Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`echo(1b)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

The page describes /usr/ucb/echo, the BSD-style echo, which has only -n and does not interpret backslash escapes. A default Solnix system runs /usr/bin/echo, which per the page interprets backslash escapes and has no -n option, so it differs from every counterpart.

The manual pages

Solnix: echo(1b) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
Linux: echo(1) coreutils-full-9.11
FreeBSD: echo(1) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: echo(1) 8.0
NetBSD: echo(1) 11.0
Standard: POSIX.1-2024 (IEEE Std 1003.1-2024), echo

What Solnix runs

The page is published for /usr/ucb/echo, but a default Solnix system has the illumos /usr/bin/echo on PATH. Per this page, /usr/bin/echo understands backslash escapes and has no -n option, while /usr/ucb/echo has -n and no escapes. The csh, ksh and sh built-in echo takes precedence when you type echo without a full path. The page lists no escape sequences for /usr/bin/echo, only \a for the ksh built-in.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
all four	`-n` on the default `/usr/bin/echo`	The Solnix page says `/usr/bin/echo`, sh's echo and ksh's echo do not have `-n`. Only `/usr/ucb/echo` and csh's echo do. Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD echo all document `-n`. A script running echo `-n` by full path may not suppress the newline on Solnix. Source: Solnix echo(1b) DESCRIPTION (last paragraph), OPTIONS -n; Linux echo(1) -n; FreeBSD echo(1) -n; OpenBSD echo(1) -n; NetBSD echo(1) -n
Linux, OpenBSD	backslash escapes by default	Solnix `/usr/bin/echo` understands backslash escapes with no option. `/usr/ucb/echo` does not. On Linux and OpenBSD, escapes are off by default (`-E`) and enabled only with `-e`. Source: Solnix echo(1b) DESCRIPTION (last paragraph); Linux echo(1) -e, -E; OpenBSD echo(1) -E, -e
Linux, OpenBSD	`-e` and `-E`	The Solnix page documents neither `-e` nor `-E`; its only option is `-n`. Linux and OpenBSD echo have both. Scripts using echo `-e` will not get the effect they expect from the Solnix `/usr/ucb/echo.` Source: Solnix echo(1b) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS; Linux echo(1) -e, -E; OpenBSD echo(1) SYNOPSIS, -e, -E
FreeBSD, NetBSD	same option set, different escape handling	FreeBSD and NetBSD echo have only `-n`, as `/usr/ucb/echo` does. FreeBSD also suppresses the newline when the string ends in \c, and its page says `-n` and \c are implementation-defined. The Solnix page says `/usr/ucb/echo` does not understand backslash escapes. Source: FreeBSD echo(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD echo(1) SYNOPSIS; Solnix echo(1b) DESCRIPTION (last paragraph)
all four	shell built-in takes precedence	On Solnix, the csh, ksh and sh built-in echo is used unless you give a full pathname, and the built-ins differ from `/usr/ucb/echo.` The Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages also warn that shell built-ins differ from the standalone command. Source: Solnix echo(1b) DESCRIPTION; Linux echo(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD echo(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD echo(1) STANDARDS; NetBSD echo(1) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, OpenBSD	-- handling	FreeBSD echo does not recognise -- and writes it literally. OpenBSD echo treats -- as part of the string. The Solnix page says nothing about --. Source: FreeBSD echo(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD echo(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix echo(1b) (not documented)
Linux	`--help` and `--version`	Linux echo documents `--help` and `--version` as the only long options. The Solnix page documents no long options. Source: Linux echo(1) --help, --version; Solnix echo(1b) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	exit status	FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD document exit 0 on success and >0 on error. The Solnix page has no EXIT STATUS section, so the manual does not say. Source: FreeBSD echo(1) EXIT STATUS; OpenBSD echo(1) EXIT STATUS; NetBSD echo(1) EXIT STATUS; Solnix echo(1b)
all four	`-n` is a transition aid	The Solnix page says `-n` is a transition aid for BSD applications and may not be supported in future releases. The other four pages document `-n` without such a warning. Source: Solnix echo(1b) NOTES; Linux echo(1) -n; FreeBSD echo(1) -n; OpenBSD echo(1) -n; NetBSD echo(1) -n

Standards

POSIX: echo is a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: The echo(1b) page has no STANDARDS section and states no interface stability.
FreeBSD: The echo utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (“POSIX.1”) as amended by Cor. 1-2002. The -n option and the effect of \c are implementation-defined there.
OpenBSD: The echo utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”) specification. The flags -E, -e and -n conflict with the X/Open System Interfaces option, which says they should be treated as part of string.
NetBSD: The echo utility is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2 (“POSIX.2”) compatible.

Writing portable scripts

Use printf(1) instead of echo for anything with -n, -e or backslashes. The FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD and Linux pages all recommend it.
If you must use echo, pass a first argument that does not start with a hyphen and contains no backslashes, as the FreeBSD page advises.

Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.