Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

On Solnix, ctfdump is the illumos ctfdump at /usr/bin/ctfdump. It reads ELF objects and raw CTF files and adds -c (C-style output) and -p parent. Its -u option is optional and defaults to showing everything, whereas the FreeBSD and NetBSD synopses show -u as part of a fixed invocation.

The manual pages

Solnix: ctfdump(1) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
FreeBSD: ctfdump(1) 15.1-RELEASE
NetBSD: ctfdump(1) 11.0

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos ctfdump at /usr/bin/ctfdump. No other variants are shipped. The package is pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-u` synopsis and meaning	Solnix synopsis is ctfdump [`-cdfhlsSt`] [`-p` parent] [`-u` outfile] file, so `-u` is optional. The FreeBSD and NetBSD synopses show `-u` file file. On Solnix, giving `-u` suppresses the default display unless other options request it. Source: Solnix ctfdump(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION (last paragraph); FreeBSD ctfdump(1) SYNOPSIS, -u; NetBSD ctfdump(1) SYNOPSIS, -u
FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-c` C-style output	Solnix ctfdump `-c` prints C-style output for comparison; the manual says it is not directly compilable. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages document no `-c`. Source: Solnix ctfdump(1) -c, DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD ctfdump(1) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD ctfdump(1) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-p` parent	Solnix ctfdump `-p` parent uses type information from a parent container, for CTF uniquified against that parent. This lets `-t` show type names. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages document no `-p`. Source: Solnix ctfdump(1) -p; FreeBSD ctfdump(1) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD ctfdump(1) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, NetBSD	default output with no options	On Solnix, with no options ctfdump shows all information except the C-style output. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages do not say what is shown when no section option is given. Source: Solnix ctfdump(1) DESCRIPTION (last paragraph); FreeBSD ctfdump(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD ctfdump(1) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, NetBSD	input file types	Solnix ctfdump accepts ELF objects and raw CTF files. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages describe only the SUNW_ctf section of an ELF binary. Source: Solnix ctfdump(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD ctfdump(1) NAME, DESCRIPTION; NetBSD ctfdump(1) NAME, DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, NetBSD	exit status	Solnix documents three exit values: 0 success, 1 fatal error, 2 invalid command line options. FreeBSD and NetBSD document only 0 on success and >0 on error. Source: Solnix ctfdump(1) EXIT STATUS; FreeBSD ctfdump(1) EXIT STATUS; NetBSD ctfdump(1) EXIT STATUS
FreeBSD, NetBSD	uncompressed output	Solnix says data written with `-u` is always decompressed, and can then be inspected with ctfdump and tools such as mdb(1). FreeBSD and NetBSD also write uncompressed data to a raw CTF file. Source: Solnix ctfdump(1) DESCRIPTION, -u; FreeBSD ctfdump(1) -u; NetBSD ctfdump(1) -u
FreeBSD, NetBSD	output stability	Solnix marks the command syntax Committed and the output format Uncommitted, so do not rely on parsing the output. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages state no stability level. Source: Solnix ctfdump(1) INTERFACE STABILITY
Linux	Linux counterpart	No Linux ctfdump page is in the bundle, so the manual gives no Linux comparison. Source: Bundle header lists only FreeBSD and NetBSD counterparts
OpenBSD	OpenBSD counterpart	No OpenBSD ctfdump page is in the bundle, so the manual gives no OpenBSD comparison. Source: Bundle header lists only FreeBSD and NetBSD counterparts

Standards

POSIX: ctfdump is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: Interface Stability: the command syntax is Committed; the output format is Uncommitted.

Writing portable scripts

Always pass -u and the file in the form the BSD synopsis shows only if you need the BSD form; for portable scripts use only -d, -f, -h, -l, -s, -S, -t, which exist on all three.
Do not use -c or -p in portable scripts: only Solnix documents them. Do not parse the output, as Solnix marks its format Uncommitted.

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.