size Command Examples in Linux

This tutorial explains Linux “size” command, options and its usage with examples.

size – list section sizes and total size.

Description :

The GNU size utility lists the section sizes—and the total size—for each of the object or archive files objfile in its argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each object file or each module in an archive.
objfile… are the object files to be examined. If none are specified, the file “a.out” will be used.

Usage :

size [-A|-B|–format=compatibility] {–help] [-d|-o|-x|–radix=number] [-t|–totals] [–target=bfdname] [-V|–version] [objfile…]

Options :

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-A, -B, –format=compatibility
Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from GNU size resembles output from System V size (using -A, or –format=sysv), or Berkeley size (using -B, or –format=berkeley). The default is the one-line format similar to Berkeley’s.
Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from size:

        $ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
        text    data    bss     dec     hex     filename
        294880  81920   11592   388392  5ed28   ranlib
        294880  81920   11888   388688  5ee50   size

This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:

        $ size --format=SysV ranlib size
        ranlib  :
        section         size         addr
        .text         294880         8192       
        .data          81920       303104       
        .bss           11592       385024       
        Total         388392
 
        size  :
        section         size         addr
        .text         294880         8192       
        .data          81920       303104       
        .bss           11888       385024       
        Total         388688

–help
Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
-d, -o, -x, –radix=number
Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each section is given in decimal (-d, or –radix=10); octal (-o, or –radix=8); or hexadecimal (-x, or –radix=16). In –radix=number, only the three values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two radices; decimal and hexadecimal for -d or -x output, or octal and hexadecimal if you’re using -o.
-t, –totals
Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
–target=bfdname
Specify that the object-code format for objfile is bfdname. This option may not be necessary; size can automatically recognize many formats.
-V, –version
Display the version number of size.

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Examples :

Let us create a test.c file and compile it to create object file and executable.

$ cat >> test.c
# include <stdio.h>
 
main()
{
 char a[]="strings program";
 printf("Welcome to tutorial\n");
 system("ls");
 printf("%s",a);
}
^C
$ gcc test.c -o test.o

1. A Basic Example

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$ size test.o
   text	   data	    bss	    dec	    hex	filename
   1581	    584	      8	   2173	    87d	test.o

2. Display in octal

$ size -o a.out
   text	   data	    bss	    oct	    hex	filename
  03055	  01110	    010	   4175	    87d	a.out

3. Dislay in Hexadecimal

$ size -x a.out
   text	   data	    bss	    dec	    hex	filename
  0x62d	  0x248	    0x8	   2173	    87d	a.out

4. Display in System V format and hexadecimal values

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$ size -Ax test.o
test.o  :
section               size       addr
.interp               0x1c   0x400238
.note.ABI-tag         0x20   0x400254
.note.gnu.build-id    0x24   0x400274
.gnu.hash             0x1c   0x400298
.dynsym               0xa8   0x4002b8
.dynstr               0x66   0x400360
.gnu.version           0xe   0x4003c6
.gnu.version_r        0x30   0x4003d8
.rela.dyn             0x18   0x400408
.rela.plt             0x90   0x400420
.init                 0x1a   0x4004b0
.plt                  0x70   0x4004d0
.text                0x204   0x400540
.fini                  0x9   0x400744
.rodata               0x1e   0x400750
.eh_frame_hdr         0x34   0x400770
.eh_frame             0xd4   0x4007a8
.init_array            0x8   0x600e10
.fini_array            0x8   0x600e18
.jcr                   0x8   0x600e20
.dynamic             0x1d0   0x600e28
.got                   0x8   0x600ff8
.got.plt              0x48   0x601000
.data                 0x10   0x601048
.bss                   0x8   0x601058
.comment              0x2a        0x0
Total                0x8a7

5. Show total values of different files

$ cp test.c test1.c
 
$ gcc test1.c -o test1.o
 
$ size -t *.o
   text	   data	    bss	    dec	    hex	filename
   1581	    584	      8	   2173	    87d	test1.o
   1581	    584	      8	   2173	    87d	test.o
   3162	   1168	     16	   4346	   10fa	(TOTALS)
 
$ size -At *.o
test1.o  :
section              size      addr
.interp                28   4194872
.note.ABI-tag          32   4194900
.note.gnu.build-id     36   4194932
.gnu.hash              28   4194968
.dynsym               168   4195000
.dynstr               102   4195168
.gnu.version           14   4195270
.gnu.version_r         48   4195288
.rela.dyn              24   4195336
.rela.plt             144   4195360
.init                  26   4195504
.plt                  112   4195536
.text                 516   4195648
.fini                   9   4196164
.rodata                30   4196176
.eh_frame_hdr          52   4196208
.eh_frame             212   4196264
.init_array             8   6295056
.fini_array             8   6295064
.jcr                    8   6295072
.dynamic              464   6295080
.got                    8   6295544
.got.plt               72   6295552
.data                  16   6295624
.bss                    8   6295640
.comment               42         0
Total                2215
 
 
test.o  :
section              size      addr
.interp                28   4194872
.note.ABI-tag          32   4194900
.note.gnu.build-id     36   4194932
.gnu.hash              28   4194968
.dynsym               168   4195000
.dynstr               102   4195168
.gnu.version           14   4195270
.gnu.version_r         48   4195288
.rela.dyn              24   4195336
.rela.plt             144   4195360
.init                  26   4195504
.plt                  112   4195536
.text                 516   4195648
.fini                   9   4196164
.rodata                30   4196176
.eh_frame_hdr          52   4196208
.eh_frame             212   4196264
.init_array             8   6295056
.fini_array             8   6295064
.jcr                    8   6295072
.dynamic              464   6295080
.got                    8   6295544
.got.plt               72   6295552
.data                  16   6295624
.bss                    8   6295640
.comment               42         0
Total                2215

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If you wish to look at all Linux commands and their usage examples, go to Linux Commands Tutorial.

If you find any mistake above, kindly email to [email protected]

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Manish Bhojasia, a technology veteran with 20+ years @ Cisco & Wipro, is Founder and CTO at Sanfoundry. He lives in Bangalore, and focuses on development of Linux Kernel, SAN Technologies, Advanced C, Data Structures & Alogrithms. Stay connected with him at LinkedIn.

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