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<h2 class="chapter">1 Overview</h2>
<p><a name="index-g_t_0040sc_007bgnu_007d-linker-1"></a><a name="index-what-is-this_003f-2"></a>
<!-- man begin DESCRIPTION -->
<p><samp><span class="command">ld</span></samp> combines a number of object and archive files, relocates
their data and ties up symbol references. Usually the last step in
compiling a program is to run <samp><span class="command">ld</span></samp>.
<p><samp><span class="command">ld</span></samp> accepts Linker Command Language files written in
a superset of AT&T's Link Editor Command Language syntax,
to provide explicit and total control over the linking process.
<p>This version of <samp><span class="command">ld</span></samp> uses the general purpose BFD libraries
to operate on object files. This allows <samp><span class="command">ld</span></samp> to read, combine, and
write object files in many different formats—for example, COFF or
<code>a.out</code>. Different formats may be linked together to produce any
available kind of object file. See <a href="BFD.html#BFD">BFD</a>, for more information.
<p>Aside from its flexibility, the <span class="sc">gnu</span> linker is more helpful than other
linkers in providing diagnostic information. Many linkers abandon
execution immediately upon encountering an error; whenever possible,
<samp><span class="command">ld</span></samp> continues executing, allowing you to identify other errors
(or, in some cases, to get an output file in spite of the error).
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