The Executable and Linkable Format (ELF) is a common standard file format for executables, object code, shared libraries, and core dumps. It is used on many Unix-like systems, including Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, and others. ELF is a flexible and extensible format that supports a variety of architectures and operating systems. It defines a structure for storing code, data, and metadata, allowing the operating system to load and execute programs efficiently. The format includes sections for different types of data, such as code, read-only data, and writable data. It also contains a symbol table that maps symbolic names to addresses, which is used by debuggers and linkers. ELF files are typically created by compilers and linkers, and they are used by the operating system to load and execute programs. The format is designed to be platform-independent, allowing programs to be compiled once and run on different systems with minimal modification. It is a crucial part of the software development process on Unix-like systems.