gzexe(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
gzexe is not in the Solnix base system; install pkgs.solnix.gzip to get it. The Solnix page is the same text as the Linux (gzip-1.14) page, so it is GNU gzexe. The FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages describe a gzexe that refuses certain files and has a different SYNOPSIS.
The manual pages
What Solnix runs
Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.gzip. The bundle lists no other illumos variants. The Solnix page documents gzexe name ... with -d to decompress, and warns that the compressed executable is a shell script that relies on PATH to find gzip and standard utilities.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | same program as Linux | The Solnix and Linux gzexe pages have the same synopsis, the same -d option and the same CAVEATS and BUGS text. The bundle shows no difference between the two.Source: Solnix gzexe(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS, CAVEATS, BUGS; Linux gzexe(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS, CAVEATS, BUGS |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | synopsis shows -d | The Solnix and Linux SYNOPSIS is only gzexe name ..., and -d appears under OPTIONS. The BSD pages show gzexe [-d] file ... in the synopsis. The option itself is the same on all systems.Source: Solnix gzexe(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS; FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD gzexe(1) SYNOPSIS |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | files refused | The BSD pages say gzexe refuses non-regular or non-executable files, setuid or setgid files, files already compressed by gzexe, and the programs it needs for decompression. The Solnix page does not document any such refusals. Source: FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD gzexe(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix gzexe(1) DESCRIPTION |
| OpenBSD | /bin and /sbin refused | OpenBSD gzexe also refuses files in /bin or /sbin. FreeBSD and NetBSD do not list this, and neither does the Solnix page.Source: OpenBSD gzexe(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix gzexe(1) DESCRIPTION |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | programs needed at run time | The BSD pages list the utilities that gzexe will not compress: sh, mktemp, rm, echo, tail, gzip and chmod, plus basename on OpenBSD. The Solnix page lists basename, chmod, ln, mkdir, mktemp, rm, sleep and tail, plus gzip, as found through PATH at run time. Source: FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD gzexe(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix gzexe(1) CAVEATS |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | security caveat and writability | The Solnix page warns that the compressed executable is a shell script that may create security holes because it depends on PATH. The BSD pages say nothing about PATH and instead warn that original files must be writable because gzexe overwrites them. Source: Solnix gzexe(1) CAVEATS; FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD gzexe(1) CAVEATS |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | file attribute handling | The Solnix page says gzexe tries to keep the original file attributes, and you may need chmod or chown to fix them. The BSD pages have no BUGS section on this. Source: Solnix gzexe(1) BUGS; FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD gzexe(1) (no BUGS section) |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | backup file | The Solnix example shows the original saved as name~. The BSD pages state the rule: the backup is the same name with a ~ suffix. The behaviour is the same. Source: Solnix gzexe(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD gzexe(1) DESCRIPTION |
Standards
- POSIX: gzexe is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Writing portable scripts
- Use only gzexe
-dname ... and plain gzexe name ..., which all five systems document. Do not rely on gzexe to refuse setuid files,/binor/sbinfiles on Solnix or Linux, because those pages do not say it does. - Check that gzexe exists before calling it: on Solnix it needs pkgs.solnix.gzip.
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.