Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

A default Solnix system runs the illumos iconv at /usr/bin/iconv, which has only -c, -f, -l, -s and -t, and can take a charmap file path for -f/-t. The published Solnix page describes the GNU-style libiconv iconv (pkgs.solnix.libiconv), which adds long options and substitution options.

The manual pages

Solnix: iconv(1) from pkgs.solnix.libiconv
Linux: iconv(1) man-pages-6.18
FreeBSD: iconv(1) 15.1-RELEASE
NetBSD: iconv(1) 11.0
Standard: POSIX.1-2024 (IEEE Std 1003.1-2024), iconv

What Solnix runs

The command on PATH is the illumos /usr/bin/iconv; no other illumos variants are shipped. The published iconv(1) page is for libiconv from pkgs.solnix.libiconv, so its options (--from-code, --to-code, --silent, --unicode-subst, --byte-subst, --widechar-subst) apply only if you install and run that build. The bundle does not say where it installs or whether it shadows /usr/bin/iconv.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
all four	charmap files as `-f`/-t arguments	illumos iconv treats a `-f` or `-t` argument containing a slash as the pathname of a charmap file. If only one of `-f`/-t is a charmap, or both are omitted, it fails. The Linux, FreeBSD and NetBSD pages describe only codeset names. Source: Solnix (illumos) iconv(1) -f, -t, and the paragraph after -t; Linux iconv(1) -f, -t; FreeBSD iconv(1) -f, -t; NetBSD iconv(1) -f, -t
Linux	defaults when `-f` and `-t` are omitted	On Linux and in the libiconv page, a missing `-f` or `-t` defaults to the locale's encoding. On the default illumos iconv, omitting both is an error, and omitting one is an error when the other is a charmap file. Source: Solnix (illumos) iconv(1) end of OPTIONS; Solnix (libiconv) iconv(1) DESCRIPTION; Linux iconv(1) DESCRIPTION
Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD	long options	The default illumos iconv documents no long options. Linux iconv and the libiconv page have `--from-code`, `--to-code`, `--silent` and `--list`. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages document only short options. Scripts using `--from-code` or `--list` fail on `/usr/bin/iconv` unless the manual is incomplete. Source: Solnix (illumos) iconv(1) SYNOPSIS; Solnix (libiconv) iconv(1) OPTIONS; Linux iconv(1) --from-code, --to-code, --list; FreeBSD iconv(1) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD iconv(1) SYNOPSIS
Linux	//IGNORE, //TRANSLIT and `-o`	Linux iconv accepts //IGNORE and //TRANSLIT appended to the to-encoding, and `-o`/-`-output` and `--verbose`. Neither Solnix page documents these; redirect standard output instead of using `-o`. Source: Linux iconv(1) -t, --output, --verbose; Solnix (illumos) iconv(1) OPTIONS; Solnix (libiconv) iconv(1) OPTIONS
Linux	`-s` meaning	On Linux, `-s` is ignored and kept only for compatibility. On Solnix (both implementations), FreeBSD and NetBSD, `-s` suppresses messages about invalid or unconvertible characters. FreeBSD and NetBSD describe it as suppressing the count of invalid characters. Source: Linux iconv(1) --silent, -s; Solnix (illumos) iconv(1) -s; Solnix (libiconv) iconv(1) -s; FreeBSD iconv(1) -s; NetBSD iconv(1) -s
Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD	behaviour without `-c`	FreeBSD and NetBSD output the to_name codeset's invalid-character marker for an unconvertible character unless `-c` is given. Linux `-c` discards such characters instead of terminating. The illumos page says only that the result depends on the codesets, and `-c` does not change the exit status. Source: FreeBSD iconv(1) -c; NetBSD iconv(1) -c; Linux iconv(1) -c; Solnix (illumos) iconv(1) -c
Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-c` and `-s` may be ignored (illumos)	The illumos page says `-c` and `-s` may be ignored when `-f` or `-t` gives a fromcode or tocode name rather than a charmap. The Linux, FreeBSD and NetBSD pages state no such condition. Source: Solnix (illumos) iconv(1) -c, -s; Linux iconv(1) -c, --silent; FreeBSD iconv(1) -c, -s; NetBSD iconv(1) -c, -s
all four	substitution options (libiconv only)	`--unicode-subst`, `--byte-subst` and `--widechar-subst` replace unconvertible or invalid input with a printf-style format string. They appear only in the libiconv page. Neither the illumos, Linux, FreeBSD nor NetBSD pages have them. Source: Solnix (libiconv) iconv(1) --unicode-subst, --byte-subst, --widechar-subst; Solnix (illumos), Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD iconv(1) OPTIONS
Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-l` output format	The illumos page says the `-l` output format is unspecified and not for shell scripts. The libiconv page says names are upper case, whitespace-separated, with aliases on the same line. The Linux, FreeBSD and NetBSD pages give no format. Source: Solnix (illumos) iconv(1) NOTES, -l; Solnix (libiconv) iconv(1) DESCRIPTION; Linux iconv(1) --list; FreeBSD iconv(1) -l; NetBSD iconv(1) -l
Linux	environment variables	The illumos page lists LANG, LC_ALL, LC_CTYPE, LC_MESSAGES and NLSPATH. Linux documents GCONV_PATH, which selects gconv module configuration directories. The Solnix pages do not mention GCONV_PATH. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages have no ENVIRONMENT section. Source: Solnix (illumos) iconv(1) ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES; Linux iconv(1) ENVIRONMENT; FreeBSD iconv(1); NetBSD iconv(1)
Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD	exit status	illumos iconv exits 0 on success and 1 on error. Linux says nonzero on errors; FreeBSD and NetBSD say >0. Test for nonzero rather than for exactly 1. Source: Solnix (illumos) iconv(1) EXIT STATUS; Linux iconv(1) EXIT STATUS; FreeBSD iconv(1) EXIT STATUS; NetBSD iconv(1) EXIT STATUS

Standards

POSIX: iconv is a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: The illumos page lists Interface Stability: Standard. The libiconv page says CONFORMING TO POSIX:2001.
Linux: STANDARDS: POSIX.1-2008. HISTORY: POSIX.1-2001.
FreeBSD: iconv conform to IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”).
NetBSD: iconv conforms to IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (“POSIX.1”).

Writing portable scripts

Always pass both -f and -t with plain codeset names, and use only -c, -s and -l, since those are the options all systems document.
Do not parse iconv -l output or rely on //TRANSLIT, //IGNORE, -o or long options; use shell redirection for output and test the exit status for nonzero.

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.