Ubuntu Manpage: ld.lld — ELF linker from the LLVM project

NAME

       ld.lld — ELF linker from the LLVM project

SYNOPSIS

       ld.lld [options] objfile ...

DESCRIPTION

       A  linker takes one or more object, archive, and library files, and combines them into an output file (an
       executable, a shared library, or another object file).  It relocates code and data from the  input  files
       and resolves symbol references between them.

       ld.lld  is  a  drop-in replacement for the GNU BFD and gold linkers.  It accepts most of the same command
       line arguments and linker scripts as GNU linkers.

       ld.lld currently supports i386, x86-64, ARM,  AArch64,  PowerPC32,  PowerPC64,  MIPS32,  MIPS64,  RISC-V,
       AMDGPU,  Hexagon  and SPARC V9 targets.  ld.lld acts as a Microsoft link.exe-compatible linker if invoked
       as lld-link and as macOS's ld if invoked as ld.ld64. All  these  targets  are  always  supported  however
       ld.lld was built, so you can always use ld.lld as a native linker as well as a cross linker.

OPTIONS

--allow-multiple-definition
Do not error if a symbol is defined multiple times. The first definition will be used.

--allow-shlib-undefined
Allow unresolved references in shared libraries. This option is enabled by default when linking
a shared library.

--apply-dynamic-relocs
Apply link-time values for dynamic relocations.

--as-needed
Only set DT_NEEDED for shared libraries if used.

--auxiliary=value
Set the DT_AUXILIARY field to the specified name.

--Bdynamic, --dy
Link against shared libraries.

--Bstatic, --static, --dn
Do not link against shared libraries.

--Bsymbolic
Bind defined symbols locally.

--Bsymbolic-functions
Bind defined function symbols locally.

--build-id=value
Generate a build ID note. value may be one of fast, md5, sha1, tree, uuid, 0xhex-string, and
none. tree is an alias for sha1. Build-IDs of type fast, md5, sha1, and tree are calculated
from the object contents. fast is not intended to be cryptographically secure.

--build-id
Synonym for --build-id=fast.

--color-diagnostics=value
Use colors in diagnostics. value may be one of always, auto, and never. auto enables color if
and only if output is to a terminal.

--color-diagnostics
Alias for --color-diagnostics=auto.

--compress-debug-sections=value
Compress DWARF debug sections. value may be none or zlib.

--cref Output cross reference table.

--define-common, -d
Assign space to common symbols.

--defsym=symbol=expression
Define a symbol alias. expression may be another symbol or a linker script expression. For
example, ‘--defsym=foo=bar’ or ‘--defsym=foo=bar+0x100’.

--demangle
Demangle symbol names.

--disable-new-dtags
Disable new dynamic tags.

--discard-all, -x
Delete all local symbols.

--discard-locals, -X
Delete temporary local symbols.

--discard-none
Keep all symbols in the symbol table.

--dynamic-linker=value
Specify the dynamic linker to be used for a dynamically linked executable. This is recorded in
an ELF segment of type PT_INTERP.

--dynamic-list=file
Read a list of dynamic symbols from file.

--eh-frame-hdr
Request creation of .eh_frame_hdr section and PT_GNU_EH_FRAME segment header.

--emit-relocs, -q
Generate relocations in the output.

--enable-new-dtags
Enable new dynamic tags.

--end-lib
End a grouping of objects that should be treated as if they were together in an archive.

--entry=entry
Name of entry point symbol.

--error-limit=value
Maximum number of errors to emit before stopping. A value of zero indicates that there is no
limit.

--error-unresolved-symbols
Report unresolved symbols as errors.

--execute-only
Mark executable sections unreadable. This option is currently only supported on AArch64.

--exclude-libs=value
Exclude static libraries from automatic export.

--export-dynamic, -E
Put symbols in the dynamic symbol table.

--export-dynamic-symbol=symbol
Include symbol in the dynamic symbol table.

--fatal-warnings
Treat warnings as errors.

--filter=value, -F value
Set the DT_FILTER field to the specified value.

--fini=symbol
Specify a finalizer function.

