There are a number of tools available on Linux systems to help us understand and work with object files. In particular, the GNU Binutils package is particularly helpful and runs on every Linux platform

The serial number The command instructions
1 AR Create static libraries that insert, delete, list, and extract members
2 STRING Lists all printable strings in an object file
3 STRIP Removes symbol table information from the target file
4 NM Lists symbols defined in the symbol table in an object file
5 SIZE Lists the names and sizes of sections in the object file
6 READELF Shows the complete structure of an object file, including all information encoded in the ELF header, including SIZE and NM functions
7 OBJDUMP The mother of all binary tools, capable of displaying all information in the object file. Its greatest use is to disassemble binary instructions in the. Text section
8 LDD Lists the shared libraries required by an executable at runtime

Excerpt from In Depth Understanding computer Systems —- chapter 7 links