GCC is a popular tool chain that can generate executables for wide range of architectures including x86, ARM v4/v5/v6/v7, and many others. In personal computers GNU GCC is a compiler that compiles an application written for LINUX X86 PC. When the host and target architectures are different, the tool chain is called ” cross compiler “.
You may come across different tool chains to cross compile your application for ARM like arm-none-linux-gnueabi, arm-none-eabi, arm-eabi, arm-fsl-linux-gnueabi-gcc etc.
Tool chains have a loose name convention like arch [-vendor] [-os] – eabi
arch – refers to target architecture (which in our case is ARM)
vendor – refers to toolchain supplier
os – refers to the target operating system
eabi – refers to Embedded Application Binary Interface
some illustrations as follows :
arm-none-eabi – This tool chain targets for ARM architecture, has no vendor, does not target an operating system and complies with the ARM EABI.
arm-none-linux-gnueabi – This toolchain targets the ARM architecture, has no vendor, creates binaries that run on the Linux operating system, and uses the GNU EABI. It is used to target ARM-based Linux systems.
So, If you built your application “helloworld.c” with arm-none-linux-gnueabi-gcc (or) arm-fsl-linux-gnueabi-gcc, executable will work on your ARM target board as the tool chain has only difference in vendor.
