Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

realpath is not in the Solnix base system: install pkgs.solnix.coreutils to get the GNU coreutils realpath, whose page is dated 9.7. It matches Linux's GNU realpath apart from the -E/--canonicalize option, which the Solnix page does not list. The BSD realpath utilities take far fewer options (FreeBSD and OpenBSD only -q, NetBSD -e, -E and -q).

The manual pages

Solnix: realpath(1) from pkgs.solnix.coreutils
Linux: realpath(1) coreutils-full-9.11
FreeBSD: realpath(1) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: realpath(1) 8.0
NetBSD: realpath(1) 11.0
Standard: POSIX.1-2024 (IEEE Std 1003.1-2024), realpath

What Solnix runs

Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.coreutils. The Solnix page is GNU coreutils 9.7 (April 2025). The bundle shows no other illumos variant of realpath.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
Linux	same program	The Solnix page and the Linux page describe the same GNU coreutils realpath, with the same synopsis and the same options except `-E`/-`-canonicalize`. The Solnix page is 9.7 and the Linux page is 9.11. Source: Solnix realpath(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION; Linux realpath(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION
Linux	`-E` / `--canonicalize`	The Linux page lists `-E`, `--canonicalize` ('all but the last component must exist (default)'). The Solnix page has no `-E` entry, though its intro line states the same default. Do not use `-E` in scripts that must run on Solnix. Source: Linux realpath(1) -E, --canonicalize; Solnix realpath(1) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, OpenBSD	missing options	FreeBSD and OpenBSD realpath accept only `-q`. They have no `-e`, `-m`, `-s`, `-L`, `-P`, `-z`, `--relative-to` or `--relative-base`, all of which Solnix documents. Source: FreeBSD realpath(1) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD realpath(1) SYNOPSIS; Solnix realpath(1) DESCRIPTION
NetBSD	NetBSD option set	NetBSD realpath has `-e`, `-E` and `-q` only. Solnix has `-e`, but not `-E` on its page, and adds `-m`, `-s`, `-L`, `-P`, `-z`, `--relative-to` and `--relative-base`, which NetBSD lacks. Source: NetBSD realpath(1) SYNOPSIS; Solnix realpath(1) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, NetBSD	no argument	With no path, FreeBSD and NetBSD resolve the current directory. The Solnix synopsis is realpath [OPTION]... FILE... with a required FILE, and the page does not describe the no-argument case. Source: FreeBSD realpath(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD realpath(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix realpath(1) SYNOPSIS
OpenBSD	single argument	OpenBSD realpath takes one file argument (realpath [`-q`] file). Solnix, FreeBSD and NetBSD synopses accept several paths. Source: OpenBSD realpath(1) SYNOPSIS; Solnix realpath(1) SYNOPSIS; FreeBSD realpath(1) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD realpath(1) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	`-q` scope	Solnix `-q` suppresses 'most error messages'. FreeBSD and NetBSD `-q` suppresses only warnings when realpath(3) fails. NetBSD says bad-usage messages are still printed. OpenBSD says 'Do not print errors'. Source: Solnix realpath(1) -q; FreeBSD realpath(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD realpath(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD realpath(1) -q
NetBSD	`-e` semantics and default	NetBSD `-E` is the default, so a missing final component is not an error. NetBSD `-e` requires the whole path to exist. Solnix `-e` also requires all components to exist, and the Solnix default likewise lets the last one be missing. Source: NetBSD realpath(1) DESCRIPTION (-E, -e); Solnix realpath(1) -e and intro line
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	output terminator	Solnix `-z` ends each output line with NUL instead of newline. The BSD pages document no such option. NetBSD says each result is followed by a newline. Source: Solnix realpath(1) -z; NetBSD realpath(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD realpath(1) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD realpath(1) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	exit status documentation	The three BSD pages state exit 0 on success and >0 on error. NetBSD adds that any failure to resolve a path is an error, even with `-q`. The Solnix page has no exit-status section. Source: FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD realpath(1) EXIT STATUS; Solnix realpath(1) (no EXIT STATUS section)

Standards

POSIX: realpath is a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
NetBSD: The realpath utility is expected to comply with the forthcoming edition of the POSIX standard. To be fully compliant, applications must use -e or -E, and the standard requires support for only a single, mandatory, path argument.
Solnix: The Solnix page has no STANDARDS section.

Writing portable scripts

Pass exactly one path argument and avoid options other than -e or -q; -e is missing on FreeBSD and OpenBSD, so test for it.
Do not rely on the no-argument form: write realpath . when you mean the current directory.
Check the exit status, not the -q output, to detect failure.

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.