Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

basenc is not in the Solnix base system. It comes from pkgs.solnix.coreutils and is GNU coreutils basenc. The Solnix page documents the same options as Linux, except that the Solnix page lists no --base58. The bundle has no BSD basenc page.

The manual pages

Solnix: basenc(1) from pkgs.solnix.coreutils
Linux: basenc(1) coreutils-full-9.11

What Solnix runs

Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.coreutils. The published page is dated GNU coreutils 9.7 (April 2025). The Linux counterpart in the bundle is from coreutils-full-9.11. The bundle shows no illumos basenc, so there is no base-system variant to compare.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
Linux	same program	Solnix basenc (pkgs.solnix.coreutils) and Linux basenc are both GNU coreutils basenc. The synopsis, `-d`, `-i`, `-w` (default 76), `--z85` and the other encodings are described identically in both pages. Source: Solnix basenc(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS; Linux basenc(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS
Linux	`--base58`	The Linux page documents `--base58` (visually unambiguous base58 encoding). The Solnix page documents no `--base58`, so a script using it may fail on the Solnix version. The Solnix page is from GNU coreutils 9.7, the Linux build from 9.11. Source: Linux basenc(1) --base58; Solnix basenc(1) OPTIONS and footer (GNU coreutils 9.7)
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	command not in BSD manuals	The bundle has no basenc page for FreeBSD, OpenBSD or NetBSD, so the manual cannot confirm that basenc exists there. Do not assume it does. Source: Bundle header lists only a Linux counterpart
all four	not on PATH by default	A default Solnix system has no basenc on PATH. Install pkgs.solnix.coreutils first. The bundle shows no illumos basenc. Source: Header: 'none: install pkgs.solnix.coreutils'; Other illumos variants shipped: none

Standards

POSIX: basenc is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.

Writing portable scripts

Do not rely on basenc being present. Check with command -v basenc, or use the separate base64 or base32 programs where they suffice.
Avoid --base58 in scripts that must run on Solnix: its page does not document it.

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.