Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`bhyvectl(8)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

bhyvectl on Solnix is the illumos bhyvectl at /usr/sbin/bhyvectl. Its documented options match FreeBSD's, but the Solnix page lists --checkpoint and --suspend in the synopsis without describing them, while FreeBSD documents both.

The manual pages

Solnix: bhyvectl(8) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
FreeBSD: bhyvectl(8) 15.1-RELEASE

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos bhyvectl at /usr/sbin/bhyvectl. No other variants are shipped. The page is published by pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
FreeBSD	`--checkpoint` undocumented	The Solnix synopsis lists `--checkpoint=`<filename>, but the OPTIONS text does not describe it. FreeBSD documents it: guest memory goes to the named file, and device and vCPU state go to <file>.kern. The Solnix manual does not say what it does. Source: Solnix bhyvectl(8) SYNOPSIS and options list; FreeBSD bhyvectl(8) --checkpoint
FreeBSD	`--suspend` undocumented	The Solnix synopsis lists `--suspend=`<filename>, but the page does not describe it. FreeBSD documents it as a snapshot like `--checkpoint`, after which the virtual machine terminates. The Solnix manual does not say whether it behaves the same way. Source: Solnix bhyvectl(8) SYNOPSIS and options list; FreeBSD bhyvectl(8) --suspend
FreeBSD	snapshot format compatibility	FreeBSD warns that the snapshot file format is not yet stable and may change without backwards compatibility. The Solnix page has no COMPATIBILITY section and says nothing about snapshot files or their stability. Source: FreeBSD bhyvectl(8) COMPATIBILITY; Solnix bhyvectl(8) (no such section)
FreeBSD	related pages	FreeBSD's SEE ALSO lists bhyve(8) and bhyveload(8). The Solnix page lists only bhyve(8), and the bundle has no Solnix bhyveload page. Source: FreeBSD bhyvectl(8) SEE ALSO; Solnix bhyvectl(8) SEE ALSO
FreeBSD	same documented core options	Both systems document `--vm`, `--create`, `--destroy`, `--get-stats`, `--inject-nmi`, `--force-reset` and `--force-poweroff` with the same meaning. Both exit 0 on success and >0 on error. Other query and set flags are undocumented on both and listed by running bhyvectl with no arguments. Source: Solnix and FreeBSD bhyvectl(8) DESCRIPTION and EXIT STATUS
Linux, OpenBSD, NetBSD	not available	The bundle has no bhyvectl counterpart for Linux, OpenBSD or NetBSD. The manual gives no equivalent command on those systems. Source: Bundle header (only a freebsd counterpart listed)

Standards

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

Writing portable scripts

Use only --vm, --create, --destroy, --get-stats, --inject-nmi, --force-reset and --force-poweroff in scripts shared between Solnix and FreeBSD, as only these are documented on both.
Do not rely on --checkpoint or --suspend across Solnix and FreeBSD. The Solnix page does not describe them, and FreeBSD says its snapshot format may change.

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.