'''Pin''' is a dynamic binary [[instrumentation (computer programming)|instrumentation]] framework for the [[IA-32]] and [[x86-64]] [[instruction set|instruction set architectures]] that enables the creation of [[dynamic program analysis]] tools. Some tools built with Pin are [[Intel Parallel Inspector]], [[Intel Parallel Amplifier]] and [[Intel Parallel Advisor]].
The tools created using Pin, called Pintools, can be used to perform program analysis on [[user space]] applications in [[Linux]] and [[Windows]].<ref>[http://www.cs.virginia.edu/kim/docs/ispass10.pdf Dynamic Program Analysis of Microsoft Windows Applications]</ref> As a dynamic binary instrumentation tool, instrumentation is performed at [[Run time (program lifecycle phase)|run time]] on the compiled binary files. Thus, it requires no recompiling of source code and can support instrumenting programs that dynamically generate code.
Pin was originally created as a tool for computer architecture analysis, but its flexible API and an active community (called "Pinheads") have created a diverse set of tools for security, emulation and parallel program analysis.
Pin is proprietary software developed and supported by Intel, and is supplied free of charge with a kit of reference tools.
