This article is within the scope of WikiProject Computer science, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Computer science related articles on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.Computer scienceWikipedia:WikiProject Computer scienceTemplate:WikiProject Computer scienceComputer science articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Computing, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of computers, computing, and information technology on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.ComputingWikipedia:WikiProject ComputingTemplate:WikiProject ComputingComputing articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Technology, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of technology on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.TechnologyWikipedia:WikiProject TechnologyTemplate:WikiProject TechnologyTechnology articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Software, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of software on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.SoftwareWikipedia:WikiProject SoftwareTemplate:WikiProject Softwaresoftware articles
Latest comment: 11 years ago6 comments5 people in discussion
The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section.A summary of the conclusions reached follows.
It has been proposed that this article be merged into Object file.
Oppose. An object file is a container for object code, not the same as the thing contained. Object code, and its differences from source and executable code, is a legitimate subject. An object file or library is of less interest, and may only have transient existence as a vehicle for feeding the object code from the compiler into the linkeditor to create the executable. It would be more reasonable to merge some of the content from Object file into this article, but sources should be cited. Aymatth2 (talk) 00:42, 2 June 2012 (UTC)Reply
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.
To summarize the discussion as I understand it:
Object code is the output of a compiler, often machine code, but also an intermediate language.
An object file is a file containing or wrapping object code, but may contain other data besides. In some cases “object file” is used narrowly for files that are not themselves executable or libraries, while in other cases it’s used broadly to include executables and libraries.