Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

On a default Solnix system, nm is the illumos nm at /usr/bin/nm, not the GNU nm that the published page describes. Several single-letter flags differ from Linux and the BSDs. For example, -o means octal, -n sorts by name, and -r prepends the file name.

The manual pages

Solnix: nm(1) from pkgs.solnix.binutils
Linux: nm(1) binutils-2.46
FreeBSD: nm(1) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: nm(1) 8.0
Standard: POSIX.1-2024 (IEEE Std 1003.1-2024), nm

What Solnix runs

The published Solnix page comes from pkgs.solnix.binutils and describes GNU nm, with the same synopsis as the Linux page. The command on PATH is the illumos /usr/bin/nm. /usr/xpg4/bin/nm is also shipped. The two differ in the illumos page for -u, which prints undefined symbols only in /usr/bin/nm but gives a long listing per undefined symbol in xpg4. -v and -V and -x are listed in the page under the xpg4 heading only. The illumos nm has no long options. To get GNU nm, add pkgs.solnix.binutils; the bundle does not give its install path.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
all four	`-o` meaning	Illumos nm `-o` prints values and sizes in octal (same as `-t` o). On Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD, `-o` is the same as `-A` and prefixes each line with the file name. A script that uses `-o` for file names gets octal output on Solnix. Source: Solnix illumos nm(1) -o; Linux nm(1) -A, -o; FreeBSD nm(1) --print-file-name, -A, -o; OpenBSD nm(1) -o
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	`-r` meaning	Illumos nm `-r` prepends the object file or archive name to each line. On Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD, `-r` reverses the sort order. Use `-A` for file names on illumos. Source: Solnix illumos nm(1) -r, -A; Linux nm(1) -r, --reverse-sort; FreeBSD nm(1) --reverse-sort; OpenBSD nm(1) -r
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	`-n` sorting	Illumos nm `-n` sorts external symbols by name. On Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD, `-n` sorts by address (numeric order). The illumos page lists `-v`, which sorts external symbols by value, only under `/usr/xpg4/bin/nm.` Source: Solnix illumos nm(1) -n, -v; Linux nm(1) -n, --numeric-sort; FreeBSD nm(1) --numeric-sort; OpenBSD nm(1) -n
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	`-p` meaning	Illumos nm `-p` produces terse, easy-to-parse output with a key letter per symbol. On Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD, `-p` means do not sort. The illumos option for unsorted output is `-i`. Source: Solnix illumos nm(1) -p, -i; Linux nm(1) -p, --no-sort; FreeBSD nm(1) --no-sort, -p; OpenBSD nm(1) -p
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	`-s` meaning	Illumos nm `-s` prints the section name instead of the section index. On Linux, `-s` is `--print-armap` and on OpenBSD it shows the archive index. FreeBSD documents only the long form `--print-armap`. Source: Solnix illumos nm(1) -s; Linux nm(1) -s, --print-armap; OpenBSD nm(1) -s; FreeBSD nm(1) --print-armap
Linux, FreeBSD	`-h`, `-l`, `-f`	Illumos `-h` suppresses the heading, while on Linux and FreeBSD `-h` prints help. Illumos `-l` marks weak symbols with *, while Linux `-l` prints line numbers. Illumos `-f` is deprecated, while Linux and FreeBSD `-f` selects the output format. Source: Solnix illumos nm(1) -h, -l, -f, NOTES; Linux nm(1) -h, -l, -f; FreeBSD nm(1) --help, --format
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	default radix	Illumos nm writes numeric values in decimal by default, and `-t` takes d, o or x. GNU nm shows values in hexadecimal by default. FreeBSD's default BSD format uses 8-digit hexadecimal addresses. OpenBSD says POSIX-format values default to decimal. Source: Solnix illumos nm(1) -t; Linux nm(1) DESCRIPTION (symbol value); FreeBSD nm(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD nm(1) -P
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	long options and missing options	Illumos nm documents no long options such as `--dynamic` or `--format`, and no `-S`, `-a`, `-B`, `-j`, `-U` or `-W`. Linux and FreeBSD have these, though FreeBSD lacks `-l`. Illumos adds `-L`, `-R`, `-T`, `-x` and `-e`. OpenBSD `-e` means extended information. Source: Solnix illumos nm(1) SYNOPSIS and OPTIONS; Linux nm(1) SYNOPSIS; FreeBSD nm(1) OPTIONS; OpenBSD nm(1) -e
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	`-V` and `-u`	Illumos documents `-V` as printing the version on standard error, listed under `/usr/xpg4/bin/nm.` Linux and FreeBSD also have `--version`. In `/usr/xpg4/bin/nm`, `-u` gives a long listing per undefined symbol, whereas Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD `-u` lists undefined symbols only. Source: Solnix illumos nm(1) -V, -u; Linux nm(1) -V, -u; FreeBSD nm(1) --version, --undefined-only; OpenBSD nm(1) -u
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	symbol type letters and weak symbols	With `-p`, illumos uses upper-case key letters for weak symbols and adds F, N, L and S. GNU nm uses V/v and W/w for weak symbols. FreeBSD llvm-nm uses V/v and W/w, with w and v meaning undefined. OpenBSD uses W. Source: Solnix illumos nm(1) -p; Linux nm(1) DESCRIPTION (V, W); FreeBSD nm(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD nm(1) letter list
FreeBSD	FreeBSD is llvm-nm	The FreeBSD nm(1) page is for llvm-nm, whose BUGS section says it does not support the full set of arguments GNU nm does. Its EXIT STATUS says it exits with zero. Source: FreeBSD nm(1) NAME, BUGS, EXIT STATUS
Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD	default input file	GNU nm, llvm-nm and OpenBSD nm read a.out when no file is given. The illumos SYNOPSIS requires file, and the page does not document an a.out default. Illumos reports a file with no symbols without treating it as an error. Source: Solnix illumos nm(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION; Linux nm(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD nm(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD nm(1) DESCRIPTION

Standards

POSIX: nm is a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
OpenBSD: The nm utility is part of the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”) specification; this implementation is largely incompatible with that standard.
Solnix: Illumos /usr/xpg4/bin/nm has Interface Stability: Committed. The illumos page lists standards(7) under SEE ALSO.

Writing portable scripts

Avoid -o, -n, -p, -r, -s, -v, -l and -h in portable scripts, because their meanings differ between illumos nm and GNU, LLVM and OpenBSD nm.
Use -P with -t d, -t o or -t x for output that is easier to parse; all four implementations document -P and -t.

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.