Comparison of executable file formats: Difference between revisions

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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}

This is a comparison of binary [[executable]] [[file format]]s which, once loaded by a suitable executable [[Loader (computing)|loader]], can be directly executed by the CPU rather than become interpreted by software. In addition to the binary application code, the executables may contain headers and tables with relocation and fixup information as well as various kinds of meta data. Among those formats listed, the ones in most common use are [[Portable Executable|PE]] (on [[Microsoft Windows]]), [[Executable and Linkable Format|ELF]] (on [[Linux]] and most other versions of [[Unix]]), [[Mach-O]] (on [[macOS]] and [[iOS]]) and [[DOS MZ executable|MZ]] (on [[DOS]]).

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! scope="col" | Format name

! scope="col" | Operating system

! scope="col" | [[Filename extension]]

! scope="col" | Explicit processor declarations

! scope="col" | Arbitrary [[memory segmentation|sections]]

! scope="col" | [[Metadata]]{{efn|name=metadata}}

! scope="col" | [[Code signing|Digital signature]]

! scope="col" | [[String (computer science)|String table]]

! scope="col" | [[Symbol table]]

! scope="col" | [[64-bit]]

! scope="col" | [[Fat binary|Fat binaries]]

! scope="col" | Can contain [[Icon (computing)|icon]]

|-

! scope="row" | [[OS/360 Object File Format|OS/360]]

| [[OS/360]] and [[VS/9]] mainframe systems

| style="text-align: center;" | none

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[a.out]]

| [[Unix-like]]

| style="text-align: center;" | none

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}<ref name=aout>{{cite web|url=http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=a.out&sektion=5 |title=a.out(5) - FreeBSD Man Pages |publisher=Freebsd.org |date=10 June 2010 |accessdate=9 July 2012}}</ref>

| {{Yes}}<ref name=aout />

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[COFF]]

| [[Unix-like]]

| style="text-align: center;" | none

| {{Yes}} by file

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[ECOFF]]

| [[Ultrix]], [[Tru64&nbsp;UNIX]], [[IRIX]]

| style="text-align: center;" | none

| {{Yes}} by file

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[XCOFF]]

| [[IBM&nbsp;AIX]], [[BeOS]], [[Classic Mac OS|"classic" Mac&nbsp;OS]]

| style="text-align: center;" | none

| {{Yes}} by file

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/aix/v7r1/topic/com.ibm.aix.files/doc/aixfiles/XCOFF.htm|title=Files Reference – XCOFF Object File Format|publisher=IBM}}</ref>

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[Executable and Linkable Format|ELF]]

| [[Unix-like]], [[OpenVMS]]

| style="text-align: center;" | none

| {{Yes}} by file

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://freshmeat.net/projects/elfsign/ |title=elfsign – Freecode |publisher=Freshmeat.net |date= |accessdate=9 July 2012}}</ref>

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}<ref name=3elf>{{cite web|url=http://uw714doc.sco.com/en/man/html.3elf/elf_getarsym.3elf.html |title=(3elf) - Elf library routines |publisher=Uw714doc.sco.com |date=25 April 2004 |accessdate=9 July 2012}}</ref>

| {{Yes}}

| {{some|Extension<ref name=fatelf>{{cite web|url=http://icculus.org/fatelf/ |title=FatELF: Universal Binaries for Linux |publisher=Icculus.org |date= |accessdate=9 July 2012}}</ref>}}

| {{some|Extension<ref name=elficon>{{cite web|url=http://www.compholio.com/elfres/ |title=ElfIcon: Icons for ELF files |publisher=Compholio.com |date= |accessdate=9 July 2012}}</ref>}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[Mach-O]]<ref name=macosx>{{cite web|url=https://developer.apple.com/documentation/DeveloperTools/Conceptual/MachORuntime/Reference/reference.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001298-BAJIHABI |title=Mac OS X ABI Mach-O File Format Reference |publisher=Apple Inc. |date=4 February 2009 |accessdate=9 July 2012}}</ref>

| [[NeXTSTEP]], [[macOS]], [[iOS]], [[watchOS]], [[tvOS]]

| style="text-align: center;" | none

| {{Yes}} by section

| {{Some}} <small>(limited to max. 256 sections)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[System Object Model (file format)|SOM]]

| [[HP-UX]], [[MPE/ix]]

