Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

On Solnix, nscd is the illumos name service cache daemon at /usr/sbin/nscd, managed by SMF. Its -i invalidates a cache for everyone and takes a cachename from a fixed list. FreeBSD's -i only affects the calling user's personal cache, and its cache is per-user by default.

The manual pages

Solnix: nscd(8) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
Linux: nscd(8) man-pages-6.18
FreeBSD: nscd(8) 15.1-RELEASE

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos nscd at /usr/sbin/nscd. No other variants are shipped. The service is svc:/system/name-service-cache, managed with svcadm(8) and queried with svcs(1).

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
FreeBSD	`-i` meaning	Solnix nscd `-i` cachename invalidates the named cache. FreeBSD `-i` invalidates only the calling user's personal cache. Invalidating the cache for every user on FreeBSD needs `-I`, which is root-only and has no Solnix equivalent. Source: Solnix nscd(8) -i; FreeBSD nscd(8) -i, -I
FreeBSD	cache scope	FreeBSD's cache is per-user: each user sees only data they cached. On Solnix the main nscd holds the shared cache. Per-user nscd child processes exist only when per-user lookups are enabled in nscd.conf(5). Source: FreeBSD nscd(8) DESCRIPTION; Solnix nscd(8) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD	foreground, debug and thread options	FreeBSD nscd has `-n` (do not daemonize), `-s` (single thread), `-t` (trace) and `-d`. The Solnix page documents none of these. Its options are `-f`, `-g`, `-e` and `-i`. Source: FreeBSD nscd(8) SYNOPSIS, -n, -s, -t; Solnix nscd(8) SYNOPSIS
Linux, FreeBSD	`-f` config file	Solnix nscd `-f` file reads configuration from the given file, and per-user nscds use the same file. The FreeBSD synopsis has no `-f`. The Linux page documents only `--help` and `/etc/nscd.conf.` Source: Solnix nscd(8) -f; FreeBSD nscd(8) SYNOPSIS; Linux nscd(8) OPTIONS
Linux, FreeBSD	enable/disable and show statistics	Solnix has `-e` cachename, yes\|no to enable or disable one cache, and `-g` to print configuration and statistics. `-g` is the only option non-root users can run. The Linux and FreeBSD pages document neither option. Source: Solnix nscd(8) -e, -g; Linux nscd(8) OPTIONS; FreeBSD nscd(8) SYNOPSIS
Linux, FreeBSD	cachename values	Solnix cachename must be one of: passwd, group, hosts, ipnodes, exec_attr, prof_attr, user_attr, ethers, rpc, protocols, networks, bootparams, auth_attr, services, netmasks, printers, project. FreeBSD also accepts all. The Solnix page lists no all value. Linux names the database, e.g. nscd `-i` <database>. Source: Solnix nscd(8) OPTIONS; FreeBSD nscd(8) -i; Linux nscd(8) NOTES
Linux	cached databases	Solnix caches passwd, group, hosts, ipnodes, exec_attr, prof_attr, user_attr, ethers, rpc, protocols, networks, bootparams, auth_attr, services, netmasks, printers and project. Linux caches passwd, group, hosts, services and netgroup. Both leave shadow uncached. Source: Solnix nscd(8) DESCRIPTION; Linux nscd(8) DESCRIPTION
Linux	cache invalidation on file change	On Solnix, modifying a local database such as `/etc/hosts` or `/etc/resolv.conf` invalidates that cache on the next call to nscd. Linux watches files, with a short delay unless inotify is available. For nonstandard NSS modules it needs nscd `-i`. Source: Solnix nscd(8) DESCRIPTION; Linux nscd(8) NOTES
Linux, FreeBSD	service management	Solnix runs nscd as SMF service svc:/system/name-service-cache, controlled with svcadm(8) and queried with svcs(1). The Linux and FreeBSD pages describe no service manager integration. Source: Solnix nscd(8) NOTES; Linux nscd(8); FreeBSD nscd(8)
Linux, FreeBSD	`-g` output not stable	Solnix `-g` output is subject to change and must not be used as a programming interface. The other pages have no matching option. Source: Solnix nscd(8) NOTES

Standards

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

Writing portable scripts

Do not script nscd flags across systems: -i means a global invalidate on Solnix and a per-user one on FreeBSD, and Linux documents only --help. Branch on the OS and check the page first.
Do not parse nscd -g output on Solnix; the page says it may change.

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.