How to view DLL dependencies with DUMPBIN step by step

Analyzing DLL dependencies is a common task when investigating application behavior, debugging a library loading problem, or simply trying to understand what additional components an executable requires to function properly. In this context, Microsoft's DUMPBIN tool has become one of the most useful resources for those working with binary files in Windows, whether in development, forensics, reverse engineering, or software maintenance.

DUMPBIN, also known as Microsoft COFF Binary File Dumper, is a command-line tool commands included in the Visual Studio development environment. It allows you to inspect all types of binary files compatible with the COFF (Common Object File Format) format, such as executables (.exe), static libraries (.lib), or dynamic libraries (.dll). Among its most used features, it is possible to view the dependencies that a DLL or executable file needs to run.

What is the purpose of viewing DLL dependencies?

When an application throws an error indicating that it cannot find a specific DLL, the first thing people usually suspect is that the dependency is not available on the system. Using DUMPBIN in these cases allows accurately identify which other libraries a DLL file needs, helping to resolve software loading or distribution errors.

Additionally, in enterprise environments or projects where entire applications are redistributed, knowing which DLLs are required allows you to correctly include them in the installer or validate that they are already present on the target system.

How to access DUMPBIN

The easiest way to run this tool is open the Symbol of the system developer for Visual StudioThis environment comes already configured with all the necessary environment variables, including the DUMPBIN path.

For example, for Visual Studio 2017 the executable is usually located in a path like:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.13.26128\bin\Hostx86\x86

Once located in that directory, you can now invoke the tool as follows:

dumpbin.exe /dependents path\to\file.dll

DUMPBIN /DEPENDENTS command

The option /DEPENDENTS is responsible for showing the list of DLL libraries from which the specified file imports functionsThat is, those on which it depends for its correct functioning.

This command does not provide information about the specific functions being used (that's what /IMPORTS would be for), but it is key to identify which DLLs should be present in the system so that the execution does not fail.

A real example of output generated by running:

dumpbin /DEPENDENTS MathClient.exe

Provides output like the following:

Dump of file MathClient1322.exe File Type: EXECUTABLE IMAGE Image has the following dependencies: MathLibrary.dll MSVCP140D.dll VCRUNTIME140D.dll ucrtbased.dll KERNEL32.dll

These file names indicate the DLLs that the MathClient1322.exe executable needs.

Other useful DUMPBIN options

The DUMPBIN tool includes several useful options for developers and security analysts among others:

• /HEADERS: Displays the file headers. Includes information such as file type, architecture, etc.
• /SYMBOLS: List the table of Symbols, useful for debugging or reverse engineering.
• /EXPORTS: Displays the functions exported by the file. That is, those that can be used by another executable or DLL.
• /IMPORTS: Displays the specific functions being imported from other DLLs.

Practical example from PowerShell

In addition to using DUMPBIN from the command prompt, it can also be used from PowerShell, making it easy to integrate into automated scripts or workflows.

A typical example would be examining the dependencies of a DLL such as zipfldr.dll located in C:\Windows\System32The script would be as follows:

cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.13.26128\bin\Hostx86\x86" .\dumpbin.exe /dependents C:\Windows\System32\zipfldr.dll

This command runs DUMPBIN from PowerShell without any problems and directly displays the dependencies.

Get the names of exported functions using a script

Beyond dependencies, it is also possible to want to know what functions export a DLLThis is key, for example, when developing applications that need to directly call external functions.

From PowerShell you can run DUMPBIN using the option /EXPORTS and then process the output to obtain the function names. For example:

$content = .\dumpbin.exe /exports C:\Windows\System32\zipfldr.dll

The output is then scrubbed by removing empty lines and strings are worked with to identify the relevant section starting with ordinal hint RVA name and ends in Summary.

This automated method makes it easy to perform audits, documentation, or validations without visual inspection.

Alternatives to DUMPBIN

In some cases, you may not want to rely on Visual Studio. There are external alternatives as dependencies in the form of DLLs that allow you to retrieve the list of dependencies of a file from a Visual Basic form, such as the one offered at recursosvisualbasic.com.ar.

This DLL returns an array with the names of the files on which an application depends and can be invoked with:

List = Obj.Dependencies

In addition, it allows you to open a dialog to select the target file and register the DLL using regsvr32.

Use cases in analysis and debugging

The uses of DUMPBIN go beyond basic software development. Analysts malware, security researchers or even IT technicians use it to detect missing dependencies, verify file signatures, or reverse engineer suspicious binaries.

For example, using the command /ALL You can obtain all available information about a file, including dependencies, disassembled ASM, directives, and sections. However, it is more advisable to use separate commands and analyze the information in a more organized way.

A common practice is to work with /SECTIONS when analyzing executables and seeking to understand their internal structure, helping to identify which part contains code, data, resources, etc.