rcp(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, rcp is the illumos rcp at /usr/bin/rcp, and it is the only one of the three with Kerberos options (-a, -k, -K, -PN/-PO, -x). It has no -4/-6, and no GNU-style long options or -d. The bundle has no FreeBSD or OpenBSD rcp page.
The manual pages
- Solnix: rcp(1) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - Linux: rcp(1) inetutils-2.7
- NetBSD: rcp(1) 11.0
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos rcp at /usr/bin/rcp. /usr/ucb/rcp is also shipped, but the bundle does not describe it. The Linux counterpart is GNU inetutils 2.7 and the NetBSD one is NetBSD 11.0.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux, NetBSD | Kerberos options | Solnix rcp has -a, -k realm, -K, -PN/-PO and -x for Kerberos authentication. The Linux (inetutils) and NetBSD pages list none of these options.Source: Solnix rcp(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS; Linux rcp(1) options list; NetBSD rcp(1) Options |
| Linux, NetBSD | encryption with -x | Solnix rcp -x encrypts the data transferred, but the command itself is sent to the remote system unencrypted. The Linux and NetBSD pages document no encryption option.Source: Solnix rcp(1) -x; Linux rcp(1) options list; NetBSD rcp(1) Options |
| Linux, NetBSD | -4 and -6 | Linux and NetBSD rcp accept -4 (IPv4 only) and -6 (IPv6 only). The Solnix synopsis has neither flag. The Solnix page says only that rcp is IPv6-enabled and that IPv6 addresses go in square brackets.Source: Linux rcp(1) -4, -6; NetBSD rcp(1) -4, -6; Solnix rcp(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION, USAGE |
| Linux, NetBSD | IPv6 with Kerberos | On Solnix, the Kerberized versions of rcp are not IPv6-enabled, and IPv6 is not supported with Kerberos V5 authentication. The NetBSD page makes no such restriction. Source: Solnix rcp(1) DESCRIPTION, USAGE; NetBSD rcp(1) DESCRIPTION |
| Linux, NetBSD | -p scope | Solnix rcp -p tries to keep modification times, access times, modes and ACLs. Linux and NetBSD mention only modification times and modes. NetBSD adds that -p ignores the umask.Source: Solnix rcp(1) -p; Linux rcp(1) -p, --preserve; NetBSD rcp(1) -p |
| Linux | long options and target directory | Linux rcp has long options, -d/--target-directory, and the server-side flags -f/--from and -t/--to. The Solnix and NetBSD synopses have none of these. Use the SOURCE... DIRECTORY form instead.Source: Linux rcp(1) SYNOPSIS, -d, -f, -t; Solnix rcp(1) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD rcp(1) SYNOPSIS |
| Linux | remote file syntax documented | The Solnix and NetBSD pages document the hostname:path form, including username@hostname:path and bracketed IPv6 addresses. The Linux page does not describe the remote name syntax. Source: Solnix rcp(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD rcp(1) DESCRIPTION; Linux rcp(1) DESCRIPTION |
| NetBSD | authentication model | Solnix rcp uses Kerberos if enabled by options, otherwise your local user name must exist on the remote host and be allowed to run commands via rsh(1). It falls back to rhosts-based rcp only with -PO. NetBSD says only that it uses rsh(1) and the same authorization.Source: Solnix rcp(1) DESCRIPTION, -PO/-PN; NetBSD rcp(1) DESCRIPTION |
| NetBSD | documented caveats | The Solnix NOTES say that copying a file onto itself corrupts it, that symbolic links are not handled properly (use tar or cpio piped to rsh), and that ACL copies can fail. The NetBSD BUGS section lists none of these. Source: Solnix rcp(1) NOTES; NetBSD rcp(1) BUGS |
| Linux, NetBSD | exit status and large files | The Solnix page documents exit 0 (all files copied) and >0 (error), with caveats in NOTES. It also points to largefile(7) for files of 2 Gbyte or more. The Linux and NetBSD pages document neither. Source: Solnix rcp(1) EXIT STATUS, USAGE; Linux rcp(1); NetBSD rcp(1) |
Standards
- POSIX: rcp is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Solnix: The ATTRIBUTES section lists CSI: Enabled.
- NetBSD: HISTORY: rcp appeared in 4.2BSD. The version described was reimplemented with Kerberos in 4.3BSD-Reno.
Writing portable scripts
- Use only
-p,-rand the host:path form for portability. Avoid-4,-6,-dand the Kerberos flags, which exist on only some systems. - Do not use rcp to copy a file onto itself or to copy trees containing symbolic links. The Solnix page warns of corruption or mishandling, so use tar piped to rsh instead.
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.