Understanding OCaml Object Files

The ocamlobjinfo tool is an essential utility for OCaml developers, providing detailed insights into OCaml object files and libraries. It allows you to inspect the contents and metadata of compiled OCaml code, whether it's bytecode (.cmo, .cma) or native code (.cmx, .cmxa), as well as bytecode executables (.byte). This tool is invaluable for debugging, understanding library structures, and verifying compilation outputs.

Key Uses of OCamlobjinfo

By using ocamlobjinfo, developers can quickly retrieve information such as the modules contained within a compilation unit, the dependencies of a library, or the structure of a bytecode executable. This helps in managing complex OCaml projects and ensuring that compiled artifacts are as expected.

Common OCamlobjinfo Commands

Here are some common ways to use the ocamlobjinfo command:

# Get detailed information about an OCaml bytecode object file
ocamlobjinfo your_object_file.cmo

# Display information about an OCaml native object file
ocamlobjinfo your_native_object_file.cmx

# Print information about an OCaml bytecode library file
ocamlobjinfo your_library_file.cma

# Access details of an OCaml native library file
ocamlobjinfo your_native_library_file.cmxa

# Fetch information about a specific unit within an object file
ocamlobjinfo --unit=UnitName your_object_file.cmo

# Display information about an OCaml bytecode executable
ocamlobjinfo your_executable.byte

Further Resources

• OCaml Compilation Documentation
• OCaml Manual: Compilation Units