Comparison of executable file formats


This is a comparison of binary executable file formats which, once loaded by a suitable executable loader, can be directly executed by the CPU rather than being interpreted by software. In addition to the binary application code, the executables may contain headers and tables with relocation and fixup information as well as various kinds of meta data. Among those formats listed, the ones in most common use are PE, ELF, Mach-O and MZ.
Format nameOperating systemFilename extensionExplicit processor declarationsArbitrary sectionsMetadataDigital signatureString tableSymbol table64-bitFat binariesCan contain icon
ELFUnix-like, OpenVMS, BeOS from R4 onwards, Haiku, SerenityOSnone by file
PEWindows, ReactOS, HX DOS Extender, BeOS .EXE by file
PE32+Windows .EXE by file
Mach-ONeXTSTEP, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOSnone by file or subfile of a multi-architecture binary
OS/360OS/360 and successors, and VS/9, mainframe operating systemsnone
GOFFIBM MVS and z/OS mainframe operating systemsnone
a.outUnix-likenone
COFFUnix-likenone by file
ECOFFUltrix, Tru64 UNIX, IRIXnone by file
XCOFFIBM AIX, BeOS, "classic" Mac OSnone by file
SOMHP-UX, MPE/ix
Amiga HunkAmigaOSnone
PEF"classic" Mac OS, BeOS none by file
CMDCP/M-86, MP/M-86, Concurrent CP/M-86, Personal CP/M-86, S5-DOS, Concurrent DOS, Concurrent DOS 286, FlexOS, S5-DOS/ST, S5-DOS/MT, Concurrent DOS 386, Multiuser DOS, System Manager, REAL/32, DOS Plus.CMD
FlexOS 186FlexOS 186, FlexOS 286, S5-DOS/ST, S5-DOS/MT, 4680 OS, FlexOS 386, 4690 OS.186
FlexOS 286FlexOS 286, S5-DOS/ST, S5-DOS/MT, 4680 OS, FlexOS 386, 4690 OS.286
CP/M-68KCP/M-68K, Concurrent DOS 68K, FlexOS 68K.68K
COM (CP/M)CP/M, MP/M, Concurrent CP/M, Personal CP/M.COM
COM (DOS)DOS, OS/2, Windows, Concurrent CP/M-86, Concurrent DOS, Concurrent DOS 286, FlexOS, Concurrent DOS 386, Multiuser DOS, System Manager, REAL/32, DOS Plus.COM
MZ (DOS)DOS, OS/2, Windows, Concurrent DOS 286, FlexOS, Concurrent DOS 386, Multiuser DOS, System Manager, REAL/32, DOS Plus.EXE
MZ GEM, ViewMAX.APP/.ACC
NEMS-DOS 4.0 (multitasking), OS/2, Windows, HX DOS Extender.EXE
LE, OS/2, some DOS extenders.EXE by file
LXOS/2, some 32-bit DOS extenders.EXE by file
PIM/XIPPalmDOS .PIM/.XIP
DLMS-DOS System Manager applications .EXM
MPPhar Lap DOS extenders.EXP
P2Phar Lap 16-bit DOS extenders.EXP
P3Phar Lap 32-bit DOS extenders.EXP
GEOSPC/GEOS, Geoworks Ensemble, NewDeal Office, Breadbox Ensemble.GEO