Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`ldapdelete(1)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

On Solnix, ldapdelete is the illumos tool at /usr/bin/ldapdelete. It uses Netscape/Sun-style options, and several single-letter flags mean something different from the NetBSD (OpenLDAP-style) ldapdelete. The biggest traps are -P, -W, -w, -y, -Y, -O, -E and -Z.

The manual pages

Solnix: ldapdelete(1) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
NetBSD: ldapdelete(1) 11.0

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos ldapdelete at /usr/bin/ldapdelete. No other variants are shipped. The bundle has a counterpart page only for NetBSD 11.0. It has no Linux, FreeBSD or OpenBSD ldapdelete page, so nothing is claimed about those systems.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
NetBSD	`-P` meaning	Solnix `-P` takes the path of the client certificate database. NetBSD `-P` {2\|3} selects the LDAP protocol version. On Solnix the version is set with `-V` version. Source: Solnix ldapdelete(1) -P, -V; NetBSD ldapdelete(1) -P
NetBSD	`-V` meaning	Solnix `-V` version takes 2 or 3 as its argument, and LDAPv3 is the default. NetBSD `-V`[V] takes no version and prints version information; `-VV` prints only that. Source: Solnix ldapdelete(1) -V; NetBSD ldapdelete(1) -V[V]
NetBSD	`-W` and `-w` password handling	Solnix `-W` password takes an argument: the password for the key database named by `-P`. NetBSD `-W` takes no argument and prompts for the simple-auth password. On Solnix, omitting `-w` makes the command prompt on standard input. Source: Solnix ldapdelete(1) -W, -w; NetBSD ldapdelete(1) -W, -w
NetBSD	password from a file	Solnix reads the password from a file with `-j` filename. This is mutually exclusive with `-w` and `-W`. NetBSD uses `-y` passwdfile for this. On Solnix, `-y` takes a proxy ID. Source: Solnix ldapdelete(1) -j, -y; NetBSD ldapdelete(1) -y
NetBSD	`-Y` meaning and SASL setup	Solnix `-Y` proxyid sets the proxied authorization DN. NetBSD `-Y` mech selects the SASL mechanism. Solnix sets SASL mech, realm, authid, authzid and secProp through `-o` name=value. NetBSD uses `-Y`, `-R`, `-U`, `-X` and `-O`. Source: Solnix ldapdelete(1) -Y, -o; NetBSD ldapdelete(1) -Y, -R, -U, -X, -O
NetBSD	`-O`, `-o` and `-E` meanings	Solnix `-O` is a referral hop limit (no limit by default). NetBSD `-O` sets SASL security properties. Solnix `-o` is for SASL options. NetBSD `-o` is for nettimeout and ldif-wrap. Solnix `-E` asks the server to report the bind identity. NetBSD `-E` sets delete extensions. Source: Solnix ldapdelete(1) -O, -o, -E; NetBSD ldapdelete(1) -O, -o, -E
NetBSD	`-Z` and `-N` meaning	Solnix `-Z` selects SSL certificate-based client authentication and requires `-N` certificate-name plus the other SSL options. NetBSD `-Z`[Z] issues StartTLS (`-ZZ` makes it mandatory). NetBSD `-N` means do not use reverse DNS for the SASL host name. Source: Solnix ldapdelete(1) -Z, -N; NetBSD ldapdelete(1) -Z[Z], -N
NetBSD	`-H` and server addressing	Solnix `-H` shows usage help, like `-?`. NetBSD `-H` takes an LDAP URI, and NetBSD `-h` and `-p` are marked deprecated in its favour. Solnix has no URI option; use `-h` ldaphost and `-p` ldapport. Source: Solnix ldapdelete(1) -H, -?, -h, -p; NetBSD ldapdelete(1) -H, -h, -p
NetBSD	deleting a subtree	NetBSD `-r` deletes a non-leaf DN and all its children with no confirmation, and `-z` sets the search size limit. The Solnix SYNOPSIS has no `-r`. The Solnix OPTIONS list `-a`, which bypasses the confirmation question when deleting a branch; its SYNOPSIS omits it, and the manual does not say how branch deletion is requested. Source: NetBSD ldapdelete(1) -r, -z; Solnix ldapdelete(1) -a, SYNOPSIS
NetBSD	Solnix-only and NetBSD-only options	Solnix has `-i` locale (command-line character set), `-k` path (conversion routines), `-J` (control with criticality) and `-a`. NetBSD has none of these. NetBSD has `-e` and `-E` extensions, `-x` (simple auth), `-I`, `-Q` and `-z`, which Solnix does not document. Solnix `-M` takes no second M. Source: Solnix ldapdelete(1) -i, -k, -J, -a, -M; NetBSD ldapdelete(1) -e, -x, -I, -Q, -M[M]
NetBSD	`-d` debug levels	The Solnix page lists debug masks (1 trace, 2 packets, 4 arguments, 32 filters, 128 access control) that you add together. NetBSD says `-d` has an effect only if ldapdelete was compiled with LDAP_DEBUG defined. Source: Solnix ldapdelete(1) -d; NetBSD ldapdelete(1) -d

Standards

POSIX: ldapdelete is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: Stability Level: Evolving (ATTRIBUTES).
NetBSD: The page says DNs should use the LDAPv3 string representation defined in RFC 4514. It has no STANDARDS section in the bundle.

Writing portable scripts

Do not share option strings between Solnix and NetBSD ldapdelete. -P, -V, -W, -w, -y, -Y, -O, -o, -E, -Z, -N and -H mean different things, so branch on the platform or test the tool.
Pass a DN list on standard input or with -f, and use -c to keep going after errors; both pages document these. Keep passwords out of the command line, using -j on Solnix and -y or -W on NetBSD.

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.