history(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, history(1) is not a separate program. It is the page for shell built-ins: csh history, the ksh fc, and ksh93 hist. /usr/bin/fc is also documented. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages named history(1) are not about a history command: they are the builtin(1) index and the csh(1) page.
The manual pages
- Solnix: history(1) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - FreeBSD: history(1) 15.1-RELEASE
- NetBSD: history(1) 11.0
What Solnix runs
There is no history binary. The Solnix page covers csh `history [-hr] [n]`, ksh `fc`, ksh93 `hist`, and a `/usr/bin/fc` listed in the SYNOPSIS. The command you get depends on the shell you run. No other variants are listed. The page text is trimmed in the bundle, so later sections are not visible.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| FreeBSD, NetBSD | what the counterpart page is | FreeBSD history(1) is the builtin(1) index of shell built-ins and keybindings. NetBSD history(1) is the csh(1) manual. Neither documents the fc/hist family the way the Solnix page does, so this is not a like-for-like page comparison. Source: FreeBSD history(1) NAME (builtin, keybinds); NetBSD history(1) NAME (csh); Solnix history(1) NAME |
| FreeBSD | history is csh-only; fc is sh-only | The FreeBSD table shows history as a built-in of csh only, and fc as a built-in of sh only, marked No* (an external script wrapping the built-in). Solnix documents history for csh, and fc for /usr/bin/fc and ksh. It also documents hist for ksh93.Source: FreeBSD history(1) Commands table (history, fc rows, No* note); Solnix history(1) SYNOPSIS |
| FreeBSD, NetBSD | hist and -N not documented | Solnix documents ksh93 `hist [-lnprs] [-e editor] [-N num] [first [last]]`. The FreeBSD index lists no hist command. The visible NetBSD csh text does not mention hist.Source: Solnix history(1) SYNOPSIS (ksh93); FreeBSD history(1) Commands table; NetBSD history(1) DESCRIPTION |
| FreeBSD, NetBSD | csh history options | Solnix csh `history [-hr] [n]` shows the n most recent events. -r reverses the order, and -h omits line numbers so the output can be sourced with source -h. The FreeBSD index lists only the command name. The visible NetBSD text does not show its history options.Source: Solnix history(1) csh DESCRIPTION (-r, -h); FreeBSD history(1) Commands table; NetBSD history(1) (visible text) |
| FreeBSD, NetBSD | csh default history size | On Solnix csh, if the history variable is not set, only the most recent command is saved. Setting `set history = 200` keeps 200. The bundle text for FreeBSD and NetBSD does not state a default. Source: Solnix history(1) History Substitution; FreeBSD and NetBSD history(1) (not stated in visible text) |
| FreeBSD, NetBSD | history substitution | Solnix documents csh history substitution: ! event designators, word designators and modifiers (h, r, e, s, t, &, g, p, q, x). The visible NetBSD text mentions a history mechanism and `history substitutions`, but the section is trimmed. The FreeBSD page does not cover it. Source: Solnix history(1) Event Designators, Word Designators, Modifiers; NetBSD history(1) DESCRIPTION (trimmed); FreeBSD history(1) |
| FreeBSD, NetBSD | fc availability | The Solnix page lists a standalone /usr/bin/fc, which edits and re-runs commands from an interactive sh, and fc inside ksh. The FreeBSD index marks fc as sh-only and not a standalone utility. The visible NetBSD csh text does not mention fc.Source: Solnix history(1) SYNOPSIS, /usr/bin/fc DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD history(1) Commands table (fc: Standalone No*) |
| Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD | fc -s and numbering | Solnix /usr/bin/fc -s [old=new] [first] re-runs a command with substitution. History numbers may wrap when they reach the greater of HISTSIZE or 32767, but time order is kept. The FreeBSD and NetBSD bundle text does not describe these.Source: Solnix history(1) /usr/bin/fc SYNOPSIS and DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD and NetBSD history(1) (not stated) |
Standards
- POSIX: history is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Writing portable scripts
- Do not rely on a history command in scripts. It is a csh built-in only, and the bundle text shows it only on csh. Interactive history is a shell feature.
- Test which shell you are in before using fc, hist or history. On Solnix they belong to different shells (sh/ksh, ksh93, csh).
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.