tftp(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, tftp is the illumos client at /usr/bin/tftp. It takes only [host [port]] on the command line and does everything else through interactive commands. The most important difference for a Linux or BSD user is that the default transfer mode is ascii, and the Solnix page documents no command-line options.
The manual pages
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos tftp at /usr/bin/tftp. /usr/ucb/tftp is also shipped, but the bundle does not describe how it differs. The Solnix page documents blksize, srexmt, tsize, rexmt and timeout as interactive commands. The GNU inetutils tftp on Linux is a different program with command-line options.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | command-line options | Solnix tftp takes only [host [port]]. The Linux (GNU inetutils 2.7) page documents -v/--verbose, -V/--version, --usage and -?/--help. On Solnix, verbose output is the interactive verbose toggle.Source: Solnix tftp(1) SYNOPSIS, Commands (verbose); Linux tftp(1) SYNOPSIS, -v, -V, --usage |
| NetBSD | -e option | NetBSD tftp accepts -e, which sets binary mode and turns on tout, tsize and blksize 65464. Solnix tftp has no -e. The equivalent there is to type binary, tsize and blksize at the tftp> prompt.Source: NetBSD tftp(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION (-e); Solnix tftp(1) SYNOPSIS, Commands |
| all four | default transfer mode | Solnix tftp defaults to ascii mode, and the NOTES say binary files such as executables need explicit action. The FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD and Linux pages in the bundle do not state a default mode. Source: Solnix tftp(1) mode, NOTES; FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Linux tftp(1) (no default stated) |
| all four | interactive commands documented | The Solnix page lists the tftp> commands: connect, mode, put, get, quit, verbose, trace, status, rexmt, timeout, ascii, binary, blksize, srexmt, tsize and ?. The bundle's Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages refer to connect but list no command set. Source: Solnix tftp(1) USAGE, Commands; FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD tftp(1) DESCRIPTION |
| all four | get with multiple files | On Solnix, get needs three or more names to fetch several files. With two names, the second is the local file name. The other pages in the bundle do not document this rule. Source: Solnix tftp(1) get, NOTES; FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Linux tftp(1) (not documented) |
| all four | put destination rules | On Solnix, put accepts host:filename, with IPv6 addresses in square brackets. It writes only to remote files that already exist and are publicly writable (see in.tftpd(8)). The other pages in the bundle do not document these rules. Source: Solnix tftp(1) put; FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Linux tftp(1) (not documented) |
| FreeBSD | large files and blocksize | Solnix does not enable the blocksize or transfer size options by default. It can transfer files up to 4GB, and blksize can work around peers with a 32MB limit. FreeBSD says files over 33488896 octets need the blocksize option or a non-standard rollover option on both ends. Source: Solnix tftp(1) NOTES; FreeBSD tftp(1) NOTES |
| NetBSD | multicast TFTP | NetBSD documents open-loop multicast TFTP, based on IETF draft-dion-tftp-multicast-option-01.txt. The Solnix page does not mention multicast. Source: NetBSD tftp(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix tftp(1) (not mentioned) |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | server page | Solnix SEE ALSO points to in.tftpd(8). FreeBSD and OpenBSD point to tftpd(8), and OpenBSD also to tftp-proxy(8). The server daemon name differs. Source: Solnix tftp(1) SEE ALSO; FreeBSD tftp(1) SEE ALSO; OpenBSD tftp(1) SEE ALSO |
Standards
- POSIX: tftp is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Solnix: SEE ALSO cites RFC 2347 (TFTP Option Extension), RFC 2348 (TFTP Blocksize Option) and RFC 2349 (TFTP Timeout Interval and Transfer Size Options).
- FreeBSD: SEE ALSO lists support for RFC 1350, RFC 2347, RFC 2348, RFC 2349, RFC 3617 and RFC 7440 (the last entry is cut off in the bundle).
Writing portable scripts
- Do not rely on command-line options. Only [host [port]] is common to all of them, and NetBSD
-eand the GNU long options are not portable. - Always set binary mode explicitly (binary, or mode binary) before transferring non-text files, because Solnix defaults to ascii.
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.