How many types of linking are there?

Linking

Linking is the process of connecting one object code to another object code. Linker is a part of compiler and build tool chain. Compiler generates an object file after a successful compilation of the source file. Application project is often consisting of several source file are compiled separately and then linker makes these object code link together and makes the final executable. Linker calculates the address of each functions/symbols and places in the argument of call or jump instruction.

Modern operating system often support dynamic linking. Here we use a shared library executable code. Application are loaded and the external library routines are linked at the loading or runtime.

There are two main categories of linking - Static Linking and Dynamic Linking.

Static Linking

Static Linking - In this type of linking, linker links the actual code of the library directly into the code section of the executable. Static link library is an archive of several object files. Each object file may contain the executable code of one or more library functions. Linker copies the code and data sections of these object files to the Example: Linking C and Graphics library in Turbo C++ for MS DOS. Linking an application with an archive contains .obj files.

Dynamic Linking

Dynamic Linking - An application may call several library function and linking all those library function in the executable code could impact the size of the overall executable. Again running these executables creates overhead in memory as individual executable loads their own copies of the same library function. Thus to overcome this duplicate copies of code loading, dynamic linking concept came into picture. Dynamic linking does not link the actual code of the external functions. Instead it prepares a list of imported functions in .idata section and a stub code which actually jumps to the external function by address. Dynamic linker is a part of operating system loader. It loads dynamic library executables or DLLs in one shared memory location and links the address of the functions to the application calling locations.

Again Dynamic Linking can be divided into two category. Implicit Dynamic Linking and Explicit Dynamic Linking.

Implicit Dynamic Linking

Implicit Dynamic Linking - Links the code with the import library using .idata section mechanism. At the time of application launching all the dependent DLLs should be loaded to start execution. Also when application ends execution all the dependent DLLs are getting unloaded.

Explicit Dynamic Linking