ktutil(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, ktutil is the illumos /usr/bin/ktutil, an interactive keytab editor that takes no command-line options or subcommand arguments. The NetBSD ktutil(8) is non-interactive: it takes a command and options on the command line, with -k to name the keytab.
The manual pages
- Solnix: ktutil(1) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - FreeBSD: ktutil(1) 15.1-RELEASE
- NetBSD: ktutil(8) 11.0
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos ktutil at /usr/bin/ktutil. No other variants are shipped. The Solnix page documents only the interactive interface and does not list its internal commands. See kadmin(8) and k5srvutil(8) for related tools.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| NetBSD | invocation model | Solnix ktutil is run with no arguments (SYNOPSIS is just /usr/bin/ktutil) and is an interactive command-line interface. NetBSD ktutil takes options plus a command and its args on the command line, e.g. ktutil [-k keytab] command [args].Source: Solnix ktutil(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION; NetBSD ktutil(8) SYNOPSIS |
| NetBSD | selecting the keytab | NetBSD has -k keytab / --keytab=keytab to choose the keytab. The Solnix synopsis has no such option. The page says you must read in a keytab's keylist before managing it, but does not name the interactive command that does so.Source: NetBSD ktutil(8) SYNOPSIS (-k); Solnix ktutil(1) DESCRIPTION |
| NetBSD | scripting | NetBSD commands (add, change, copy, get, list, remove, rename, purge) can be given as arguments in a script. The Solnix page documents no command-line arguments and no command list, so scripted use would have to drive the interactive prompt. Source: NetBSD ktutil(8) DESCRIPTION; Solnix ktutil(1) SYNOPSIS |
| FreeBSD | interface description | FreeBSD ktutil is described the same way as Solnix: it invokes a command interface in which an administrator can read, write or edit keytab entries. Its synopsis is also plain ktutil. Neither the FreeBSD nor the Solnix page lists the interactive commands. Source: FreeBSD ktutil(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION; Solnix ktutil(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION |
| FreeBSD, NetBSD | permissions | The Solnix page states the user must have read/write permission on the keytab, so for a root-owned keytab ktutil must run as root. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages say nothing about permissions. Source: Solnix ktutil(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD ktutil(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD ktutil(8) DESCRIPTION |
| FreeBSD, NetBSD | manual section | Solnix and FreeBSD document ktutil in section 1 (user commands). NetBSD documents it in section 8 (system administration). Source: Solnix ktutil(1); FreeBSD ktutil(1); NetBSD ktutil(8) |
| FreeBSD | environment and legacy files | FreeBSD refers to kerberos for environment variables and states that Kerberos V4 srvtab files are no longer supported. The Solnix page lists no environment variables and does not mention srvtab files. Source: FreeBSD ktutil(1) ENVIRONMENT, DESCRIPTION; Solnix ktutil(1) |
| NetBSD | talking to the KDC admin server | NetBSD ktutil has get and change commands that contact the kadmin server to generate new keys. The Solnix page documents no such command. It points to kadmin(8) and k5srvutil(8) in SEE ALSO. Source: NetBSD ktutil(8) get, change; Solnix ktutil(1) SEE ALSO |
Standards
- POSIX: ktutil is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Solnix: Interface Stability: the command arguments are Evolving. The command output is Unstable.
Writing portable scripts
- Do not script ktutil with command-line arguments across systems: NetBSD takes a command on the command line, while the Solnix page documents only an interactive interface.
- Keep keytab-handling scripts per platform, and check the permission requirement (root for a root-owned keytab) before running.
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.