Debugging symbols are additional information compiled into a binary file by a compiler. They enable a developer using a debugger to gain additional information about the binary, such as the names of variables and routines from the original source code. The inclusion of debugging symbols can increase the size of a program or library significantly. Additionally, the inclusion of debugging symbols often prevents some compiler optimizations, which in turn could negatively impact performance. Debug symbols may also provide more of a glimpse into the source than software developers wish to be made publicly available. For these reasons, debug symbols are usually stripped from the binary before software is released to the general public.