--force-bti
Force enable AArch64 BTI instruction in PLT, warn if Input ELF file does not have
GNU_PROPERTY_AARCH64_FEATURE_1_BTI property.

--format=input-format, -b input-format
Specify the format of the inputs following this option. input-format may be one of binary, elf,
and default. default is a synonym for elf.

--gc-sections
Enable garbage collection of unused sections.

--gdb-index
Generate .gdb_index section.

--hash-style=value
Specify hash style. value may be sysv, gnu, or both. both is the default.

--help Print a help message.

--icf=all
Enable identical code folding.

--icf=safe
Enable safe identical code folding.

--icf=none
Disable identical code folding.

--ignore-data-address-equality
Ignore address equality of data. C/C++ requires each data to have a unique address. This option
allows lld to do unsafe optimization that breaks the requirement: create copies of read-only data
or merge two or more read-only data that happen to have the same value.

--ignore-function-address-equality
Ignore address equality of functions. This option allows non-PIC calls to a function with non-
default visibility in a shared object. The function may have different addresses within the
executable and within the shared object.

--image-base=value
Set the base address to value.

--init=symbol
Specify an initializer function.

--keep-unique=symbol
Do not fold symbol during ICF.

-l libName, --library=libName
Root name of library to use.

-L dir, --library-path=dir
Add a directory to the library search path.

--lto-aa-pipeline=value
AA pipeline to run during LTO. Used in conjunction with --lto-newpm-passes.

--lto-newpm-passes=value
Passes to run during LTO.

--lto-Oopt-level
Optimization level for LTO.

--lto-partitions=value
Number of LTO codegen partitions.

-m value
Set target emulation.

--Map=file, -M file
Print a link map to file.

--nmagic, -n
Do not page align sections, link against static libraries.

--no-allow-shlib-undefined
Do not allow unresolved references in shared libraries. This option is enabled by default when
linking an executable.

--no-as-needed
Always set DT_NEEDED for shared libraries.

--no-color-diagnostics
Do not use colors in diagnostics.

--no-define-common
Do not assign space to common symbols.

--no-demangle
Do not demangle symbol names.

--no-dynamic-linker
Inhibit output of an .interp section.

--no-gc-sections
Disable garbage collection of unused sections.

--no-gnu-unique
Disable STB_GNU_UNIQUE symbol binding.

--no-merge-exidx-entries
Disable merging .ARM.exidx entries.

--no-nmagic
Page align sections.

--no-omagic
Do not set the text data sections to be writable, page align sections.

--no-rosegment
Do not put read-only non-executable sections in their own segment.

--no-threads
Do not run the linker multi-threaded.

--no-undefined-version
Report version scripts that refer undefined symbols.

--no-undefined
Report unresolved symbols even if the linker is creating a shared library.

--no-warn-symbol-ordering
Do not warn about problems with the symbol ordering file or call graph profile.

--no-whole-archive
Restores the default behavior of loading archive members.

--no-pie, --no-pic-executable
Do not create a position independent executable.

--noinhibit-exec
Retain the executable output file whenever it is still usable.

--nostdlib
Only search directories specified on the command line.

-o path
Write the output executable, library, or object to path. If not specified, a.out is used as a
default.

-Ovalue
Optimize output file size. value may be:

0 Disable string merging.
1 Enable string merging.
2 Enable string tail merging.

-O1 is the default.

--oformat=format
Specify the format for the output object file. The only supported format is binary, which
produces output with no ELF header.

--omagic, -N
Set the text and data sections to be readable and writable, do not page align sections, link
against static libraries.

--opt-remarks-filename file
Write optimization remarks in YAML format to file.

--opt-remarks-passes pass-regex
Filter optimization remarks by only allowing the passes matching pass-regex.

--opt-remarks-with-hotness
Include hotness information in the optimization remarks file.

--orphan-handling=mode
Control how orphan sections are handled. An orphan section is one not specifically mentioned in a
linker script. mode may be:

place
Place orphan sections in suitable output sections.
warn
Place orphan sections as for place and also report a warning.
error
Place orphan sections as for place and also report an error.

place is the default.

