ISO/IEC 23360-1-2:2021

Overview

ISO/IEC 23360-1-2:2021 - Linux Standard Base (LSB) Part 1-2: Core specification (generic part) defines the common system interface and a minimal runtime/installer environment for compiled Linux applications. Its goal is to enable a uniform, industry-standard environment (APIs and ABIs) so high-volume and commercial applications can run reliably across conforming Linux distributions. This document is the generic (architecture‑independent) half of the LSB Core module and is intended to be used together with the relevant architecture‑specific part to form a complete interface specification.

Key topics and technical requirements

• APIs and ABIs: Specifies which source-level APIs and binary ABIs are required for conformance; the LSB is primarily a binary interface definition.
• Executable and Linking Format (ELF): Low‑level object format rules, sections, symbol mapping, DWARF extensions, exception frames and symbol versioning.
• Dynamic linking & program loading: Program interpreter, program header and required dynamic entries.
• Base libraries: Mandatory interfaces and data definitions for libc, libm, libpthread, libgcc_s, libdl, librt, libcrypt, libpam and other core libraries.
• Utility & C++ libraries: Requirements for common utility libraries (libz, libncurses, libutil) and libstdc++.
• Commands, utilities and execution environment: Standardized behavior for common utilities, file system hierarchy (/dev, /etc), system initialization behaviors and path expectations for admin tools.
• Localization & patterns: Regular expressions, pattern matching and localization considerations.
• Conformance rules: Definitions for LSB implementation conformance and LSB application conformance; interfaces are mandatory except where explicitly noted.
• Relationship to POSIX and other specs: Aligns with ISO/IEC 9945 (POSIX) and references other Linux Foundation and POSIX resources.

Practical applications

• Build and distribute binary-compatible applications that run across multiple Linux distributions without recompilation.
• Establish a stable runtime for installers and packaging systems to ensure predictable behavior of installation scripts.
• Support commercial ISVs, independent software vendors and large-scale application vendors who need a consistent ABI.
• Provide a target for distribution maintainers and system integrators to verify compatibility and interoperability.
• Enable conformance testing suites and QA processes to certify systems or applications against the LSB Core.

Who should use this standard

• Application developers and packagers targeting binary portability
• Independent software vendors (ISVs) and enterprise software teams
• Linux distribution maintainers and platform engineers
• Systems integrators and QA/test teams performing compatibility verification

Related standards

• ISO/IEC 9945 (POSIX) - for POSIX interfaces and compatibility considerations
• Architecture-specific parts of the LSB Core - required in combination with this generic part
• Other Linux Foundation specifications referenced by the LSB

Keywords: Linux Standard Base, LSB, ISO/IEC 23360-1-2, ABI, API, ELF, libc, libstdc++, dynamic linking, binary compatibility, Linux portability.