format(8) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
format is the illumos menu-driven disk utility at /usr/sbin/format. It formats, labels, repairs and analyzes disks, and its menu includes partition (slice) editing. Unlike the Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD partitioning tools, it is not a one-shot command with partition-table subcommands. It is driven by a numbered disk list and a main menu, or by a command file given with -f.
The manual pages
- Solnix: format(8) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - Linux: fdisk(8) util-linux-2.42.3 (different command, similar job)
- Linux: parted(8) parted-3.7 (different command, similar job)
- FreeBSD: gpart(8) 15.1-RELEASE (different command, similar job)
- OpenBSD: fdisk(8) 8.0 (different command, similar job)
- OpenBSD: disklabel(8) 8.0 (different command, similar job)
- NetBSD: gpt(8) 11.0 (different command, similar job)
- NetBSD: disklabel(8) 11.0 (different command, similar job)
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos format at /usr/sbin/format, published in pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man. No other variants are shipped. The page's SEE ALSO lists fdisk(8) for x86 only, fmthard(8), prtvtoc(8) and rmformat(1). The bundle text for those pages is not included.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| all four | interaction model | Solnix format shows a numbered disk list, then a main menu (analyze, partition, label, fdisk, and so on). The counterparts take their work as options or subcommands on the command line, such as gpart add, gpt add and disklabel -w. Linux fdisk and parted are also interactive.Source: Solnix format(8) USAGE; FreeBSD gpart(8) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD gpt(8) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD disklabel(8) SYNOPSIS; Linux fdisk(8) DESCRIPTION |
| all four | scripting | Solnix format -f command-file reads menu commands as if typed, with no continue? prompts. Without -d, the file must also select a disk by number. parted -s never prompts. gpart, gpt and OpenBSD fdisk -y take arguments directly.Source: Solnix format(8) -f, -d; Linux parted(8) -s; OpenBSD fdisk(8) -y; FreeBSD gpart(8) SYNOPSIS |
| all four | -l meaning | On Solnix, -l log-file logs the session transcript to a file. On Linux, fdisk -l and parted -l list partition tables. On NetBSD, disklabel -l lists known file system types. Neither does what Solnix -l does.Source: Solnix format(8) -l; Linux fdisk(8) -l; Linux parted(8) -l; NetBSD disklabel(8) -l |
| all four | -s meaning | On Solnix, -s silences standard output (errors still shown). On the counterparts, -s sets a size or scheme: Linux fdisk -s (deprecated getsz) and parted -s (script mode), FreeBSD gpart -s scheme/size, OpenBSD fdisk -s sectors, NetBSD gpt -s sectorsize.Source: Solnix format(8) -s; Linux fdisk(8) -s; Linux parted(8) -s; FreeBSD gpart(8) create, add; OpenBSD fdisk(8) -s; NetBSD gpt(8) -s |
| Linux, OpenBSD, NetBSD | -x and -t meaning | Solnix -x data-file names a file of disk definitions, and -t disk-type sets the disk type. On Linux fdisk, -x is --list-details and -t selects a disklabel type. On OpenBSD disklabel, -t formats output as disktab(5); on NetBSD disklabel, -t formats output the same way.Source: Solnix format(8) -x, -t; Linux fdisk(8) -x, -t; OpenBSD disklabel(8) -t; NetBSD disklabel(8) -t |
| all four | disk naming | Solnix names disks c?t?d? or /dev/rdsk/c?t?d?s?, with shell wildcards in the latter form. OpenBSD takes names like sd0 or /dev/rsd0c. The other bundle pages do not show device names. Source: Solnix format(8) DESCRIPTION (disk-list); OpenBSD fdisk(8) disk; OpenBSD disklabel(8) disk |
| all four | definition file and environment | Solnix format reads disk and partition definitions from FORMAT_PATH, defaulting to /etc/format.dat. The counterparts use other files, for example /etc/disktab for NetBSD disklabel -f or /usr/mdec/mbr for OpenBSD fdisk -f. Linux fdisk uses FDISK_DEBUG for debugging.Source: Solnix format(8) ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES; NetBSD disklabel(8) -f; OpenBSD fdisk(8) -f; Linux fdisk(8) ENVIRONMENT |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | partition scheme | Solnix format edits slices through its partition menu and writes a disk label with label. Its fdisk menu entry runs fdisk(8) for a Solaris fdisk partition on x86 only. The page does not mention GPT. FreeBSD gpart, OpenBSD fdisk and NetBSD gpt document GPT support. Source: Solnix format(8) USAGE (partition, label, fdisk); FreeBSD gpart(8) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD fdisk(8) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD gpt(8) DESCRIPTION |
| all four | disk-level operations | Solnix format also covers surface analysis (read, write, compare tests, data purge), defect lists, block repair and SCSI cache control. These apply to SCSI devices. On IDE disks the format and defect items print messages saying the operation is not supported. The counterpart pages describe partition and label management only. Source: Solnix format(8) USAGE (analyze, cache, defect, format, repair); counterpart DESCRIPTION sections |
| all four | -e expert mode | Solnix -e enables the SCSI expert menu, and removable media appear in the disk list only with -e. The page says to use rmformat(1) for rewritable removable media. The counterparts use -e differently: OpenBSD fdisk and disklabel and NetBSD disklabel open an editor.Source: Solnix format(8) -e, DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD fdisk(8) -e; OpenBSD disklabel(8) -e; NetBSD disklabel(8) -e |
Everyday tasks
| Task | Solnix | Linux | FreeBSD | OpenBSD | NetBSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| list disks | format (with no disk-list, lists disks it can administer) | fdisk -l | gpart show | — | — |
| show a disk's partition table | format, then the verify menu item | fdisk -l device; parted -l | gpart show geom | disklabel disk; fdisk disk | disklabel disk |
| create a partition table | format, then the partition and label menu items; fdisk menu item on x86 | fdisk device (dialog); parted | gpart create -s scheme provider | fdisk -g disk (GPT); fdisk -i disk (MBR) | — |
| add a partition | format, then the partition menu item | fdisk device (dialog) | gpart add -t type geom | disklabel -E disk | gpt add device |
| back up a partition table | — | — | gpart backup geom | fdisk -v disk (output usable by fdisk -R) | gpt backup device |
| run non-interactively | format -s -f command-file -d disk | parted -s | gpart actions with arguments | fdisk -y | gpt commands with arguments |
Standards
- POSIX: format is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Solnix: The trimmed page text in the bundle does not show an ATTRIBUTES or INTERFACE STABILITY section; SEE ALSO refers to attributes(7).
Writing portable scripts
- Do not script partitioning with one command line across systems. Branch on the tool present: format, fdisk, parted, gpart, gpt or disklabel.
- Avoid assuming
-l,-s,-tor-xmean the same thing: they differ between format, fdisk, parted and disklabel.
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.