Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

On Solnix, localedef is the illumos localedef at /usr/bin/localedef. It takes a localename operand and has the same interface as FreeBSD's. Linux's glibc-style localedef differs: -u names a repertoire map rather than a codeset, -v only adds warnings, and output goes to an outputpath or the locale archive.

The manual pages

Solnix: localedef(1) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
Linux: localedef(1) man-pages-6.18
FreeBSD: localedef(1) 15.1-RELEASE
Standard: POSIX.1-2024 (IEEE Std 1003.1-2024), localedef

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos localedef at /usr/bin/localedef. No other variants are shipped. The page marks -U and -w as illumos extensions.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
Linux	`-u` meaning	Solnix `-u` code_set_name names a codeset that ISO/IEC 10646-1:2000 position constants are converted to, and the codeset must be supported by iconv_open(3C). Linux `-u` repertoirefile reads symbolic-name to Unicode code point mappings from a file. Source: Solnix localedef(1) -u, NOTES; Linux localedef(1) -u, --repertoire-map
Linux	`-v` meaning	Solnix `-v` emits verbose debugging output on standard output. Linux `-v` (`--verbose`) generates extra warnings about errors that are normally ignored. Source: Solnix localedef(1) -v; Linux localedef(1) -v, --verbose
Linux	final operand and output location	Solnix takes a localename; if it contains a slash it is a path name for the output. Linux takes an outputpath. With a slash it is a directory. With `--no-archive` it is a subdirectory of `/usr/lib/locale.` Otherwise the locale is added to `/usr/lib/locale/locale-archive.` The Solnix page describes no archive. Source: Solnix localedef(1) OPERANDS; Linux localedef(1) DESCRIPTION (outputpath)
Linux	missing Linux operations and options	Solnix has no `--add-to-archive`, `--delete-from-archive`, `--list-archive`, `--replace`, `--prefix`, `--big-endian`, `--little-endian` or `-A` aliasfile. All options in the Solnix synopsis are single letters (`-c` `-v` `-U` `-f` `-w` `-i` `-u`). Source: Solnix localedef(1) SYNOPSIS; Linux localedef(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS
Linux	`-U` and `-w` are missing on Linux	Solnix `-U` (ignore character symbols with no matching character definition) and `-w` widthfile (screen widths) are not in the Linux option list. Both are marked as illumos extensions on Solnix. Source: Solnix localedef(1) -U, -w; Linux localedef(1) OPTIONS
Linux	charmap and source lookup	Linux searches the current directory, a default directory and $I18NPATH for the `-f` and `-i` files, and defaults to ANSI_X3.4-1968 with no charmap. Solnix `-f` and `-i` take a pathname; with no `-i` the source is read from standard input, and with no `-f` a default character mapping is used. Source: Solnix localedef(1) -f, -i; Linux localedef(1) -f, -i, DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD	endianness and output layout	FreeBSD adds `-b` and `-l` (big- or little-endian output) and `-D` (write <localename>.<category> files to the current directory). The Solnix page documents none of these. Source: FreeBSD localedef(1) -b, -l, -D; Solnix localedef(1) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD	`-V` version string	FreeBSD `-V` version stores a version string, kept only for LC_COLLATE and retrievable with querylocale(3). Solnix has no `-V`. Linux `-V` prints the version and license instead. Source: FreeBSD localedef(1) -V; Solnix localedef(1) SYNOPSIS; Linux localedef(1) -V, --version
FreeBSD	environment variables	The Solnix page lists LANG, LC_ALL, LC_COLLATE, LC_CTYPE, LC_MESSAGES and NLSPATH. FreeBSD also lists LC_MONETARY, LC_NUMERIC (misspelled LC_MUMERIC in the page) and LC_TIME. Source: Solnix localedef(1) ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES; FreeBSD localedef(1) ENVIRONMENT
FreeBSD	shared lineage	FreeBSD's page says its localedef was written for illumos and first appeared in FreeBSD 11. The options `-c` `-f` `-i` `-u` `-U` `-v` `-w` and the exit values 0, 1, 2 and >3 are described the same way on both pages. Source: FreeBSD localedef(1) HISTORY, EXIT STATUS; Solnix localedef(1) EXIT STATUS
Linux	exit status 1	Solnix exit 1 means warnings occurred but the locales were created, and exit 2 and >3 are defined. The Linux page in the bundle lists 1 as warnings or errors occurred; the rest of that list is cut off. Source: Solnix localedef(1) EXIT STATUS; Linux localedef(1) EXIT STATUS
OpenBSD, NetBSD	not compared	The bundle has no OpenBSD or NetBSD localedef(1) page, so nothing is stated about those systems. Source: Bundle header: counterparts are linux and freebsd only

Standards

POSIX: localedef is a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: Interface Stability: Standard. -U and -w are marked as illumos extensions.

Writing portable scripts

For portable scripts use only -c, -f, -i and a localename; -u, -v, -U and -w differ or are missing between Linux, FreeBSD and Solnix.
Do not rely on where the output ends up. Linux may put it in a locale archive, FreeBSD with -D writes into the current directory, and Solnix only documents a path when localename contains a slash.

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.