Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

On Solnix, lesskey comes from the less package and is marked deprecated in its SYNOPSIS. Its Solnix page is nearly identical to the Linux and FreeBSD pages and documents far less than the OpenBSD and NetBSD pages, which describe default file names and the input format.

The manual pages

Solnix: lesskey(1) from pkgs.solnix.less
Linux: lesskey(1) less-692
FreeBSD: lesskey(1) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: lesskey(1) 8.0
NetBSD: lesskey(1) 11.0

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system has the less implementation of lesskey on PATH, published as pkgs.solnix.less, and no other variants are shipped. The Solnix page gives only a one-sentence DESCRIPTION. It does not document default input or output file names, the LESSKEY environment variable, or the input file sections.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
Linux, FreeBSD	same program as Solnix	The Linux (less-692) and FreeBSD 15.1 pages carry the same NAME, DESCRIPTION and SEE ALSO text as Solnix, and all three mark the SYNOPSIS deprecated. This suggests the same lesskey, but the pages do not state the version. Source: Solnix lesskey(1) SYNOPSIS (deprecated), DESCRIPTION; Linux lesskey(1) SYNOPSIS (deprecated); FreeBSD lesskey(1) SYNOPSIS (deprecated)
Linux, FreeBSD	input file after --	The Linux and FreeBSD synopses show `lesskey [`-o` output] -- input`, where `--` and the input file are required. The Solnix synopsis shows `[--] [input]`, both optional. A script that always passes `-- input` works on all three. Source: Solnix lesskey(1) SYNOPSIS; Linux lesskey(1) SYNOPSIS; FreeBSD lesskey(1) SYNOPSIS
OpenBSD	deprecated marking	The Solnix, Linux and FreeBSD SYNOPSIS sections are headed (deprecated). The OpenBSD page has a plain SYNOPSIS with no deprecation marking, and its DESCRIPTION documents lesskey as the way to change the key bindings of less(1). Source: Solnix lesskey(1) SYNOPSIS (deprecated); OpenBSD lesskey(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION
OpenBSD, NetBSD	default file names	OpenBSD and NetBSD document $HOME/.lesskey as the default input file and $HOME/.less as the default output file. NetBSD adds MS-DOS and OS/2 names. The Solnix page does not say what the defaults are. Source: OpenBSD lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION
OpenBSD, NetBSD	LESSKEY environment variable	On OpenBSD and NetBSD, if no output file is given and LESSKEY is set, its value is the output file name. The Solnix page documents no environment variables. Source: OpenBSD lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION, ENVIRONMENT; NetBSD lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix lesskey(1)
OpenBSD	system-wide lesskey file	OpenBSD describes a system-wide lesskey file, `/etc/sysless` on OpenBSD, which can be overridden with LESSKEY_SYSTEM. Local bindings take precedence. The Solnix page does not mention a system-wide file or its location. Source: OpenBSD lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION, ENVIRONMENT (LESSKEY_SYSTEM); Solnix lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION
OpenBSD, NetBSD	input file format	OpenBSD and NetBSD document the input sections #command, #line-edit and #env, and say that `-` as the input file means standard input. The Solnix page does not describe the input format. Source: OpenBSD lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION
OpenBSD, NetBSD	overwriting output	OpenBSD and NetBSD state that lesskey overwrites an existing output file. The Solnix page does not say. Source: OpenBSD lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION
OpenBSD, NetBSD	`-V` with other arguments	OpenBSD and NetBSD state that when `-V` or `--version` is present, other options and arguments are ignored. The Solnix page lists `-V` and `--version` but does not describe this. Source: OpenBSD lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD lesskey(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix lesskey(1) SYNOPSIS

Standards

POSIX: lesskey is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.

Writing portable scripts

Always pass an explicit input file and -o output, as in `lesskey -o out -- input`, so you do not depend on default file names that only some pages document.
The SYNOPSIS is marked deprecated on Solnix, Linux and FreeBSD, so do not build new tooling around lesskey without checking the less version you run.

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.