binutils 2.36 introduced the new section flag SHF_GNU_RETAIN (for ELFOSABI_GNU &
ELFOSABI_FREEBSD) to mark a sections as a GC root. Several LLVM side toolchain
folks (including me) were involved in the design process of SHF_GNU_RETAIN and
were happy with this proposal.
Currently GNU ld only respects SHF_GNU_RETAIN semantics for ELFOSABI_GNU &
ELFOSABI_FREEBSD object files
(https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=27282). GNU ld sets EI_OSABI
to ELFOSABI_GNU for relocatable output
(https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=27091). In practice the single
value EI_OSABI is neither a good indicator for object file compatibility, nor a
useful mechanism marking used ELF extensions.
For input, we respect SHF_GNU_RETAIN semantics even for ELFOSABI_NONE object
files. This is compatible with how LLD and GNU ld handle (mildly useful) STT_GNU_IFUNC
/ (emitted by GCC, considered misfeature by some folks) STB_GNU_UNIQUE input.
(As of LLVM 12.0.0, the integrated assembler does not set ELFOSABI_GNU for
STT_GNU_IFUNC/STB_GNU_UNIQUE).
Arguably STT_GNU_IFUNC/STB_GNU_UNIQUE probably need indicators in object files
but SHF_GNU_RETAIN is more likely accepted by more OSABI platforms.
For output, we take a step further than GNU ld: we don't promote ELFOSABI_NONE
to ELFOSABI_GNU for all output.
Differential Revision: https://reviews.llvm.org/D95749
Fangrui Song