Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

On Solnix, more is the illumos pager at /usr/bin/more, with a POSIX variant at /usr/xpg4/bin/more. The two have different option sets. The FreeBSD and NetBSD more(1) pages in the bundle document less(1), and OpenBSD's page describes an implementation that is "less(1) in disguise". Option letters such as -p, -e, -u and -n mean different things between systems.

The manual pages

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

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos /usr/bin/more, which is also installed as page. /usr/xpg4/bin/more is shipped with a different synopsis and option set: -e, -i, -n number, -p command, -t tagstring, and -u with a different meaning. /usr/ucb/more is also shipped, but the bundle does not describe it. The bundle does not say whether /usr/xpg4/bin is on PATH by default.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
all four	two Solnix variants	Solnix has two incompatible more commands. `/usr/bin/more` takes `-cdflrsuw`, `-lines`, +linenumber and +/pattern. `/usr/xpg4/bin/more` takes `-cdeisu`, `-n` number, `-p` command, +command and `-t` tagstring. The OpenBSD synopsis matches the xpg4 option letters. Source: Solnix more(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS; OpenBSD more(1) SYNOPSIS
Linux	`-p` meaning	Linux more `-p` clears the screen and redraws instead of scrolling. `/usr/bin/more` on Solnix has no `-p`. `/usr/xpg4/bin/more` `-p` takes a command to run on each file. A Linux script using `-p` gets an error or different behaviour. Source: Linux more(1) -p, --print-over; Solnix more(1) OPTIONS /usr/xpg4/bin/more -p command
FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-p` meaning	The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages in the bundle document less, whose synopsis shows `-p` pattern. Solnix `/usr/xpg4/bin/more` `-p` takes a more command, not a pattern. The bundle does not show the full less `-p` text. Source: FreeBSD more(1) SYNOPSIS (-p pattern); NetBSD more(1) SYNOPSIS (-p pattern); Solnix more(1) -p command
Linux, OpenBSD	exit at end of file	Solnix `/usr/bin/more` exits after the last file. `/usr/xpg4/bin/more` prompts at the last line unless `-e` is given. OpenBSD behaves like the xpg4 variant: it prompts at end of file, and `-e` exits at once. Linux `-e` exits at EOF and is on by default unless POSIXLY_CORRECT is set or output is not a terminal. Source: Solnix more(1) DESCRIPTION, -e; OpenBSD more(1) DESCRIPTION, -e; Linux more(1) -e, POSIXLY_CORRECT
Linux, OpenBSD	`-u` meaning	Solnix `/usr/bin/more` `-u` suppresses underlining escape sequences. Solnix `/usr/xpg4/bin/more` `-u` and OpenBSD `-u` show backspace as ^H. Linux `-u` means suppress underlining and is documented as silently ignored for compatibility. Source: Solnix more(1) -u (both variants); OpenBSD more(1) -u; Linux more(1) -u, --plain
Linux, OpenBSD	setting lines per screen	Solnix `/usr/bin/more` uses `-lines`, and `/usr/xpg4/bin/more` uses `-n` number. OpenBSD takes `-n` number only. Linux accepts both `-n`/-`-lines` number and `-number`. A script using `-n` works on xpg4, OpenBSD and Linux, but not `/usr/bin/more.` Source: Solnix more(1) -lines, -n number; OpenBSD more(1) -n; Linux more(1) -n, -number
Linux, OpenBSD	start position	Solnix `/usr/bin/more` takes +linenumber and +/pattern. `/usr/xpg4/bin/more` takes +command, which is obsolescent in favour of `-p`. The OpenBSD synopsis has no + argument. Linux takes +number and +/string. Solnix +/pattern starts two lines above the match, and a trailing slash becomes part of the pattern. Source: Solnix more(1) +linenumber, +/pattern, -p command; OpenBSD more(1) SYNOPSIS; Linux more(1) +number, +/string
all four	Solnix-only `/usr/bin/more` flags	`-r` (show unhandled control characters as ^C) and `-w` (wait for a key at end of input before exiting) are documented only for Solnix `/usr/bin/more.` They are absent from the Linux and OpenBSD synopses. The bundle does not show whether less in the FreeBSD and NetBSD pages gives them the same meaning. Source: Solnix more(1) -r, -w; Linux more(1) OPTIONS; OpenBSD more(1) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, NetBSD	page is really less	The FreeBSD and NetBSD more(1) pages in the bundle are titled less and describe less options, long options and the LESS environment variable. The Solnix page describes MORE and has no long options. The bundle does not say how more is invoked on those systems. Source: FreeBSD more(1) NAME, SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS (LESS); NetBSD more(1) NAME, SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS (LESS); Solnix more(1) USAGE Environment (MORE)
Linux	environment variables	Linux more documents MORESECURE, PAGERSECURE, MORE_SHELL_LINES, POSIXLY_CORRECT, VISUAL, EDITOR, SHELL and TERM in addition to MORE. The Solnix text in the bundle documents MORE and terminfo(5) only, but the page is trimmed. Source: Linux more(1) ENVIRONMENT; Solnix more(1) USAGE Environment
OpenBSD	environment and skip commands	OpenBSD more documents COLUMNS, LINES, EDITOR (vi if unset), MORE and TERM. It also states that skip-forward functionality is not implemented. The Solnix page lists skip commands (if, is) in its command list. Source: OpenBSD more(1) ENVIRONMENT, STANDARDS; Solnix more(1) USAGE Commands (if, is)
Linux	page command	Solnix ships page as a separate name. It clears the screen before each screenful and keeps a one-line overlap. On Linux, `-p` is turned on automatically when the executable is named page. Source: Solnix more(1) NAME, SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION; Linux more(1) -p, --print-over
all four	output not a terminal	Solnix more acts like cat(1) when standard output is not a terminal, except that it prints a header before each file in a series. The other pages in the bundle do not describe this. Source: Solnix more(1) DESCRIPTION; Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD more(1) (no equivalent text)

Standards

POSIX: more is a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
OpenBSD: The more utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”) specification, though its presence is optional. Functionality allowing the user to skip (as opposed to scroll) forward is not currently implemented.

Writing portable scripts

Use only -c, -d and -s plus file arguments in portable scripts. Avoid -p, -e, -u, -n and -lines, which differ between Solnix variants, Linux and OpenBSD.
In scripts, use cat(1) or a fixed filter rather than more. Solnix more prints a header before each file when output is not a terminal.

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.