The latest articles on DEV Community by Prathima Bommannagari (@prathimab). https://dev.to/prathimab https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F979223%2F2ec4784c-7a98-408f-a3df-58e5a53c3452.jpg https://dev.to/prathimab en Prathima Bommannagari Fri, 25 Nov 2022 22:08:27 +0000 https://dev.to/prathimab/how-to-convert-a-python-file-to-an-elf-file-and-how-to-execute-the-generated-elf-file-withwithout-using-the-terminal-in-linux-11l5 https://dev.to/prathimab/how-to-convert-a-python-file-to-an-elf-file-and-how-to-execute-the-generated-elf-file-withwithout-using-the-terminal-in-linux-11l5 <h2> <em>What is an ELF file?</em> </h2> <p>An ELF(<strong>E</strong>xecutable and <strong>L</strong>inkable <strong>F</strong>ormat) file is an executable standard file format for the Linux and Unix platforms. </p> <p>The ELF file format is typically used by binary executables in Linux. These serve as Linux's equivalent to Windows' PE (Portable Executable) format, which uses the EXE file extension.</p> <p>In addition to the executable code, executable files also include data such as static and dynamic data, linker information, and library imports.</p> <h2> <em>How to convert a Python file to an ELF file?</em> </h2> <p>To generate an ELF file from a python file, we can use <em>pyinstaller</em>. </p> <ol> <li><p>Install pyinstaller using the below command: <br> <a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fie99old4539kpnternsn.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fie99old4539kpnternsn.png" alt="pyinstaller command" width="222" height="32"></a>If you are using a python version that's older than python3, replace pip3 with pip in the above command.</p></li> <li><p>Create a .py file or go to the path where your existing python file resides.<br> <a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fcba0jos8vimiylwq8buc.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fcba0jos8vimiylwq8buc.png" alt="Python file" width="493" height="21"></a></p></li> <li><p>Run the below command to convert the python file to an executable:<br> <a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fjnpmouts7foirbpobu0u.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fjnpmouts7foirbpobu0u.png" alt="ELF conversion" width="309" height="22"></a></p></li> <li><p>Pyinstaller creates a dist(distribution) directory, that contains the main executable(ELF) and the dynamic libraries bundled in an executable file.<br> <a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F15bwk1y7pv6juh337qjc.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F15bwk1y7pv6juh337qjc.png" alt="elf file generated" width="536" height="56"></a></p></li> </ol> <h2> <em>How to run the executable file in Linux?</em> </h2> <p><em>Using the terminal:</em></p> <ol> <li>Open the terminal.</li> <li>Go to the path where the ELF file is located and execute the ELF file by placing <strong>./</strong> before the elf filename as below: <img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fb7986djnzj1l9kw7bw4z.png" alt="Running the ELF file using terminal" width="290" height="22"> </li> </ol> <p><em>Without using the terminal:</em></p> <ol> <li>Open the File explorer and go to the path where the ELF is located.</li> <li>Right-click on the executable file, go to Properties--&gt; Permissions tab--&gt; check the box 'Allow executing file as program' --&gt; Close the properties window. <img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fhnmr9gn1xrjz0jkvci41.png" alt="Running ELF without using the terminal" width="462" height="457">3. Run the executable file by just double-clicking on it (similar to running an exe file on Windows).</li> </ol> watercooler