| {{dunno}}

| {{unk}}

| {{unk}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{unk}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{unk}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[Amiga Hunk]]

| [[AmigaOS]]

| style="text-align: center;" | none

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[Preferred Executable Format|PEF]]<ref name="apple-pef">{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512065331/http://developer.apple.com/tools/mpw-tools/commandref/dumppef.html|title=MPW Command Reference - DumpPEF|archivedate=12 May 2008|url=https://developer.apple.com/tools/mpw-tools/commandref/dumppef.htm|publisher=Apple Inc.}}</ref>

| [[Classic Mac OS|"classic" Mac&nbsp;OS]]

| style="text-align: center;" | none

| {{Yes}} by file

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[CMD file (CP/M)|CMD]]

| [[CP/M-86]], [[MP/M-86]], [[Concurrent&nbsp;CP/M-86]], [[Personal&nbsp;CP/M-86]], [[S5-DOS]], [[Concurrent&nbsp;DOS]], [[Concurrent&nbsp;DOS&nbsp;286]], [[FlexOS]], [[S5-DOS/ST]], [[S5-DOS/MT]], [[Concurrent&nbsp;DOS&nbsp;386]], [[Multiuser&nbsp;DOS]], [[Datapac System Manager|System&nbsp;Manager]], [[REAL/32]], [[DOS&nbsp;Plus]]

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>.CMD</code>

| {{No}} <small>([[Intel x86|x86]] only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | FlexOS 186

| [[FlexOS&nbsp;186]], [[FlexOS&nbsp;286]], [[S5-DOS/ST]], [[S5-DOS/MT]], [[4680&nbsp;OS]], [[FlexOS&nbsp;386]], [[4690&nbsp;OS]]

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.186]]</code>

| {{No}} <small>([[Intel 80186|186]]/[[Intel 80188|188]] and higher only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | FlexOS 286

| [[FlexOS&nbsp;286]], [[S5-DOS/ST]], [[S5-DOS/MT]], [[4680&nbsp;OS]], [[FlexOS&nbsp;386]], [[4690&nbsp;OS]]

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.286]]</code>

| {{No}} <small>([[Intel 80286|286]] and higher only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | CP/M-68K

| [[CP/M-68K]], [[Concurrent&nbsp;DOS&nbsp;68K]], [[FlexOS&nbsp;68K]]

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.68K]]</code>

| {{No}} <small>([[Motorola 68000|68000]] and higher only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{unk}}

| {{unk}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[COM file (CP/M)|COM (CP/M)]]

| [[CP/M]], [[MP/M]], [[Concurrent&nbsp;CP/M]], [[Personal&nbsp;CP/M]]

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[COM file|.COM]]</code>

| {{No}} <small>([[Intel 8080|8080]]/[[Zilog Z80|Z80]] only)</small>

| {{Some|Extension}} <small>([[Basic Disk Operating System|BDOS]] 3 and higher only)</small>

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[COM file (DOS)|COM (DOS)]]

| [[DOS]], [[OS/2]], [[Windows]] <small>(except for 64-bit editions)</small>, [[Concurrent&nbsp;CP/M-86]] <small>([[Basic Disk Operating System|BDOS]] 3.1 only)</small>, [[Concurrent&nbsp;DOS]], [[Concurrent&nbsp;DOS&nbsp;286]], [[FlexOS]], [[Concurrent&nbsp;DOS&nbsp;386]], [[Multiuser&nbsp;DOS]], [[Datapac System Manager|System&nbsp;Manager]], [[REAL/32]], [[DOS&nbsp;Plus]]

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[COM file|.COM]]</code>

| {{No}} <small>([[Intel x86|x86]] only)</small>

| {{No}}

| {{Some|Extension}} <small>(Novell/Caldera [[VERSION.EXE|VERSION]] etc.)</small>

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Some|Extension}}<!-- DOS does not care if the executable code is 16-bit/32-bit or 64-bit for as long as the APIs are accessed correctly -->

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[DOS MZ executable|MZ (DOS)]]

| [[DOS]], [[OS/2]], [[Windows]] <small>(except for 64-bit editions)</small>, [[Concurrent&nbsp;DOS&nbsp;286]], [[FlexOS]], [[Concurrent&nbsp;DOS&nbsp;386]], [[Multiuser&nbsp;DOS]], [[Datapac System Manager|System&nbsp;Manager]], [[REAL/32]], [[DOS&nbsp;Plus]]

