---
name: "eu-elfclassify"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "elfutils"
version: "0.197-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/eu-elfclassify"
---

# eu-elfclassify(1)

Determine the type of an ELF file.

## NAME

eu-elfclassify - Determine the type of an ELF file.

## SYNOPSIS

eu-elfclassify \[**--core**\]\
         \[**--debug-only**\]\
         \[**--elf**\]\
         \[**--elf-archive**\]\
         \[**--elf-file**\]\
         \[**--executable**\]\
         \[**--library**\]\
         \[**--linux-kernel-module**\]\
         \[**--loadable**\]\
         \[**--program**\]\
         \[**--shared**\]\
         \[**--unstripped**\]\
         \[**-f**\| **--file**\]\
         \[**--no-stdin**\]\
         \[**--stdin**\]\
         \[**--stdin0**\]\
         \[**-z**\| **--compressed**\]\
         \[**--matching**\]\
         \[**--no-print**\]\
         \[**--not-matching**\]\
         \[**--print**\]\
         \[**--print0**\]\
         \[**-q**\| **--quiet**\]\
         \[**-v**\| **--verbose**\]\
         \[**-?**\| **--help**\]\
         \[**--usage**\]\
         \[**-V**\| **--version**\]\
 	*elffile*...

## DESCRIPTION

**eu-elfclassify** identifies the primary purpose of a particular kind of\
  ELF file or files

## OPTIONS

The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are equivalent. All of the classification options must apply at the same time to a particular file.  Classification options can be negated using a **--not-**  prefix.

### Classification Options

- **--core**

  File is an ELF core dump file.

- FB--debug-only

  File is a debug only ELF file (separate .debug, .dwo or dwz multi-file).

- **--elf**

  File looks like an ELF object or archive/static library (default).

- **--elf-archive**

  File is an ELF archive or static library.

- **--elf-file**

  File is an regular ELF object (not an archive/static library).

- **--executable**

  File is (primarily) an ELF program executable (not primarily a DS.O)

- **--library**

  File is an ELF shared object (DSO) (might also be an executable).

- **--linux-kernel-module**

  File is a linux kernel module.

- **--loadable**

  File is a loadable ELF object (program or shared object).

- **--program**

  File is an ELF program executable (might also be a DSO).

- **--shared**

  File is (primarily) an ELF shared object (DSO) (not primarily an executable).

- **--unstripped**

  File is an ELF file with symbol table or .debug\_\* sections and can be stripped further.

### Input flags

- **-f**

  - **--file**

  Only classify regular (not symlink nor special device) files.

- **--no-stdin**

  Do not read files from standard input (default).

- **--stdin**

  Also read file names to process from standard input, separated by newlines.

- **--stdin0**

  Also read file names to process from standard input, separated by ASCII NUL bytes.

- **-z**

  - **--compressed**

  Try to open compressed files or embedded (kernel) ELF images.

### Output flags

- **--matching**

  If printing file names, print matching files (default).

- **--no-print**

  Do not output file names.

- **--not-matching**

  If printing file names, print files that do not match.

- **--print**

  Output names of files, separated by newline.

- **--print0**

  Output names of files, separated by ASCII NUL.

### Additional flags

- **-q**

  - **--quiet**

  Suppress some error output (counterpart to --verbose).

- **-v**

  - **--verbose**

  Output additional information (can be specified multiple times).

- **-?**

  - **--help**

  Give this help list.

- **--usage**

  Give a short usage message.

- **-V**

  - **--version**

  Print program version.

## AUTHOR

Written by Florian Wiemer.

## REPORTING BUGS

Please reports bugs at https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2019 Red Hat Inc.  License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later \<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html\>.  This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.  There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.