Why is file named "a.out" when compiling C++ file?

Question

Why does c++ automatically name the file "a.out"? Is there some significance to this?

$ g++ day2-operators.cpp 
$ ls
a.out  day2-operators.cpp  precision.cpp

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.out – Dark Falcon Jul 01 '16 at 13:44 — Dark Falcon, Jul 01 '16 at 13:44

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 01 '16 at 13:46

2

a.out is a file format used in older versions of Unix-like computer operating systems for executables, object code, and, in later systems, shared libraries. The name stands for "assembler output" - Wikipedia

You could call it tradition.

answered Jul 01 '16 at 13:46

Shiro

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Why is file named "a.out" when compiling C++ file?

1 Answers1