Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

On Solnix, pwd is the illumos /usr/bin/pwd, which defaults to -P like Linux, OpenBSD and NetBSD. FreeBSD defaults to -L. The page tells you to give -L or -P explicitly for portable use.

The manual pages

Solnix: pwd(1) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
Linux: pwd(1) coreutils-full-9.11
FreeBSD: pwd(1) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: pwd(1) 8.0
NetBSD: pwd(1) 11.0
Standard: POSIX.1-2024 (IEEE Std 1003.1-2024), pwd

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos pwd at /usr/bin/pwd. No other variants are shipped. The page says the Bourne shell, the Korn shells and most other shells have a built-in pwd, which runs instead of /usr/bin/pwd unless you give an absolute path.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
FreeBSD	default mode	With no option, Solnix pwd acts as `-P` and prints the physical path. FreeBSD pwd assumes `-L`, so inside a symlinked directory the two print different results. Source: Solnix pwd(1) DESCRIPTION (no options is -P); FreeBSD pwd(1) DESCRIPTION (-L assumed)
Linux, OpenBSD, NetBSD	default mode	The default is `-P` on Solnix, Linux, OpenBSD and NetBSD, so the standalone commands agree when no option is given. Source: Solnix pwd(1) DESCRIPTION; Linux pwd(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD pwd(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD pwd(1) DESCRIPTION
Linux	same options, GNU extras	Linux pwd takes `-L` and `-P` like Solnix, and also `--logical`, `--physical`, `--help` and `--version`. The Solnix page documents only `-L` and `-P`. Source: Linux pwd(1) SYNOPSIS and options; Solnix pwd(1) SYNOPSIS
all four	shell builtins	The Solnix page says sh, ksh, ksh93 and most other shells have a built-in pwd that runs unless you give an absolute path. Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages also warn that a shell builtin may differ, including in default. Source: Solnix pwd(1) DESCRIPTION; Linux pwd(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD pwd(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD pwd(1) CAVEATS; NetBSD pwd(1) DESCRIPTION
OpenBSD	`-L` fallback to `-P`	OpenBSD `-L` prints PWD only if it is absolute, names the current directory and has no . or .. components. Otherwise it acts as `-P`. The Solnix page lists similar criteria as examples only (it says 'Criteria may include'). Source: OpenBSD pwd(1) -L; Solnix pwd(1) -L
NetBSD	`-L` validity check	NetBSD `-L` accepts PWD if it is absolute, contains neither /./ nor /../ and references the current directory. NetBSD notes that `-L` relies on unique inode numbers, so on FAT file systems it may miss a wrong PWD. The Solnix page does not mention this. Source: NetBSD pwd(1) -L, BUGS; Solnix pwd(1) -L
FreeBSD	PWD must be exported	FreeBSD documents that `-L` does not work unless the shell exports PWD. The Solnix page does not say this, though its `-L` relies on the PWD environment variable. Source: FreeBSD pwd(1) BUGS; Solnix pwd(1) ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	option overriding	Solnix and OpenBSD say the last of `-L` and `-P` wins. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages do not say how repeated or conflicting options combine. Source: Solnix pwd(1) -L, -P; OpenBSD pwd(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD pwd(1) options; NetBSD pwd(1) options
all four	error behaviour	On error, Solnix writes nothing to standard output, writes a diagnostic to standard error and exits non-zero. The other pages say only that the exit status is >0 (Linux gives no exit status section). Source: Solnix pwd(1) EXIT STATUS; FreeBSD pwd(1) EXIT STATUS; OpenBSD pwd(1) EXIT STATUS; NetBSD pwd(1) EXIT STATUS

Standards

POSIX: pwd is a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: Interface Stability: Committed. The page says that for portable operation you should always specify -L or -P.
FreeBSD: The pwd utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (“POSIX.1”).
OpenBSD: Compliant with IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”), except that the standard says the default with no options should be -L.
NetBSD: Expected to conform to IEEE Std 1003.1 (“POSIX.1”), except that the default is -P not -L.

Writing portable scripts

Always pass -L or -P explicitly. The default is -P on Solnix, Linux, OpenBSD and NetBSD but -L on FreeBSD.
Use only -L and -P. --logical, --physical, --help and --version are in the Linux page only.

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.