Library calls

In a library call, the software requests a function inside a library. Using a function requires that the user program has been linked against the required library. Library calls are executed in user address space, and have a lower overhead than system calls. Library functions can also be used as wrappers to serve as interfaces for system calls.

EGLIBC library calls provide functionalities such as:

• transforming date and time to broken-down time or ASCII
• making procedure calls on other machines across the network
• running programs in the background as system daemons
• accessing database files
• encrypting messages
• error reporting
• locking and unlocking files
• managing device IDs
• searching for elements in the array
• getting file system statistics

The EGLIBC library defines basic functions specified in standards such as ISO C and POSIX. For a list of the library calls available through EGLIBC, see the navigation tree on the left.