addr2line

Display the filename and line number of the source code from an instruction address of an executable

$ addr2line [[-e|--exe]] [path/to/executable] [address]

$ addr2line [[-e|--exe]] [path/to/executable] [[-f|--functions]] [address]

$ addr2line [[-e|--exe]] [path/to/executable] [[-f|--functions]] [[-C|--demangle]] [address]

addr2line [options...] [executable] [{address} ...]

-a, --addresses
    Display address before function and source info

-b bfdname, --target=bfdname
    Set object file format (e.g., elf64-x86-64)

-C, --demangle[=style]
    Demangle C++ symbols (styles: gnu-v3, lucid, etc.)

-e file, --exe=file
    Specify executable or library file

-f, --functions
    Include function names in output

-i, --inlines
    Unwind and show inlined function locations

-p, --pretty-print
    One address per line with index (stdin support)

-j dirs, --search-dirs=dirs
    Colon-separated dirs to search for sources

-s, --basenames
    Display only base names of sources

-A arch, --architecture=arch
    Set target architecture

addr2line is a utility from the GNU Binutils package that translates memory addresses in executables or libraries into human-readable source code locations, including file names, line numbers, and function names. It is essential for debugging crash dumps, stack traces, or logs containing hexadecimal addresses.

The tool parses debugging information (DWARF or STABS, typically from gcc -g) embedded in ELF, COFF, or other formats via the BFD library. Specify the target binary with -e or positionally, then provide addresses like 0x400123.

Example output for addr2line -e ./program 0x401abc:
/home/user/src/main.c:45 (main+0x1c).

Key features include C++ demangling (-C), function names (-f), inlined frames (-i), and pretty-printing multiple addresses (-p). It supports source path searching (-j) and various architectures. Often scripted or used with GDB for automated symbol resolution in post-mortem analysis.

Requires unstripped binaries with debug info (-g). Invalid addresses return '?'; no runtime relocation support. Use with static addresses from core dumps.

addr2line -pf -e /bin/ls 0x457891
??:0 (main+0x123)
Reads addresses from stdin if none provided.

Addresses as hex (0x prefix optional). Multiple via args or pipe: echo '0x123 0x456' | addr2line -p -e prog

Developed as part of GNU Binutils (since ~1990s); maintained by GNU Project. Key enhancements in binutils 2.20+ for DWARF4, inlines, and pretty-print.

objdump(1), nm(1), readelf(1), gdb(1)