linker-scripts

name

linker-scripts

description

Linker script skill for embedded bare-metal targets. Use when writing or modifying GNU ld linker scripts, placing code and data in specific flash or RAM regions, understanding VMA vs LMA, configuring startup .bss/.data initialization, using MEMORY and SECTIONS commands, or debugging linker errors about regions. Activates on queries about linker scripts, MEMORY command, SECTIONS command, .bss init, VMA vs LMA, weak symbols, or placing functions in specific memory regions.

Linker Scripts

Purpose

Guide agents through writing and modifying GNU ld linker scripts for embedded targets: MEMORY and SECTIONS commands, VMA vs LMA for code relocation, startup .bss/.data initialization, placing sections in specific regions, and using PROVIDE/KEEP/ALIGN directives.

Triggers

• "How do I write a linker script for my MCU?"
• "How do I place a function in a specific flash/RAM region?"
• "What's the difference between VMA and LMA in a linker script?"
• "How does .bss and .data initialization work at startup?"
• "Linker error: region 'FLASH' overflowed"
• "How do I use weak symbols in a linker script?"

Workflow

1. Linker script anatomy

/* Minimal Cortex-M linker script */

ENTRY(Reset_Handler)            /* entry point symbol */

MEMORY
{
    FLASH (rx)  : ORIGIN = 0x08000000, LENGTH = 512K
    RAM   (rwx) : ORIGIN = 0x20000000, LENGTH = 128K
}

SECTIONS
{
    .text :                     /* code section */
    {
        KEEP(*(.isr_vector))    /* interrupt vector must be first */
        *(.text)
        *(.text.*)
        *(.rodata)
        *(.rodata.*)
        . = ALIGN(4);
        _etext = .;             /* end of flash content */
    } > FLASH

    .data : AT(_etext)          /* VMA = RAM, LMA = FLASH */
    {
        _sdata = .;
        *(.data)
        *(.data.*)
        . = ALIGN(4);
        _edata = .;
    } > RAM

    .bss :
    {
        _sbss = .;
        *(.bss)
        *(.bss.*)
        *(COMMON)
        . = ALIGN(4);
        _ebss = .;
    } > RAM

    /* Stack at top of RAM */
    _estack = ORIGIN(RAM) + LENGTH(RAM);
}

2. VMA vs LMA

• VMA (Virtual Memory Address): where the section runs at runtime
• LMA (Load Memory Address): where the section is stored in the image (flash)

For .data: stored in flash (LMA), copied to RAM at startup (VMA).

/* AT() sets LMA explicitly */
.data : AT(ADDR(.text) + SIZEOF(.text))
{
    _sdata = .;
    *(.data)
    _edata = .;
} > RAM          /* VMA goes in RAM */

LMA of .data is automatically placed after .text if you use AT(_etext).

3. Startup .bss / .data initialization

The C runtime must copy .data from flash to RAM and zero .bss before main():

// startup.c or startup.s equivalent in C
extern uint32_t _sdata, _edata, _sidata; // _sidata = LMA of .data
extern uint32_t _sbss, _ebss;

void Reset_Handler(void) {
    // Copy .data from flash to RAM
    uint32_t *src = &_sidata;
    uint32_t *dst = &_sdata;
    while (dst < &_edata) *dst++ = *src++;

    // Zero-initialize .bss
    dst = &_sbss;
    while (dst < &_ebss) *dst++ = 0;

    // Call C++ constructors
    // (call __libc_init_array() if using newlib)

    main();
    for (;;);  // should never return
}

Linker script provides _sidata (LMA of .data):

.data : AT(_etext)
{
    _sdata = .;
    *(.data)
    _edata = .;
} > RAM

_sidata = LOADADDR(.data);    /* LMA of .data for startup code */

4. Placing code in specific regions

/* Place time-critical code in RAM for faster execution */
MEMORY
{
    FLASH (rx) : ORIGIN = 0x08000000, LENGTH = 512K
    RAM   (rwx): ORIGIN = 0x20000000, LENGTH = 128K
    CCM   (rwx): ORIGIN = 0x10000000, LENGTH = 64K   /* Cortex-M4 CCM */
}

.fast_code : AT(_etext)
{
    _sfast = .;
    *(.fast_code)   /* sections marked __attribute__((section(".fast_code"))) */
    _efast = .;
} > CCM              /* runs from CCM RAM */

// Mark a function to go in fast_code section
__attribute__((section(".fast_code")))
void critical_isr_handler(void) {
    // runs from CCM RAM
}

5. KEEP, ALIGN, PROVIDE

/* KEEP — prevent garbage collection of section */
KEEP(*(.isr_vector))        /* linker gc won't remove interrupt table */
KEEP(*(.init))
KEEP(*(.fini))

/* ALIGN — advance location counter to alignment boundary */
. = ALIGN(8);               /* align to 8 bytes */

/* PROVIDE — define symbol only if not already defined (weak default) */
PROVIDE(_stack_size = 0x400);  /* default 1KB stack; override in code */

/* Symbols for stack */
.stack :
{
    . = ALIGN(8);
    . += _stack_size;
    _stack_top = .;
} > RAM

/* FILL — fill unused bytes */
.text :
{
    *(.text)
    . = ALIGN(4);
    FILL(0xFF)             /* fill flash gaps with 0xFF (erased state) */
} > FLASH

6. Weak symbols

/* In linker script — provide weak default ISR */
PROVIDE(NMI_Handler        = Default_Handler);
PROVIDE(HardFault_Handler  = Default_Handler);
PROVIDE(SysTick_Handler    = Default_Handler);

// In C — weak default handler
__attribute__((weak)) void Default_Handler(void) {
    for (;;);  // spin — override this in application
}

// Override by defining a non-weak symbol with the same name
void SysTick_Handler(void) {
    tick_count++;
}

7. Common linker errors

Error	Cause	Fix
region 'FLASH' overflowed	Binary too large for flash	Enable LTO, -Os, remove unused code; --gc-sections
region 'RAM' overflowed	Too much RAM used	Reduce stack size, use static buffers, check .bss size
undefined reference to '_estack'	Missing linker script symbol	Define _estack in linker script
no rule to process file	.ld extension not recognized	Pass with -T script.ld
cannot find linker script	Wrong path	Use -L dir -T name.ld
Data section .data at wrong address	LMA not set	Add AT(_etext) after .data section definition

# Analyze section sizes
arm-none-eabi-size firmware.elf
arm-none-eabi-size -A firmware.elf    # verbose per-section

# Show all sections and their addresses
arm-none-eabi-objdump -h firmware.elf

# Check if .data LMA is in flash range
arm-none-eabi-readelf -S firmware.elf | grep -A2 "\.data"

For linker script anatomy details, see references/linker-script-anatomy.md.

Related skills

• Use skills/embedded/openocd-jtag for flashing to addresses defined in linker script
• Use skills/embedded/freertos for FreeRTOS heap placement in specific RAM regions
• Use skills/binaries/linkers-lto for linker LTO and symbol flags
• Use skills/binaries/elf-inspection to inspect section sizes and addresses