Open A File
Files with the extension A contain system libraries used by software developers.
A library, in computing, is a set of functional implementations, coded in a programming language, that offers a well-defined interface to the functionality being called.
Unlike an executable program, the behavior that a library implements is not expected to be used autonomously, but is intended to be used by other programs, independently and simultaneously.
Such A files are commonly found on UNIX-like systems, while Microsoft Windows systems use LIB files for the same purpose.
But, what is UNIX?
Unix is an operating system that was born at the beginning of the 70s, whose main technical characteristics are: its portability, its multi-user and multitasking capacity, its efficiency, its high security and its good performance in network tasks.
But Unix, more than a brand, is also a philosophy whose principles are minimalism and modularity: making programs that do just one thing well done and that, by communicating with each other, execute more complex tasks.
UNIX-based operating systems are:
- FreeBSD
- Linux
- macOS
- Android (Linux)
- iOS (macOS)
Unlike Windows, Unix and all of its Linux distributions are available under the General Public License.
By contrast, the Windows operating system is proprietary software from Microsoft, which means that its source code is not available to the public.
In this case, the A files provide functions and headers that can be referenced in the source files.
Libraries are commonly known as static libraries.
However, there are Dynamic Libraries, and these libraries are compiled
together with the program for which they are intended.
Dynamic libraries are attached to a given program at its execution or in
the middle of program execution.
Program developers can customize their code to work with various
dynamically linked libraries, thus making it easier.
In other words, a dynamic library is not copied to the program during the
compilation process.
Generally, the A libraries are editable, but we only recommend this for more advanced users.