Editing Executable (section)

== Execution ==
In order to be executed by the system (such as an [[operating system]], {{citation needed span|[[firmware]]|date=March 2023}}, or [[boot loader]]), an executable file must conform to the system's [[application binary interface]] (ABI). In simple interfaces, a file is executed by loading it into memory and jumping to the start of the address space and executing from there.<ref name="Computer_2005"/> In more complicated interfaces, executable files have additional metadata specifying a separate [[entry point]]. For example, in ELF, the entry point is defined in the header's <code>e_entry</code> field, which specifies the (virtual) memory address at which to start execution.<ref name="Rusling_1999"/> In the [[GNU Compiler Collection]], this field is set by the linker based on the <code>_start</code> symbol.<ref name="Page_2009"/>