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COFF
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<p>The Common Object File Format (COFF) is a <a href="/facts/File_format/qrXbwJaH">format</a> for <a href="/facts/Executable/VSst9eLA">executable</a>, <a href="/facts/Object_code/Sht3h4lW">object code</a>, and <a href="/facts/Shared_libraries/xRzL3P7q">shared library</a> <a href="/facts/Computer_file/FjFH3Ufm">computer files</a> used on <a href="/facts/Unix/0pNL2seI">Unix</a> systems. It was introduced in <a href="/facts/Unix_System_V/Epm6GEY4">Unix System V</a>, replaced the previously used <a href="/facts/A.out/Q6Um95j8">a.out</a> format, and formed the basis for extended specifications such as <a href="/facts/XCOFF/ETPsVVlf">XCOFF</a> and <a href="/facts/ECOFF/vBlf9dka">ECOFF</a>, before being largely replaced by <a href="/facts/Executable_and_Linkable_Format/ro2CYqso">ELF</a>, introduced with <a href="/facts/UNIX_System_V/Epm6GEY4">SVR4</a>. COFF and its variants continue to be used on some <a href="/facts/Unix-like/YAKrAxzd">Unix-like</a> systems, on <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Windows/bwhAhuSL">Microsoft Windows</a> (<a href="/facts/Portable_Executable/pJy7AkuY">Portable Executable</a>), in <a href="/facts/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface/w86VGmy2">UEFI</a> environments and in some embedded development systems. </p>