Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`infocmp(8)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

On Solnix, infocmp is the illumos /usr/bin/infocmp, documented in section 8 where Linux uses 1m and the BSDs use 1. Its option set is much smaller than Linux, FreeBSD or OpenBSD: there is no -K, -x, -q, -T or -0, and -v takes no level. NetBSD's infocmp is smaller still.

The manual pages

Solnix: infocmp(8) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
Linux: infocmp(1m) ncurses-6.6
FreeBSD: infocmp(1) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: infocmp(1) 8.0
NetBSD: infocmp(1) 11.0

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos infocmp at /usr/bin/infocmp. No other variants are shipped. The page's SEE ALSO lists tic(8) and captoinfo(8). The bundle shows no ATTRIBUTES or standards section for this page.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	options Solnix lacks	The Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD synopses accept `-K`, `-x`, `-q`, `-T`, `-0`, `-Q`, `-R`, `-D`, `-E`, `-F`, `-G`, `-e`, `-g`, `-i`, `-l`, `-p`, `-t`, `-U` and `-W`. The Solnix synopsis has none of these. Scripts using them fail on Solnix. Source: Solnix infocmp(8) SYNOPSIS; Linux infocmp(1m) SYNOPSIS; FreeBSD infocmp(1) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD infocmp(1) SYNOPSIS
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	`-v` takes a level	Solnix `-v` takes no argument and prints tracing information on standard error. The Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD synopses show `-v` level (OpenBSD: `-v` n). A command such as infocmp `-v` 2 on Solnix would treat 2 as a terminal name. Source: Solnix infocmp(8) -v; Linux infocmp(1m) SYNOPSIS [-v level]; FreeBSD infocmp(1) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD infocmp(1) SYNOPSIS [-v n]
all four	non-standard capabilities (`-x`)	Solnix has no `-x`. Linux and OpenBSD use `-x` with `-n` to add BSD-compatibility capabilities (names prefixed OT). NetBSD `-x` includes non-standard capabilities, and only works if the database was compiled with tic `-x`. Source: Linux infocmp(1m) -n; OpenBSD infocmp(1) -n; NetBSD infocmp(1) -x; Solnix infocmp(8) SYNOPSIS
Linux, OpenBSD, NetBSD	absent vs cancelled capabilities (`-q`)	Solnix has no `-q`. Linux and OpenBSD use `-q` to tell absent capabilities from cancelled ones. NetBSD `-q` shortens the comparison listing, using - for absent and @ for cancelled instead of NULL. Source: Linux infocmp(1m) Entry Comparison Options; OpenBSD infocmp(1) Comparison Options; NetBSD infocmp(1) -q; Solnix infocmp(8) SYNOPSIS
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	value shown for a capability missing from one entry	For a capability defined in only one entry, Solnix reports F for booleans, an integer value for integers (the bundle text is garbled but appears to be `-1`) and NULL for strings. Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD report NULL for both integers and strings. Source: Solnix infocmp(8) OPTIONS (comparison paragraph); Linux infocmp(1m) Entry Comparison Options; FreeBSD infocmp(1) Entry Comparison Options; OpenBSD infocmp(1) Comparison Options
NetBSD	NetBSD is much smaller	The NetBSD synopsis is [`-1acnqux`] [`-A` database] [`-B` database] [`-w` cols]. It has no `-d`, `-I`, `-L`, `-C`, `-r`, `-s`, `-v` or `-V`. There is no documented termcap output or source-format selection. Source: NetBSD infocmp(1) SYNOPSIS and OPTIONS; Solnix infocmp(8) SYNOPSIS
NetBSD	`-A` and `-B` argument	On Solnix, `-A` directory and `-B` directory set TERMINFO for the first and the other terminal names. On NetBSD, `-A` database and `-B` database name the database used to load the first and the subsequent definitions. Source: Solnix infocmp(8) -A, -B; NetBSD infocmp(1) -A, -B
NetBSD	default action	Solnix, Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD assume `-I` for zero or one terminal name and `-d` for more than one. The NetBSD page describes no such rule: it prints the first definition and compares if a second term is given. Source: Solnix infocmp(8) DESCRIPTION; Linux infocmp(1m) Default Options; FreeBSD infocmp(1) Default Options; OpenBSD infocmp(1) Default Options; NetBSD infocmp(1) DESCRIPTION
NetBSD	`-u` side effects and COLUMNS	NetBSD `-u` also sets `-a`, and the COLUMNS environment variable overrides the terminal width unless `-w` is given. The Solnix page documents neither; it mentions only TERM and TERMINFO. Source: NetBSD infocmp(1) -u, ENVIRONMENT; Solnix infocmp(8) OPTIONS
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	termcap size limit and `-K`	The Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD pages say `-C` output is limited to 1023 bytes by default, and describe `-T`, `-0` and `-K` to adjust it. The Solnix page documents none of these, only `-C` and `-r`. Source: Linux infocmp(1m) Source Listing Options; FreeBSD infocmp(1) Source Listing Options; OpenBSD infocmp(1) Source Listing Options; Solnix infocmp(8) -C, -r
all four	terminfo database location	Solnix reads TERMINFO, then falls back to the system database, usually `/usr/share/lib/terminfo.` The trimmed counterpart texts in the bundle do not state a default database path. Source: Solnix infocmp(8) OPTIONS (TERMINFO paragraph); Linux/FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD infocmp pages (no path stated)
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	output width and sorting	Solnix prints several fields per line to a maximum of 60 characters unless `-1` or `-w` width is given. It also sorts with `-s` d, i, l or c. Linux and FreeBSD show `-s` key; OpenBSD shows `-s` d, i, l or c. Source: Solnix infocmp(8) -1, -w, -s; Linux infocmp(1m) SYNOPSIS; FreeBSD infocmp(1) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD infocmp(1) SYNOPSIS

Standards

POSIX: infocmp is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
NetBSD: The infocmp utility outputs information that conforms to the X/Open Curses Issue 4, Version 2 (“XCURSES4.2”) standard.
Solnix: The bundle shows no standards or interface stability statement for the Solnix page.

Writing portable scripts

Limit portable scripts to -1, -c, -n, -u, -w and a terminal name. Only these appear in the Solnix, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD synopses.
Do not pass -v with a level, and do not use -x, -q or -K. Solnix does not accept them, and NetBSD lacks -v and -K.

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.