ELF
ELF (Executable and Linkable Format) is a standard file format for executables, object code, shared libraries, and core dumps, primarily used on Unix-like operating systems such as Linux. It defines the structure of binary files, including headers, sections, and segments, enabling the operating system to load and execute programs efficiently. ELF is crucial for system-level programming, debugging, and binary analysis.
Developers should learn ELF when working on low-level systems programming, embedded development, or security analysis, as it provides insight into how executables are structured and loaded by the OS. It is essential for tasks like writing linkers, loaders, debuggers, or performing reverse engineering and malware analysis on Linux-based systems.