A source program that has been compiled using a compiler is present either in object module or link-and-load module format. Object modules (OMs) and link-and-load modules (LLMs) are input objects for the Binder Loader Starter system (BLS) that generates executable programs from these objects.
The link editor combines a compiled source program together with all the object modules and link-and-load modules required for program execution to create an executable unit. In doing so, in each module it modifies addresses that reference areas external to the module and which could not therefore be entered by the compiler. These addresses are known as external references.
In the sections below describe linking with /390 systems. Section “Input examples” contains the example inputs.