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.EXE]]</code>

| {{No}} <small>([[Intel x86|x86]] only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{Some|Extension}}<small>(Novell/Caldera [[VERSION.EXE|VERSION]] etc.)</small>

| {{No}}

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{Some|Extension}}

| {{Some|Extension}}<!-- DOS does not care if the executable code is 16-bit/32-bit or 64-bit for as long as the APIs are accessed correctly -->

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | MZ (GEM)

| [[Graphics Environment Manager|GEM]], [[ViewMAX]]<!-- , [[Ventura Publisher]] -->

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.APP]]/[[.ACC]]</code>

| {{No}} <small>([[Intel x86|x86]] only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{unk}}

| {{unk}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{unk}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[New Executable|NE]]

| [[MS-DOS 4.0 (multitasking)]], [[OS/2]], [[Windows]], [[HX&nbsp;DOS&nbsp;Extender]]

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.EXE]]</code>

| {{unk}}

| {{unk}}

| {{unk}}

| {{No}}

| {{unk}}

| {{unk}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[LE executable|LE]], ([[Windows W3 executable|W3]], [[Windows W4 executable|W4]])

| [[OS/2]] <small>(2.0 and higher only)</small>, some [[DOS extender]]s

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.EXE]]</code>

| {{Yes}} by file <small>([[Intel 80286|286]] and higher only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[LX executable|LX]]

| [[OS/2]] <small>(2.0 and higher only)</small>, some 32-bit [[DOS extender]]s

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.EXE]]</code>

| {{Yes}} by file

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftp.sunet.se/pub/OS2/hobbes/os2/dev/info/lxexe.doc |title=Linear eXecutable Module Format |date= |accessdate=9 July 2012}}</ref>

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[Portable Executable|PE]]

| [[Windows]], [[ReactOS]], [[HX&nbsp;DOS&nbsp;Extender]], [[BeOS]] <small>(R3 and higher only)</small>

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.EXE]]</code>

| {{Yes}} by file

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/winlogo/drvsign/Authenticode_PE.mspx |title=Windows Authenticode Portable Executable Signature Format |publisher=Microsoft |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=9 July 2012}}</ref>

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[Portable Executable|PE32+]]

| [[Windows]] <small>(64-bit editions only)</small>

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.EXE]]</code>

| {{Yes}} by file

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[Personal Information Manager|PIM]]/[[Execute In Place|XIP]]

| [[PalmDOS]] <small>([[MINIMAX]] applications only)</small>

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.PIM]]/[[.XIP]]</code>

| {{No}} <small>([[Intel x86|x86]] only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" id=.exm | [[DL executable|DL]]

| [[MS-DOS]] [[System Manager (HP LX)|System&nbsp;Manager]] applications <small>([[HP LX series]] only)</small>

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.EXM]]</code>

| {{No}} <small>([[Intel 80186|186]]/[[Intel 80188|188]] and higher only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" id=.exp | [[MP executable|MP]]

| [[Phar Lap (company)|Phar&nbsp;Lap]] [[DOS extender]]s

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.EXP]]</code>

| {{unk}} <small>([[Intel 80286|286]] and higher only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{unk}}

| {{unk}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[P2 executable|P2]]

| [[Phar Lap (company)|Phar&nbsp;Lap]] 16-bit [[DOS extender]]s

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.EXP]]</code>

| {{unk}} <small>([[Intel 80286|286]] and higher only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{unk}}

| {{unk}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | [[P3 executable|P3]]

| [[Phar Lap (company)|Phar&nbsp;Lap]] 32-bit [[DOS extender]]s

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.EXP]]</code>

| {{unk}} <small>([[Intel 80386|386]] and higher only)</small>

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{unk}}

| {{unk}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|-

! scope="row" | GEOS

| [[PC/GEOS]], [[Geoworks&nbsp;Ensemble]], [[NewDeal&nbsp;Office]], [[Breadbox&nbsp;Ensemble]]

| style="text-align: center;" | <code>[[.GEO]]</code>

| {{unk}} <small>([[Intel x86|x86]] only)</small>

| {{unk}}

| {{unk}}

| {{No}}

| {{unk}}

| {{unk}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{unk}}

|}

== Notes ==