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POWhat is an application binary interface (ABI)?
 

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  1. POWhat is an application binary interface (ABI)?
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    <p>I never clearly understood what an ABI is. Please don't point me to a Wikipedia article. If I could understand it, I wouldn't be here posting such a lengthy post.</p> <p>This is my mindset about different interfaces:</p> <p>A TV remote is an interface between the user and the TV. It is an existing entity, but useless (doesn't provide any functionality) by itself. All the functionality for each of those buttons on the remote is implemented in the television set.</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>Interface:</strong> It is an "existing entity" layer between the <code>functionality</code> and <code>consumer</code> of that functionality. An interface by itself is doesn't do anything. It just invokes the functionality lying behind.</p> <p>Now depending on who the user is there are different type of interfaces.</p> <p><strong>Command Line Interface (CLI)</strong> commands are the existing entities, the consumer is the user and functionality lies behind.</p> <p><code>functionality:</code> my software functionality which solves some purpose to which we are describing this interface.</p> <p><code>existing entities:</code> commands</p> <p><code>consumer:</code> user</p> <p><strong>Graphical User Interface(GUI)</strong> window, buttons, etc. are the existing entities, and again the consumer is the user and functionality lies behind.</p> <p><code>functionality:</code> my software functionality which solves some purpose to which we are describing this interface.</p> <p><code>existing entities:</code> window,buttons etc..</p> <p><code>consumer:</code> user</p> <p><strong>Application Programming Interface(API)</strong> functions or to be more correct, interfaces (in interfaced based programming) are the existing entities, consumer here is another program not a user, and again functionality lies behind this layer.</p> <p><code>functionality:</code> my software functionality which solves some purpose to which we are describing this interface.</p> <p><code>existing entities:</code> functions, Interfaces(array of functions).</p> <p><code>consumer:</code> another program/application.</p> <p><strong>Application Binary Interface (ABI)</strong> Here is where my problem starts.</p> <p><code>functionality:</code> ???</p> <p><code>existing entities:</code> ???</p> <p><code>consumer:</code> ???</p> </blockquote> <ul> <li>I've written software in different languages and provided different kind of interfaces (CLI, GUI, and API), but I'm not sure, if I ever, provided any ABI.</li> </ul> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_binary_interface" rel="noreferrer">Wikipedia says:</a></p> <blockquote> <p>ABIs cover details such as</p> <ul> <li>data type, size, and alignment;</li> <li>the calling convention, which controls how functions' arguments are passed and return values retrieved;</li> <li>the system call numbers and how an application should make system calls to the operating system;</li> </ul> <p>Other ABIs standardize details such as</p> <ul> <li>the C++ name mangling,</li> <li>exception propagation, and</li> <li>calling convention between compilers on the same platform, but do not require cross-platform compatibility.</li> </ul> </blockquote> <ul> <li><p>Who needs these details? Please don't say the OS. I know assembly programming. I know how linking &amp; loading works. I know what exactly happens inside.</p></li> <li><p>Why did C++ name mangling come in? I thought we are talking at the binary level. Why do languages come in?</p></li> </ul> <p>Anyway, I've downloaded the <a href="http://www.sco.com/developers/devspecs/gabi41.pdf" rel="noreferrer">[PDF] System V Application Binary Interface <em>Edition 4.1 (1997-03-18)</em></a> to see what exactly it contains. Well, most of it didn't make any sense.</p> <ul> <li><p>Why does it contain two chapters (4th &amp; 5th) to describe the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executable_and_Linkable_Format" rel="noreferrer">ELF</a> file format? In fact, these are the only two significant chapters of that specification. The rest of the chapters are "processor specific". Anyway, I thought that it is a completely different topic. Please don't say that ELF file format specifications <em>are</em> the ABI. It doesn't qualify to be an <em>interface</em> according to the definition.</p></li> <li><p>I know, since we are talking at such a low level it must be very specific. But I'm not sure how is it "instruction set architecture (ISA)" specific?</p></li> <li><p>Where can I find Microsoft Windows' ABI?</p></li> </ul> <p>So, these are the major queries that are bugging me.</p>
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    1. USPeter Mortensen
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    1. CO"Please don't say, OS" Compilers need to know the ABI. Linkers need to know the ABI. The kernel needs to know the ABI in order to set up the program in RAM for it to run properly. As for C++ see below, it intentionally turns labels into gibberish because of overloading and private methods, and the linker and any other compiler need to have compatible name mangling to work with it, in other words the same ABI.
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      1. POWhat is an application binary interface (ABI)?
      1. USJustin Smith
    2. CO"how is it "Instruction Set Architecture(ISA)" specific?" you cannot run an x86 executable on an ARM processor, period. So the ABI used on an x86 system cannot be the same one used on ARM.
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    3. COI think the question is so clear; exactly describing what is the answer format expected and yet not a single satisfactory answer that which can be accepted.
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      1. USlegends2k
 

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