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.TH "ABILINT" "1" "May 01, 2026" "" "Libabigail"
.SH NAME
abilint \- validate an abigail ABI representation
.sp
abilint parses the native XML representation of an ABI as emitted by
abidw \%<>\&.  Once it has parsed the XML representation of the ABI,
\fBabilint\fP builds and in\-memory model from it.  It then tries to save
it back to an XML form, to standard output.  If that read\-write
operation succeeds chances are the input XML ABI representation is
meaningful.
.sp
Note that the main intent of this tool to help debugging issues in the
underlying Libabigail library.
.sp
Note also that \fBabilint\fP can also read an ELF \%<http://\:en\:.wikipedia\:.org/\:wiki/\:Executable_and_Linkable_Format> input file, build the
in\-memory model for its ABI, and serialize that model back into XML to
standard output.  In that case, the ELF \%<http://\:en\:.wikipedia\:.org/\:wiki/\:Executable_and_Linkable_Format> input file must be
accompanied with its debug information in the DWARF \%<http://\:www\:.dwarfstd\:.org> format.
.SH INVOCATION
.INDENT 0.0
.INDENT 3.5
.sp
.EX
abilint [options] [<abi\-file1>]
.EE
.UNINDENT
.UNINDENT
.SH OPTIONS
.INDENT 0.0
.INDENT 3.5
.INDENT 0.0
.IP \(bu 2
\fB\-\-annotate\fP
.sp
Annotate the ABIXML output with comments above most elements.  The
comments are made of the pretty\-printed form of types, declaration
or even ELF symbols.  The purpose is to make the ABIXML output
more human\-readable for debugging or documenting purposes.
.IP \(bu 2
\fB\-\-ctf\fP
.sp
Extract ABI information from CTF debug information, if present in
the given object.
.IP \(bu 2
\fB\-\-debug\-info\-dir\fP <\fIpath\fP>
.sp
When reading an ELF \%<http://\:en\:.wikipedia\:.org/\:wiki/\:Executable_and_Linkable_Format> input file which debug information is split
out into a separate file, this options tells \fBabilint\fP where to
find that separate debug information file.
.sp
Note that \fIpath\fP must point to the root directory under which the
debug information is arranged in a tree\-like manner.  Under Red
Hat based systems, that directory is usually
\fB<root>/usr/lib/debug\fP\&.
.sp
Note also that this option is not mandatory for split debug
information installed by your system\(aqs package manager because
then \fBabidiff\fP knows where to find it.
.IP \(bu 2
\fB\-\-diff\fP
.sp
For XML inputs, perform a text diff between the input and the
memory model saved back to disk.  This can help to spot issues in
the handling of the XML format by the underlying Libabigail library.
.IP \(bu 2
\fB\-\-header\-file | \-\-hf\fP <header\-file\-path>
.sp
Specifies where to find one of the public headers of the abi file
that the tool has to consider.  The tool will thus filter out
types that are not defined in public headers.
.IP \(bu 2
\fB\-\-headers\-dir | \-\-hd\fP <headers\-directory\-path\-1>
.sp
Specifies where to find the public headers of the first shared
library that the tool has to consider.  The tool will thus filter
out types that are not defined in public headers.
.IP \(bu 2
\fB\-\-help\fP
.sp
Display a short help message and exits.
.IP \(bu 2
\fB\-\-noout\fP
.sp
Do not display anything on standard output.  The return code of
the command is the only way to know if the command succeeded.
.IP \(bu 2
\fB\-\-suppressions | suppr\fP <\fIpath\-to\-suppression\-specifications\-file\fP>
.sp
Use a suppression specification \%<#\:suppr-spec-label> file
located at \fIpath\-to\-suppression\-specifications\-file\fP\&.  Note that
this option can appear multiple times on the command line.  In
that case, all of the provided suppression specification files are
taken into account.  ABI artifacts matched by the suppression
specifications are suppressed from the output of this tool.
.IP \(bu 2
\fB\-\-stdin | \-\-\fP
.sp
Read the input content from standard input.
.IP \(bu 2
\fB\-\-tu\fP
.sp
Expect the input XML to represent a single translation unit.
.IP \(bu 2
\fI\-\-verbose\fP
.sp
Shows verbose messages about internal stuff.  This is used to
debug the tool and its underlying library.
.IP \(bu 2
\fI\-\-version | \-v\fP
.sp
Display the version of the program and exit.
.UNINDENT
.UNINDENT
.UNINDENT
.SH Author
Dodji Seketeli
.SH Copyright
2014-2025, Red Hat, Inc.
.\" End of generated man page.