+ 

+ == Binutils 2.31

+ 

+ Fedora 29 provides *Binutils* version 2.31, which brings many bug fixes and enhancements compared to version 2.30 which was available in Fedora 28.

+ 

+ Notable new features include:

+ 

+ * The linker can now put all code and read-only data sections into a separate segment with only `READ` and `EXECUTE` permissions. All writable data can be placed into a separate segment with `READ` and `WRITE` permissions. This makes programs larger, but safer. The linker's behavior can be controlled via a command line option, and the default set by a configure option.

+ * The assembler can generate build notes for any input files which do not contain their own notes. Again this is controlled via a command line option whose default is set by a configure option.

+ * The x86 assembler supports a new `-O[2|s]` command-line option to enable alternate, shorter instruction encoding. It also supports a `,nop` pseudo-op to simplify the insertion of `NOP` instruction sequences.

+ * The AArch64 assembler will now warn a combintation of an instruction and a register name are invalid. The AArch64 disassembler will now also flag inconsistent instruction encodings.

+ * The `ar` program will now accept an `O` modifier to its command line, which causes the offsets of members within the archive to be displayed alongside the other information. 

+ 

+ See the link:++https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2018-07/msg00005.html++[upstream release announcement] for full information about this release.