# GNU binutils version



## Niatross (Mar 22, 2014)

How do you know what version of "GNU binutils" is built into the base system?

All I could think of doing is picking out some executables that are included with the "GNU binutils" suite and use the "--version" option.

Examples:


```
ld --version
```
or


```
as --version
```

Are the commands (above) the only way to figure out what version of "GNU binutils" is included within the base system?

I guess the following commands with the "--version" option could also tell me, but there has to be a better way to get the version of the "GNU binutils" suite, right?


```
addr2line
ar
c++filt
dlltool
gold
gprof
nlmconv
nm
objcopy
objdump
ranlib
readelf
size
strings
strip
windmc
windres
```

BTW: I'm moving from `gcc` to `clang/llvm`, but I would like to know how to properly figure out the version of "GNU binutils" that is included with the base system of FreeBSD 9.2-RELEASE. I only have the base system installed with no ports/packages.


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## trh411 (Mar 22, 2014)

See Using newer version of GCC and binutils with the FreeBSD Ports Collection: Introduction. Also see /usr/ports/devel/binutils/pkg-descr and /usr/ports/devel/binutils/distinfo.

To summarize, binutils-2.15 are in the base FreeBSD. You can upgrade those to 2.24 by installing devel/binutils from the ports collection.


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