https://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=84995
--- Comment #12 from Richard Biener <rguenth at gcc dot gnu.org> --- In theory liblto_plugin is backwards compatible (newer versions work with older compilers). Still a make install cannot simply replace the installed version since it may end up replacing a newer one. So it is up to the system integrator to install it. It might have been "easier" to bundle liblto_plugin with the BFD linker itself since it is as much dependent on the BFD plugin interface evolution as the compiler LTO symtab format. I agree that documenting bfd-plugin as install location (if you have sysadmin rights) would be an improvement (as well as the compatibility promise). But I don't know of any testing of that compatibility guarantee...