ELFEDIT(1)

📦
version 26.09 · 2 versions
, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 elfedit(1) — GNU Development Tools ✨

okay so bestie, buckle up: this is elfedit, straight out of the GNU Development Tools lineup 🎀 she's a little tool with main character energy and she does exactly one thing but she does it iconically.

🌸 NAME 🌸

elfedit — update ELF header and program property of ELF files 💖

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

lowkey just look at the shape of it:

elfedit [--input-mach=machine]
        [--input-type=type]
        [--input-osabi=osabi]
        [--input-abiversion=version]
        --output-mach=machine
        --output-type=type
        --output-osabi=osabi
        --output-abiversion=version
        --enable-x86-feature=feature
        --disable-x86-feature=feature
        [-v|--version]
        [-h|--help]
        elffile...

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

So elfedit updates the ELF header and program property of ELF files — but only the ones that match the ELF machine and file types you asked for. Like, she's picky, and honestly? respect. 💅

The options control how and which fields in the ELF header and program property should be updated. No vibes-based editing here, it's all deliberate.

And elffile... — those are the ELF files to be updated. 32-bit and 64-bit ELF files are supported, and so are archives containing ELF files. 32-bit girlies and 64-bit girlies both eat. 👑

🔥 OPTIONS 🔥

The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are equivalent. And listen — at least one of --output-mach, --output-type, --output-osabi, --output-abiversion, --enable-x86-feature and --disable-x86-feature must be given. No showing up to the function with nothing to say, bestie. 🙈

  • --input-mach=machine — Sets the matching input ELF machine type to machine. If --input-mach isn't specified, it'll match any ELF machine types (she's flexible like that 🧚).

The supported ELF machine types are i386, IAMCU, L1OM, K1OM and x86-64.

  • --output-mach=machine — Changes the ELF machine type in the ELF header to machine. The supported ELF machine types are the same as --input-mach. slay, same list, no notes.
  • --input-type=type — Sets the matching input ELF file type to type. If --input-type isn't specified, it'll match any ELF file types.

The supported ELF file types are rel, exec and dyn.

  • --output-type=type — Changes the ELF file type in the ELF header to type. The supported ELF types are the same as --input-type.
  • --input-osabi=osabi — Sets the matching input ELF file OSABI to osabi. If --input-osabi isn't specified, it'll match any ELF OSABIs.

The supported ELF OSABIs are none, HPUX, NetBSD, GNU, Linux (alias for GNU), Solaris, AIX, Irix, FreeBSD, TRU64, Modesto, OpenBSD, OpenVMS, NSK, AROS and FenixOS. that's a whole roster fr fr 🌈

  • --output-osabi=osabi — Changes the ELF OSABI in the ELF header to osabi. The supported ELF OSABI are the same as --input-osabi.
  • --input-abiversion=version — Sets the matching input ELF file ABIVERSION to version. version must be between 0 and 255 🔢. If --input-abiversion isn't specified, it'll match any ELF ABIVERSIONs.
  • --output-abiversion=version — Changes the ELF ABIVERSION in the ELF header to version. version must be between 0 and 255. same range, no exceptions bestie.
  • --enable-x86-feature=feature — Sets the feature bit in program property in exec or dyn ELF files with machine types of i386 or x86-64. The supported features are ibt, shstk, lam_u48 and lam_u57. turning bits ON, we love to see it ⭐
  • --disable-x86-feature=feature — Clears the feature bit in program property in exec or dyn ELF files with machine types of i386 or x86-64. The supported features are the same as --enable-x86-feature. turning bits OFF, equally valid 💀
Note: --enable-x86-feature and --disable-x86-feature are available only on hosts with mmap support. no mmap, no feature bits, that's the rule 🫶
  • -v, --version — Displays the version number of elfedit. cute little identity check.
  • -h, --help — Displays the command-line options understood by elfedit. the "what can u even do" button.
  • @file — Reads command-line options from file. The options read are inserted in place of the original @file option. If file does not exist, or cannot be read, then the option will be treated literally, and not removed. (she's forgiving, she just leaves it there 🍓)

Options in file are separated by whitespace. A whitespace character may be included in an option by surrounding the entire option in either single or double quotes. Any character (including a backslash) may be included by prefixing the character to be included with a backslash. The file may itself contain additional @file options; any such options will be processed recursively. it's giving inception, and honestly it ate 🌀

💜 SEE ALSO 💜

readelf(1), and the Info entries for binutils. go read those too, iykyk 📚

Copyright (c) 1991-2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

and that's the whole page, bestie 🫶 this drop is binutils-2.46.1, dated 1980-01-01 — yeah, she's been iconic since before u were born 💖✨ no cap, periodt.

📦 where this page comes from