--pack-dyn-relocs=format
Pack dynamic relocations in the given format. format may be:

none
Don't pack. Dynamic relocations are encoded in SHT_REL(A).
android
Pack dynamic relocations in SHT_ANDROID_REL(A).
relr
Pack relative relocations in SHT_RELR, and the rest of dynamic relocations in SHT_REL(A).
android+relr
Pack relative relocations in SHT_RELR, and the rest of dynamic relocations in
SHT_ANDROID_REL(A).

none is the default. If --use-android-relr-tags is specified, use SHT_ANDROID_RELR instead of
SHT_RELR.

--pac-plt
AArch64 only, use pointer authentication in PLT.

--pic-veneer
Always generate position independent thunks.

--pie, --pic-executable
Create a position independent executable.

--print-gc-sections
List removed unused sections.

--print-icf-sections
List identical folded sections.

--print-map
Print a link map to the standard output.

--push-state
Save the current state of --as-needed, --static, and --whole-archive.

--pop-state
Undo the effect of --push-state.

--relocatable, -r
Create relocatable object file.

--reproduce=value
Dump linker invocation and input files for debugging.

--retain-symbols-file=file
Retain only the symbols listed in the file.

--rpath=value, -R value
Add a DT_RUNPATH to the output.

--rsp-quoting=value
Quoting style for response files. The supported values are windows and posix.

--script=file, -T file
Read linker script from file.

--section-start=section=address
Set address of section.

--shared, --Bsharable
Build a shared object.

--soname=value, -h value
Set DT_SONAME to value.

--sort-common
This option is ignored for GNU compatibility.

--sort-section=value
Specifies sections sorting rule when linkerscript is used.

--start-lib
Start a grouping of objects that should be treated as if they were together in an archive.

--strip-all, -s
Strip all symbols.

--strip-debug, -S
Strip debugging information.

--symbol-ordering-file=file
Lay out sections in the order specified by file.

--sysroot=value
Set the system root.

--target1-abs
Interpret R_ARM_TARGET1 as R_ARM_ABS32.

--target1-rel
Interpret R_ARM_TARGET1 as R_ARM_REL32.

--target2=type
Interpret R_ARM_TARGET2 as type, where type is one of rel, abs, or got-rel.

--Tbss=value
Same as --section-start with .bss as the sectionname.

--Tdata=value
Same as --section-start with .data as the sectionname.

--Ttext=value
Same as --section-start with .text as the sectionname.

--thinlto-cache-dir=value
Path to ThinLTO cached object file directory.

--thinlto-cache-policy=value
Pruning policy for the ThinLTO cache.

--thinlto-jobs=value
Number of ThinLTO jobs.

--threads
Run the linker multi-threaded. This option is enabled by default.

--trace
Print the names of the input files.

--trace-symbol=symbol, -y symbol
Trace references to symbol.

--undefined=symbol, -u symbol
If symbol is not defined after symbol resolution, and there's a static library that contains an
object file defining the symbol, load the member to include the object file in the output file.

--undefined-glob=pattern
Synonym for --undefined, except that it takes a glob pattern. In a glob pattern, * matches zero
or more characters, ? matches any single character, and [...] matches the characters within
brackets. All symbols that match a given pattern are handled as if they were given as arguments
of --undefined.

--unresolved-symbols=value
Determine how to handle unresolved symbols.

--use-android-relr-tags
Use SHT_ANDROID_RELR / DT_ANDROID_RELR* tags instead of SHT_RELR / DT_RELR*.

-v Display the version number and proceed with linking if object files are specified.

-V, --version
Display the version number and exit.

--verbose
Verbose mode.

--version-script=file
Read version script from file.

--warn-backrefs
Warn about reverse or cyclic dependencies to or between static archives. This can be used to
ensure linker invocation remains compatible with traditional Unix-like linkers.

--warn-common
Warn about duplicate common symbols.

