Lexicon Entry

Loader

The operating system component responsible for reading an executable file from disk, mapping its segments into virtual memory, and transferring control to the entry point.

Related Knowledge & Cross-References

Guide

Feb 14, 2026

Executable File Formats: ELF, PE, and Mach-O Explained

How does the operating system know how to take that file and turn it into a running process? The answer lies in the Executable File Format.