reporting a bug, please describe a test case to reproduce it and include the following information:

[host-triplet:](#host)

x86\_64-pc-linux-gnu

[shell:](#shell:)

*/bin/sh*

[compiler:](#compiler:)

x86\_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc

compiler flags: **-g** **-O2** linker: */usr/x86\_64-pc-linux-gnu/bin/ld* (gnu? yes) version: libtool (GNU libtool) 2.5.4-dirty automake: automake (GNU automake) 1.19 autoconf: autoconf (GNU Autoconf) 2.73

# [REPORTING BUGS](#REPORTING_BUGS)

Report bugs to <bug-libtool@gnu.org>.

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv2+: GNU GPL version 2 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>  
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

Originally written by Gordon Matzigkeit, 1996 (See AUTHORS for complete contributor listing)

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

The full documentation for **libtool** is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the **info** and **libtool** programs are properly installed at your site, the command

**info libtool**

should give you access to the complete manual.

October 2026 GNU libtool 2.5.4-dirty

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Document: libtool(1) from libtool 2.5.4-r5 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/libtool.git