Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`logger(1b)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

The Solnix logger(1b) page documents /usr/ucb/logger, a small tool with only -f, -i, -p and -t. A default Solnix system runs /usr/bin/logger, which this page does not describe. Linux and the BSDs all have -s (copy to stderr) and most have remote or console options that this page lacks.

The manual pages

Solnix: logger(1b) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
Linux: logger(1) util-linux-2.42.3
FreeBSD: logger(1) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: logger(1) 8.0
NetBSD: logger(1) 11.0
Standard: POSIX.1-2024 (IEEE Std 1003.1-2024), logger

What Solnix runs

On a default Solnix system the command on PATH is the illumos /usr/bin/logger. The published page logger(1b) covers /usr/ucb/logger, and its SYNOPSIS lists only -f, -i, -p and -t. The bundle has no text for /usr/bin/logger, so the options of the PATH version are not documented here. Check logger(1) on the system before relying on any flag beyond these four.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
all four	`-s` (echo to stderr)	The Solnix `/usr/ucb/logger` page has no `-s`. Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD all use `-s` to copy the message to standard error as well as the system log. A script using logger `-s` may not work with the Solnix ucb variant. Source: Solnix logger(1b) SYNOPSIS and OPTIONS; Linux logger(1) -s, --stderr; FreeBSD logger(1) -s; OpenBSD logger(1) -s; NetBSD logger(1) -s
Linux, FreeBSD	remote syslog	The Solnix page documents no way to send to a remote host. Linux uses `-n`/-`-server` with `--udp`, `--tcp` and `-P`/-`-port`. FreeBSD uses `-h` host with `-P` port, `-S`, `-4`, `-6` and `-A`. OpenBSD and NetBSD have no such option. Source: Solnix logger(1b) OPTIONS; Linux logger(1) -n, -d, -P; FreeBSD logger(1) -h, -P, -S, -4, -6, -A
Linux, NetBSD	`-n` meaning	Solnix has no `-n`. On Linux, `-n` takes a server name and writes to that remote syslog server. On NetBSD, `-n` takes no argument and opens the log immediately (LOG_NDELAY). Source: Solnix logger(1b) SYNOPSIS; Linux logger(1) -n, --server; NetBSD logger(1) -n
Linux, NetBSD	`-d` meaning	Solnix has no `-d`. On Linux, `-d` means UDP only. On NetBSD, `-d` takes a structured-data (SD) string for the message. The same letter means unrelated things on the two systems. Source: Solnix logger(1b) SYNOPSIS; Linux logger(1) -d, --udp; NetBSD logger(1) -d
OpenBSD, NetBSD	`-c` console fallback	OpenBSD and NetBSD accept `-c`: if the message cannot be passed to syslogd(8), it is written to the console. The Solnix page documents no `-c`. Source: OpenBSD logger(1) -c; NetBSD logger(1) -c; Solnix logger(1b) OPTIONS
FreeBSD	`-i` and the process ID	On Solnix, `-i` logs the logger process ID with each line. On FreeBSD, `-i` is ignored because the process ID is always logged. FreeBSD `-t` tag[N] sets a specific process ID, and Solnix `-t` takes only a tag. Source: Solnix logger(1b) -i, -t; FreeBSD logger(1) -i, -t
Linux	`--id` and other long options	Linux adds `--id`[=id] to log a chosen ID instead of logger's PID. It also has `--journald`, `--prio-prefix`, `--rfc3164`, `--rfc5424`, `--msgid` and `--no-act`. The Solnix page documents none of these, only short options. Source: Linux logger(1) --id, --journald, --prio-prefix, --rfc5424, --msgid, --no-act; Solnix logger(1b) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD	default tag	FreeBSD marks lines with the current login name unless `-t` is given. The Solnix page does not say what tag is used by default. Source: FreeBSD logger(1) -t; Solnix logger(1b) -t
Linux, FreeBSD	`-f` with a message	Linux says `-f` cannot be combined with a command-line message. FreeBSD ignores `-f` when a message is given. The Solnix text is unclear on this: it describes `-f` only as the source of the message, and the manual does not say what happens when both are given. Source: Linux logger(1) -f; FreeBSD logger(1) -f; Solnix logger(1b) DESCRIPTION, -f
Linux, NetBSD	message ID	NetBSD `-m` sets the MSGID, and Linux `--msgid` sets the RFC 5424 MSGID (only with `--rfc5424`). The Solnix page has no equivalent. Source: NetBSD logger(1) -m; Linux logger(1) --msgid; Solnix logger(1b) OPTIONS
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	exit status	FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD document exit 0 on success and >0 on error. The Solnix page has no EXIT STATUS section and does not say. Source: FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD logger(1) EXIT STATUS; Solnix logger(1b)

Standards

POSIX: logger is a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: The logger(1b) page has no STANDARDS section; its SEE ALSO refers to attributes(7), but the bundle has no stability text.
OpenBSD: The logger utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”) specification. The flags [-cfipst] are extensions to that specification.
NetBSD: The logger utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 (“POSIX.2”).
FreeBSD: The logger command is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2 (“POSIX.2”) compatible.

Writing portable scripts

Portable across all five pages: logger [-i] [-f file] [-p pri] [-t tag] [message]. All five give user.notice as the default priority and accept facility.level pairs such as local3.info.
Avoid -s, -n, -d, -h and -c in portable scripts: they are missing from the Solnix ucb page or mean different things on Linux, FreeBSD and NetBSD.

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.