--warn-ifunc-textrel
Warn about using ifunc symbols in conjunction with text relocations. Older versions of glibc
library (2.28 and earlier) has a bug that causes the segment that includes ifunc symbols to be
marked as not executable when they are relocated. As a result, although the program compiles and
links successfully, it gives segmentation fault when the instruction pointer reaches an ifunc
symbol. Use -warn-ifunc-textrel to let lld give a warning, if the code may include ifunc symbols,
may do text relocations and be linked with an older glibc version. Otherwise, there is no need to
use it, as the default value does not give a warning. This flag has been introduced in late 2018,
has no counter part in ld and gold linkers, and may be removed in the future.

--warn-unresolved-symbols
Report unresolved symbols as warnings.

--whole-archive
Force load of all members in a static library.

--wrap=symbol
Use wrapper functions for symbol.

-z option
Linker option extensions.

execstack
Make the main stack executable. Stack permissions are recorded in the PT_GNU_STACK
segment.

global Sets the DF_1_GLOBAL flag in the DYNAMIC section. Different loaders can decide how to
handle this flag on their own.

ifunc-noplt
Do not emit PLT entries for ifunc symbols. Instead, emit text relocations referencing
the resolver. This is an experimental optimization and only suitable for standalone
environments where text relocations do not have the usual drawbacks. This option must be
combined with the -z notext option.

initfirst
Sets the DF_1_INITFIRST flag to indicate the module should be initialized first.

interpose
Set the DF_1_INTERPOSE flag to indicate to the runtime linker that the object is an
interposer. During symbol resolution interposers are searched after the application but
before other dependencies.

muldefs
Do not error if a symbol is defined multiple times. The first definition will be used.
This is a synonym for --allow-multiple-definition.

nocombreloc
Disable combining and sorting multiple relocation sections.

nocopyreloc
Disable the creation of copy relocations.

nodefaultlib
Set the DF_1_NODEFLIB flag to indicate that default library search paths should be
ignored.

nodelete
Set the DF_1_NODELETE flag to indicate that the object cannot be unloaded from a process.

nodlopen
Set the DF_1_NOOPEN flag to indicate that the object may not be opened by dlopen(3).

norelro
Do not indicate that portions of the object shold be mapped read-only after initial
relocation processing. The object will omit the PT_GNU_RELRO segment.

notext Allow relocations against read-only segments. Sets the DT_TEXTREL flag in the DYNAMIC
section.

now Set the DF_BIND_NOW flag to indicate that the run-time loader should perform all
relocation processing as part of object initialization. By default relocations may be
performed on demand.

origin Set the DF_ORIGIN flag to indicate that the object requires $ORIGIN processing.

retpolineplt
Emit retpoline format PLT entries as a mitigation for CVE-2017-5715.

rodynamic
Make the .dynamic section read-only. The DT_DEBUG tag will not be emitted.

stack-size=size
Set the main thread's stack size to size. The stack size is recorded as the size of the
size. PT_GNU_STACK program segment.

text Do not allow relocations against read-only segments. This is the default.

wxneeded
Create a PT_OPENBSD_WXNEEDED segment.

IMPLEMENTATION NOTES

ld.lld's handing of archive files (those with a .a file extension) is different from traditional linkers
used on Unix-like systems.

Traditional linkers maintain a set of undefined symbols during linking. The linker processes each file
in the order in which it appears on the command line, until the set of undefined symbols becomes empty.
An object file is linked into the output object when it is encountered, with its undefined symbols added
to the set. Upon encountering an archive file a traditional linker searches the objects contained
therein, and processes those that satisfy symbols in the unresolved set.

Handling mutually dependent archives may be awkward when using a traditional linker. Archive files may
have to be specified multiple times, or the special command line options --start-group and --end-group
may be used to have the linker loop over the files in the group until no new symbols are added to the
set.

ld.lld records all symbols found in objects and archives as it iterates over command line arguments.
When ld.lld encounters an undefined symbol that can be resolved by an object file contained in a
previously processed archive file, it immediately extracts and links it into the output object.

With certain archive inputs ld.lld may produce different results compared to traditional linkers. In
practice, large bodies of third party software have been linked with ld.lld without material issues.

The --warn-backrefs option may be used to identify a linker invocation that may be incompatible with
traditional Unix-like linker behavior.

Debian May 12, 2019 LD.LLD(1)