In the world of Linux, shared libraries play a crucial role in the functioning of executables. These shared libraries contain a collection of code and data that can be used by multiple programs at the same time, reducing redundancy and improving efficiency. However, as a Linux user, you may often find yourself wondering which shared libraries are being used by a particular executable. In this article, we will explore various ways to display the shared libraries used by executables in Linux.
One of the most commonly used commands for this purpose is the 'ldd' command. This command is used to print the shared libraries required by each executable or shared library specified on the command line. It displays the full path of each shared library and the version number, if available. For example, if we want to know the shared libraries used by the 'ls' command, we can use the following command:
ldd /bin/ls
This will display a list of libraries such as libc.so.6, libselinux.so.1, libcap.so.2, etc. along with their respective paths. However, if you want to view the shared libraries used by all the executables in a particular directory, you can use the following command:
ldd /path/to/directory/*
This will display the shared libraries used by each executable file in the specified directory.
Another useful command for this purpose is 'readelf'. This command is used to display information about ELF (Executable and Linkable Format) files. To view the shared libraries used by an executable using this command, we can use the '-d' option. For example:
readelf -d /bin/ls
This will display a list of dynamic section headers along with the shared libraries used by the 'ls' command. Similarly, to view the shared libraries used by all executables in a directory, we can use the following command:
readelf -d /path/to/directory/* | grep NEEDED
This will display the shared libraries used by each executable in the specified directory, along with other dynamic section headers.
However, if you want a more detailed and organized view of the shared libraries used by an executable, you can use the 'objdump' command. This command displays information about one or more object files, including shared libraries. To view the shared libraries used by an executable, we can use the '-p' option. For example:
objdump -p /bin/ls
This will display all the shared libraries used by the 'ls' command, along with their respective paths and other information such as the size, timestamp, etc.
In addition to these commands, there are also graphical tools available that can display the shared libraries used by executables in a more user-friendly manner. One such tool is 'lddview', which is a graphical front-end for the 'ldd' command. It displays the shared libraries used by an executable in a tree-like structure, making it easy to understand and navigate.
In conclusion, Linux offers various ways to display the shared libraries used by executables. You can use command-line tools such as 'ldd', 'readelf', and 'objdump', or opt for graphical tools like 'lddview' to get a better understanding of the shared libraries used by an executable. So, the next time you are curious about the shared libraries used by an executable in Linux, you know which commands to use.
