BITCODE_STRIP(1)

🌸 NAME 🌸

okay so you're reading BITCODE_STRIP(1) from the General Commands Manual, and bestie, it's literally about bitcode_strip — remove or leave the bitcode segment in a Mach-O file ✨

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

bitcode_strip input [ -r | -m | -l ] [ -v ] [ -keep_cs ] -o output

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

bitcode_strip strips Mach-O files and Universal files containing LLVM bitcode — either by removing the bitcode, or by removing the native executable code. iconic behavior, no cap 💅

If the Mach-O file — or a specific architecture inside a Universal file — does not have a bitcode segment, it's left essentially unchanged. like, it just vibes through mostly untouched 🦋

⚠️ heads up: by default, bitcode_strip will remove the code signature load commands from the output file, because the code signature is no longer valid. periodt.

🎀 OPTIONS 🎀

• -r — removes the __LLVM bitcode segment entirely. gone, bye 👋
• -m — removes the bitcode from the __LLVM segment, leaving behind a marker. it's giving “evidence remains” energy 🔥
• -l — removes all of the native executable code, leaving the LLVM bitcode behind. in this case, bitcode_strip takes care to preserve the (__TEXT,__info_plist) section while removing the rest of the __TEXT segment. main character section energy fr fr 👑
• -v — prints the arguments passed to other tools run by bitcode_strip when processing bitcode files. lowkey a little peek behind the curtain 🫶
• -keep_cs — preserves the codesign load commands in the output binary, even though the code signature is no longer valid. this can be useful when using codesign(1) -preserve-metadata to resign the binary. so specific, so helpful 💖
• -o output — specifies the output file as output. yes, literally that path bestie ✨
• input — specifies the input Mach-O or Universal file to operate on. the chosen one 🎀

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

• codesign(1)
• otool(1)

with 💖 from Apple, Inc., dated June 23, 2020 — mwah, go slay your Mach-O files bestie 💅🌈