Build a Linux executable using GCC

Question

I'm using Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) and compiling C++ files with GCC, but when I compile, gcc makes an a.out file that is the executable. How can I make Linux executables?

What is the difference for you between an executable and a Linux executable ? — Ben
– Ben, Commented Jul 17, 2009 at 0:38
can you clarify? The *.out files are the executables. Do you need another type of executables? — notnoop
– notnoop, Commented Jul 17, 2009 at 0:39
Nathan, the 'a.out' name is a historical artifact, from the earliest Unix compilers. See the Wikipedia article on the subject: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.out — quark
– quark, Commented Jul 17, 2009 at 1:05
@notnoop: It's just a.out, not *.out. (Greetings from the future!) — Keith Thompson
– Keith Thompson, Commented Apr 1, 2018 at 20:52
a.out should already be executable. No need to do anything else. Just run with ./a.out — Max MacLeod
– Max MacLeod, Commented Jul 4, 2019 at 16:20

Peter Mortensen · Accepted Answer · 2022-04-03 13:36:05Z

25

That executable is a "Linux executable" - that is, it's executable on any recent Linux system. You can rename the file to what you want using

rename a.out your-executable-name

or better yet, tell GCC where to put its output file using

gcc -o your-executable-name your-source-file.c

Keep in mind that before Linux systems will let you run the file, you may need to set its "executable bit":

chmod +x your-executable-name

Also remember that on Linux, the extension of the file has very little to do with what it actually is - your executable can be named something, something.out, or even something.exe, and as long as it's produced by GCC and you do chmod +x on the file, you can run it as a Linux executable.

edited Apr 3, 2022 at 13:36

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jul 17, 2009 at 0:39

Tim

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4 Comments

CesarB Over a year ago

Doesn't gcc (in fact the linker it calls) already set the executable bit in its output file?

quark Over a year ago

@CesarB: Yes, the gcc call makes 'your-executable-name' executable by default.

Keith Thompson Over a year ago

Some systems might have a rename command, but mv is the usual way to rename a file.

Peter Mortensen Over a year ago

Conversely it may or may not set too much: -rwxrwxr-x.

Peter Mortensen · Accepted Answer · 2022-04-03 13:39:05Z

4

To create an executable called myprog, you can call gcc like this:

gcc -c -o myprog something.c

You could also just rename the *.out file gcc generates to the desired name.

edited Apr 3, 2022 at 13:39

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jul 17, 2009 at 0:39

sth

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Comments

Peter Mortensen · Accepted Answer · 2022-04-03 13:39:36Z

3

That is the executable. If you don't like a.out, you can pass an -o flag to the compiler. If the executable isn't marked with an executable bit, you need to do so yourself:

chmod u+x ./a.out
./a.out

edited Apr 3, 2022 at 13:39

Peter Mortensen

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answered Jul 17, 2009 at 0:37

EightyEight

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3 Comments

Nathan Campos Over a year ago

The *.out file already is an executable, but how i can build a native Linux executable, linux native executables don't have extensions.

notnoop Over a year ago

In linux, extensions don't matter. You can just rename the file to anything you like.

Nathan Campos Over a year ago

When the problem is permition i know. Thanks!

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