Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

gzip is not in the Solnix base system: install pkgs.solnix.gzip. The Solnix page matches the Linux (gzip-1.14) page in the parts shown, so GNU-style long options work. OpenBSD's gzip is a different implementation with no long options and different -L/-V, -O, -b, -o and zcat/gzcat handling.

The manual pages

Solnix: gzip(1) from pkgs.solnix.gzip
Linux: gzip(1) gzip-1.14
FreeBSD: gzip(1) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: gzip(1) 8.0
NetBSD: gzip(1) 11.0

What Solnix runs

Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.gzip. The bundle lists no other illumos variants and has no illumos page text for gzip, so nothing is compared against a base-system gzip. The Solnix page text is cut off partway through OPTIONS.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
Linux	same program	The Solnix and Linux (gzip-1.14) gzip pages are the same in SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION and the OPTIONS shown. Options such as `-a`, `-c`, `-d`, `-f`, `-k`, `-l`, `-L`, `-n`, `-N`, `-S` and `--rsyncable` behave as the Linux page describes. Source: Solnix gzip(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION, OPTIONS; Linux gzip(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION, OPTIONS
OpenBSD	`-L` and `-V` are no-ops	On Solnix, `-L` displays the gzip license. On OpenBSD, `-L` and `-V` are no-ops kept for compatibility, so a script that expects license or version text from them gets nothing. Source: Solnix gzip(1) -L; OpenBSD gzip(1) -L, -V
OpenBSD	long options and extra flags	OpenBSD gzip documents no long options (no `--stdout`, `--decompress`, `--keep` and so on). It adds `-O` (compress(1) mode), `-b` bits and `-o` filename, which the Solnix page does not have. Source: OpenBSD gzip(1) SYNOPSIS, -O, -b, -o; Solnix gzip(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS
OpenBSD	zcat vs gzcat	Solnix, Linux, FreeBSD and NetBSD synopses provide zcat. OpenBSD's synopsis lists gzcat and has no zcat. On Solnix, zcat is identical to gunzip `-c`. Source: Solnix gzip(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD gzip(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION
OpenBSD	files that do not shrink	On Solnix, compression is always performed even if the output is slightly larger. On OpenBSD, a file is ignored if compression would not reduce its size, unless `-f` is used. Source: Solnix gzip(1) DESCRIPTION (Compression is always performed); OpenBSD gzip(1) DESCRIPTION, -f
FreeBSD	symbolic links	Solnix gzip only compresses regular files and ignores symbolic links. FreeBSD `-f` allows symbolic links to regular files. The NetBSD `-f` text does not mention symbolic links. Source: Solnix gzip(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD gzip(1) -f; NetBSD gzip(1) -f
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	formats gunzip accepts	Solnix gunzip reads gzip, single-member deflate zip, compress, compress `-H` and pack. FreeBSD also reads bzip2, lzip, zstd and xz. NetBSD reads compress, bzip2, lzip and xz. OpenBSD reads gzip, compress and single-member zip. Source: Solnix gzip(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD gzip(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD gzip(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD gzip(1) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	`-a` and `--rsyncable`	Solnix `-a` converts line endings, and is supported only on some non-Unix systems. NetBSD `-a` does nothing. FreeBSD and OpenBSD have no `-a`. The BSD pages do not list `--rsyncable` or `--synchronous`, which Solnix lists. Source: Solnix gzip(1) -a and option list; NetBSD gzip(1) -a; FreeBSD gzip(1) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD gzip(1) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	compression levels	The Solnix synopsis lists only `-1` and `-9` (as "19"). FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD document `-1` to `-9` and state a default of 6. The visible Solnix text does not state a default. Source: Solnix gzip(1) SYNOPSIS; FreeBSD gzip(1) -1 to -9; OpenBSD gzip(1) -1...9; NetBSD gzip(1) -1 to -9
FreeBSD, NetBSD	GZIP variable and exit status	FreeBSD and NetBSD document a GZIP environment variable holding options parsed before the command line. They exit 0 on success, 1 on error and 2 on a warning. The visible Solnix page text does not show either. Source: FreeBSD gzip(1) ENVIRONMENT, EXIT STATUS; NetBSD gzip(1) ENVIRONMENT, EXIT STATUS

Standards

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

Writing portable scripts

Use gzip -dc file instead of zcat. OpenBSD provides gzcat, not zcat.
Stick to short options -c, -d, -f, -k, -l, -t, -v and -S. OpenBSD has no long options, and -L, -V and -a differ across systems.

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.