{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@id": "https://aggr.aymericbeaumet.com/items/simonwillison-net/2026-08-24-your-executable-is-a-sqlite-database/#webpage", "@type": [ "WebPage", "ArchiveComponent" ], "articleBody": "**[Your executable is a SQLite database](https://fzakaria.com/2026/08/23/your-executable-is-a-sqlite-database)** ([via](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49415271 \"Hacker News\")) Farid Zakaria describes a neat Linux pattern for creating a SQLite database file that can be directly used as an executable binary.\n\nThe trick sets the SQLite file format's 4-byte application ID (68 bytes into the file) to SELF, standing for Structured Executable & Linkable Format. The various components of the ELF executable format are then arranged into a number of different SQLite tables, using [this schema](https://github.com/fzakaria/selfdb/blob/main/schema/self.sql).\n\nTheir `self-exec` interpreter ([C code here](https://github.com/fzakaria/selfdb/blob/main/loader/self-exec.c)) can then extract and execute the necessary pieces.\n\nYou can additionally use a Linux mechanism called [binfmt\\_misc](https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/binfmt-misc.html) to teach the kernel to execute that any time it encounters an executable matching that binary pattern. Farid uses NixOS here, but without NixOS I think registration looks something like this:\n\n```\nprintf '%s\\n' ':self:M:68:SELF::/usr/local/bin/self-exec:' \\\n > /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc/register\n```\n", "authors": [], "captured_at": "2026-09-04T12:14:41.802665207+00:00", "category": "programming", "content_html": "

Your executable is a SQLite database (via) Farid Zakaria describes a neat Linux pattern for creating a SQLite database file that can be directly used as an executable binary.

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The trick sets the SQLite file format's 4-byte application ID (68 bytes into the file) to SELF, standing for Structured Executable & Linkable Format. The various components of the ELF executable format are then arranged into a number of different SQLite tables, using this schema.

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Their self-exec interpreter (C code here) can then extract and execute the necessary pieces.

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You can additionally use a Linux mechanism called binfmt_misc to teach the kernel to execute that any time it encounters an executable matching that binary pattern. Farid uses NixOS here, but without NixOS I think registration looks something like this:

\n
printf '%s\\n' ':self:M:68:SELF::/usr/local/bin/self-exec:' \\\n  > /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc/register\n
\n", "content_markdown": "**[Your executable is a SQLite database](https://fzakaria.com/2026/08/23/your-executable-is-a-sqlite-database)** ([via](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49415271 \"Hacker News\")) Farid Zakaria describes a neat Linux pattern for creating a SQLite database file that can be directly used as an executable binary.\n\nThe trick sets the SQLite file format's 4-byte application ID (68 bytes into the file) to SELF, standing for Structured Executable & Linkable Format. The various components of the ELF executable format are then arranged into a number of different SQLite tables, using [this schema](https://github.com/fzakaria/selfdb/blob/main/schema/self.sql).\n\nTheir `self-exec` interpreter ([C code here](https://github.com/fzakaria/selfdb/blob/main/loader/self-exec.c)) can then extract and execute the necessary pieces.\n\nYou can additionally use a Linux mechanism called [binfmt\\_misc](https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/binfmt-misc.html) to teach the kernel to execute that any time it encounters an executable matching that binary pattern. Farid uses NixOS here, but without NixOS I think registration looks something like this:\n\n```\nprintf '%s\\n' ':self:M:68:SELF::/usr/local/bin/self-exec:' \\\n > /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc/register\n```\n", "dateCreated": "2026-09-04T12:14:41.802665207+00:00", "date_created": "2026-08-24T11:38:15+00:00", "date_modified": "2026-08-24T11:38:15+00:00", "date_published": "2026-08-24T11:38:15+00:00", "description": "Your executable is a SQLite database Farid Zakaria describes a neat Linux pattern for creating a SQLite database file that can be directly used as an executable binary. The trick sets the SQLite file format's 4-byte application ID (68…", "external_url": "https://simonwillison.net/2026/Aug/24/your-executable-is-a-sqlite-database/", "git": { "commit": "ebb0941c5c06a2ab2377342d607535262a3e969e", "path": "items/simonwillison-net/2026/08/2026-08-24-your-executable-is-a-sqlite-database.md", "permalink": "https://github.com/aymericbeaumet/aggr-instance/blob/ebb0941c5c06a2ab2377342d607535262a3e969e/items/simonwillison-net/2026/08/2026-08-24-your-executable-is-a-sqlite-database.md" }, "id": "urn:aggr:item:825d74dd61f46a54b334d1ef854474230d062d9b", "isBasedOn": { "@id": "https://simonwillison.net/2026/Aug/24/your-executable-is-a-sqlite-database/" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://simonwillison.net/2026/Aug/24/your-executable-is-a-sqlite-database/", "@type": "CreativeWork", "archivedAt": { "@id": "https://aggr.aymericbeaumet.com/items/simonwillison-net/2026-08-24-your-executable-is-a-sqlite-database/#webpage" }, "dateModified": "2026-08-24T11:38:15+00:00", "datePublished": "2026-08-24T11:38:15+00:00", "headline": "Your executable is a SQLite database", "timeRequired": "PT1M", "url": "https://simonwillison.net/2026/Aug/24/your-executable-is-a-sqlite-database/", "wordCount": 145 }, "name": "Archived snapshot: Your executable is a SQLite database", "preview": null, "reading_minutes": 1, "replicated_at": null, "source": "simonwillison-net", "source_name": "Simon Willison's Weblog", "summary": "Your executable is a SQLite database Farid Zakaria describes a neat Linux pattern for creating a SQLite database file that can be directly used as an executable binary. The trick sets the SQLite file format's 4-byte application ID (68 bytes into the file) to SELF, standing for Structured Executable & Linkable Format. The various components of the ELF executable format are then arranged into a number of different SQLite tables, using this schema. Their self-exec interpreter (C code here) can then extract and execute the necessary pieces. You can additionally use a Linux mechanism called binfmt_misc to teach the kernel to execute that any time it encounters an executable matching that binary pattern. Farid uses NixOS here, but without NixOS I think registration looks something like this: printf '%s\\n' ':self:M:68:SELF::/usr/local/bin/self-exec:' \\ > /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc/register Via Hacker News Tags: c, linux, sqlite", "tags": [ "c", "linux", "sqlite" ], "temporalCoverage": "2026-09-04T12:14:41.802665207+00:00", "title": "Your executable is a SQLite database", "url": "https://aggr.aymericbeaumet.com/items/simonwillison-net/2026-08-24-your-executable-is-a-sqlite-database/", "word_count": 145 }