false(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos false at /usr/bin/false, which takes no options and exits with a value between 1 and 125. The published Solnix page describes the GNU coreutils false, which has --help and --version and is not the one first on PATH.
The manual pages
What Solnix runs
The published page (pkgs.solnix.coreutils) is GNU coreutils 9.7 false, but the command on PATH at /usr/bin/false is the illumos one, documented in a combined true(1)/false(1) page. The illumos page lists no options, no --help and no --version. No other illumos variants are shipped. To get the GNU build, install pkgs.solnix.coreutils; the bundle does not say where it is placed or how it ranks on PATH.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | --help and --version | GNU false, as on Linux and in the published Solnix page, accepts --help and --version. The illumos false on a default Solnix PATH documents no options, so a script that relies on these two options works only with the GNU build.Source: Solnix false(1) (coreutils) --help, --version; Solnix illumos false(1) SYNOPSIS; Linux false(1) --help, --version |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | options | The FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages show a bare 'false' synopsis with no options. The GNU false on Linux and in the published Solnix page also documents --help and --version.Source: FreeBSD false(1) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD false(1) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD false(1) SYNOPSIS; Solnix false(1) (coreutils) SYNOPSIS |
| all four | exit value range | The illumos false on Solnix always exits with a value from 1 to 125. The Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages say only 'non-zero' or 'failure' and give no range. Do not test for exactly 1. Source: Solnix illumos false(1) EXIT STATUS; Linux false(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD false(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD false(1) EXIT STATUS; NetBSD false(1) DESCRIPTION |
| Linux | same program as GNU build | The published Solnix page and the Linux page are the same GNU coreutils false: same synopsis, same --help and --version. If you install pkgs.solnix.coreutils, behaviour matches Linux.Source: Solnix false(1) (coreutils) SYNOPSIS and DESCRIPTION; Linux false(1) SYNOPSIS and DESCRIPTION |
| Linux | shared page for true and false | The illumos page on the default PATH documents true and false together in one page. The GNU/Linux page covers false alone. Source: Solnix illumos false(1) NAME; Linux false(1) NAME |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD | shell builtins | FreeBSD and OpenBSD say false may also exist as a shell builtin: FreeBSD for some shells (see builtin(1)), OpenBSD in ksh(1). The GNU page says the shell's own false usually supersedes the binary. The illumos page does not mention builtins. Source: FreeBSD false(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD false(1) STANDARDS; Solnix false(1) (coreutils) DESCRIPTION; Solnix illumos false(1) DESCRIPTION |
| all four | interface stability | The illumos page states that true and false are Committed interfaces. None of the Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD or NetBSD pages has an equivalent stability statement. Source: Solnix illumos false(1) INTERFACE STABILITY |
Standards
- POSIX: false is a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Solnix: On the default PATH, illumos false: true and false are Committed.
- Linux: The Linux page has no STANDARDS section.
- FreeBSD: The false utility is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2 (“POSIX.2”) compatible.
- OpenBSD: The false utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”) specification.
- NetBSD: The false utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 (“POSIX.2”).
Writing portable scripts
- Call false with no arguments and test only for non-zero status. Do not rely on
--helpor--version, and do not compare the status to 1.
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.