groupdel(8) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, groupdel is the illumos /usr/sbin/groupdel. It takes no options, only a group name, and removes the entry from the local /etc/group file. Linux adds -f, -R and -P, and OpenBSD and NetBSD add -v. None of these exist on Solnix.
The manual pages
- Solnix: groupdel(8) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - Linux: groupdel(8) shadow-4.19.4
- OpenBSD: groupdel(8) 8.0
- NetBSD: groupdel(8) 11.0
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos groupdel at /usr/sbin/groupdel. No other variants are shipped.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | -f / --force | Linux groupdel -f removes a group even if a user has it as primary group. The Solnix page has no -f or any other option. The Solnix page does not say what happens when the group is a user's primary group.Source: Linux groupdel(8) -f, --force; Solnix groupdel(8) SYNOPSIS |
| Linux | primary group of a user | Linux says you may not remove the primary group of any existing user and must remove the user first. The Solnix page makes no such statement. Source: Linux groupdel(8) CAVEATS; Solnix groupdel(8) DESCRIPTION, NOTES |
| Linux | alternate root or prefix | Linux groupdel has -R/--root and -P/--prefix to edit group files under another directory. The Solnix synopsis is only 'groupdel group', with no equivalent.Source: Linux groupdel(8) -R, --root, -P, --prefix; Solnix groupdel(8) SYNOPSIS |
| OpenBSD, NetBSD | -v verbose | OpenBSD and NetBSD groupdel accept -v to explain the commands as they run. Solnix groupdel has no -v, so a script passing it fails with a usage error. Solnix exit status 2 means invalid syntax.Source: OpenBSD groupdel(8) -v; NetBSD groupdel(8) -v; Solnix groupdel(8) SYNOPSIS, EXIT STATUS |
| NetBSD | -v is an optional extension | NetBSD says -v is included only if built with EXTENSIONS. The option may be absent in some NetBSD builds.Source: NetBSD groupdel(8) -v, DESCRIPTION |
| Linux, OpenBSD, NetBSD | exit status values | Solnix documents specific codes: 0 success, 2 bad syntax, 6 group does not exist, 10 cannot update /etc/group. OpenBSD and NetBSD document only 0 or >0. The Linux page has no EXIT STATUS section in the bundle.Source: Solnix groupdel(8) EXIT STATUS; OpenBSD groupdel(8) EXIT STATUS; NetBSD groupdel(8) EXIT STATUS; Linux groupdel(8) |
| Linux, OpenBSD, NetBSD | local files only, nameservices | The Solnix page says groupdel only changes the local /etc/group and cannot change entries from a network nameservice. It also fails if a group line exceeds 2047 characters. The Linux, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages do not state these limits.Source: Solnix groupdel(8) NOTES; Linux groupdel(8) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD groupdel(8); NetBSD groupdel(8) |
| Linux | files modified | Linux says groupdel modifies the system account files and deletes all entries that refer to the group. Solnix names only /etc/group as the file edited.Source: Linux groupdel(8) DESCRIPTION; Solnix groupdel(8) DESCRIPTION |
| Linux | leftover files | Linux advises checking all file systems for files still owned by the deleted group. The Solnix page gives no such advice. Source: Linux groupdel(8) CAVEATS; Solnix groupdel(8) |
Standards
- POSIX: groupdel is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Solnix: The Solnix page refers to attributes(7); the bundle does not include an interface stability table.
Writing portable scripts
- Call groupdel with only the group name.
-f,-R,-Pand-vare each missing on at least one system. - Do not depend on exit codes beyond 0 versus non-zero. Only Solnix documents specific values (2, 6, 10).
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.