GNU Binutils

Spec sheet

What it does

GNU Binutils is a collection of binary-development tools for assembling, linking, inspecting and transforming executable and object files.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

License

The GitHub mirror identifies GPL-2.0 plus three other licenses, while Homebrew lists GPL-2.0-or-later, GPL-3.0-or-later, LGPL-2.0-or-later and LGPL-3.0-only components.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com

Address translation

addr2line converts code addresses into source filenames and line numbers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Archive management

ar creates, modifies and extracts archive files used commonly as static libraries.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Assembler

The as program assembles source code into machine-code object files.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

BFD API

The BFD manual documents a C API using bfd.h and libbfd.a to access object-file formats through a common interface.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

BFD limitation

Independent documentation notes that BFD API changes needed for new systems have limited its usefulness as a generic library, leaving GNU tools as its main clients.Read 15 Oct 2026 · en.wikipedia.org

Bug reporting

Bug reports are handled through Sourceware Bugzilla and patches can be emailed to [email protected].Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

C++ demangling

c++filt converts encoded C++ symbol names into readable names.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Community support

The project provides bug-reporting, discussion and commit-notification mailing lists.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Current release

The sourceware project page identifies version 2.47 as the latest release.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Developer complaint

A Stack Overflow discussion reports that Binutils 2.39 introduced executable-stack linker warnings that can require assembly changes or linker flags.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stackoverflow.com

Documentation depth

The 2.47 documentation set includes manuals for the assembler, binary tools, linker, BFD, CTF, gprof, gprofng and SFrame libraries.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

ELF inspection

readelf displays the contents of ELF-format files.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

ELF linker

Gold is an alternative linker focused on ELF files.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Extensibility

GNU ar supports plugins for additional object formats, including GCC and LLVM link-time-optimization plugins.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

FSF legal status

The Free Software Foundation is described as a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded on October 4, 1985.Read 15 Oct 2026 · en.wikipedia.org

FSF location

The Free Software Foundation is reported as operating remotely with no physical headquarters, while being historically based in Boston.Read 15 Oct 2026 · en.wikipedia.org

Homebrew availability

Homebrew provides brew install binutils and marks the formula keg-only because Apple Command Line Tools already provide equivalent tools.Read 15 Oct 2026 · formulae.brew.sh

Homebrew platforms

Homebrew supplies bottles for Apple Silicon macOS, Intel macOS Sonoma, Linux ARM64 and Linux x86_64.Read 15 Oct 2026 · formulae.brew.sh

Homebrew usage

Homebrew reports 550,260 installs over the preceding 365 days for the binutils formula.Read 15 Oct 2026 · formulae.brew.sh

Homebrew version

The Homebrew formula reports stable version 2.47.Read 15 Oct 2026 · formulae.brew.sh

Independent release coverage

Linux Journal reported expanded RISC-V support, assembler and linker improvements, reproducible archives and enhanced AArch64 disassembly in 2.47.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linuxjournal.com

Independent tool summary

Wikipedia describes Binutils as GNU Project programming tools for executable code, assembly, linking and related development operations.Read 15 Oct 2026 · en.wikipedia.org

Libraries

The distribution includes libbfd, libctf, libopcodes and libsframe libraries.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Linker

The ld program links object files and libraries into executable outputs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Object conversion

objcopy copies object files and can translate their formats.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Object inspection

objdump displays information about object files.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Profiling

gprof and gprofng collect or display application performance data.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Release news

The project announced Binutils 2.47 on July 26, 2026, including reproducible source tarballs and numerous bug fixes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Repository status

The public GitHub mirror describes itself as read-only, shows 23 stars, 38 forks and 127,681 commits.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com

Security exposure

Debian's tracker lists numerous vulnerable GNU Binutils versions, including multiple 2026 CVEs affecting 2.47 and older releases.Read 15 Oct 2026 · security-tracker.debian.org

Snapshots

Compressed source snapshots are published after every commit.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Source control

Developers can clone the development tree anonymously from git://sourceware.org/git/binutils-gdb.git.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Source distribution

Source archives are downloadable from the GNU FTP site and Sourceware release directory.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Supported systems

The project says Binutils has been ported to most major Unix variants and Windows systems.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Symbol listing

nm lists symbols exported by object files.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Symbol removal

strip removes symbols from binaries.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Windows tooling

dlltool creates files for Windows DLL development, while windmc and windres handle Windows message and resource files.Read 15 Oct 2026 · sourceware.org

Where Specifiction places it

• Reverse Engineering Tools#24 of 737.7