After input file processing and symbol resolution has completed with no fatal errors, the link-editor generates the output file. The link-editor first generates the additional sections necessary to complete the output file. These sections include the symbol tables, which contain local symbol definitions together with resolved global symbol and weak symbol information, from all the input files.
Also included are any output relocation and dynamic information sections required by the runtime linker. After all the output section information has been established, the total output file size is calculated. The output file image is then created accordingly.
When creating a dynamic executable or shared object, two symbol tables are usually generated. The .dynsym table and its associated string table .dynstr contain register, global, weak, and section symbols. These sections become part of the text segment that is mapped as part of the process image at runtime. See mmapobj (2) . This mapping enables the runtime linker to read these sections to perform any necessary relocations.
The .symtab table, and its associated string table .strtab contain all the symbols collected from the input file processing. These sections are not mapped as part of the process image. These sections can be stripped from the image by using the link-editor's –z strip-class option, or after the link-edit by using strip (1) .
During the generation of the symbol tables, reserved symbols are created. These symbols have special meaning to the linking process. These symbols should not be defined in your code.
The first location after all read-only information, typically referred to as the text segment.
The same as _end. The symbol has local scope and, together with the _START_ symbol, provides a simple means of establishing an object's address range.
The position-independent reference to a link-editor supplied table of addresses, the .got section. This table is constructed from position-independent data references that occur in objects that have been compiled with the –K pic option. See Position-Independent Code.
The position-independent reference to a link-editor supplied table of addresses, the .plt section. This table is constructed from position-independent function references that occur in objects that have been compiled with the –K pic option. See Position-Independent Code.
The first location within the text segment. The symbol has local scope and, together with the _END_ symbol, provides a simple means of establishing an object's address range.
When generating an executable, the link-editor looks for additional symbols to define the executable's entry point. If a symbol was specified using the link-editor's –e option, that symbol is used. Otherwise the link-editor looks for the reserved symbol names _start, and then main.