Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`newaliases(8)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

On Solnix, newaliases is the illumos command at /usr/sbin/newaliases. It rebuilds the database for the sendmail aliases file /etc/mail/aliases. FreeBSD documents the same job as sendmail -bi. OpenBSD instead feeds smtpd, and NetBSD's page is the Postfix sendmail interface, so what it does depends on the mail system installed.

The manual pages

Solnix: newaliases(8) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
FreeBSD: newaliases(1) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: newaliases(8) 8.0
NetBSD: newaliases(1) 11.0

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos newaliases at /usr/sbin/newaliases. No other variants are shipped. It accepts the sendmail(8) flags, but the page says only -C and a few -o options have any effect.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	which mail system it drives	Solnix and FreeBSD rebuild the sendmail aliases database; FreeBSD says it is identical to sendmail `-bi`. OpenBSD makes alias changes visible to smtpd(8). NetBSD's page is the Postfix compatibility command, which runs postalias(1). Source: Solnix newaliases(8) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD newaliases(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD newaliases(8) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD newaliases(1) DESCRIPTION (newaliases, implemented by running postalias)
OpenBSD	options	Solnix newaliases has no option of its own in the synopsis, but accepts sendmail flags. OpenBSD takes `-f` file to name the smtpd.conf-style configuration file (default `/etc/mail/smtpd.conf`). The OpenBSD page does not list `-C`. Source: Solnix newaliases(8) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD newaliases(8) SYNOPSIS, -f
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	`-C` alternate configuration	Solnix `-C` path names an alternate sendmail configuration file. NetBSD `-C` names the Postfix main.cf or its directory, and newer Postfix requires non-default directories to be authorized. The FreeBSD page documents no options. OpenBSD uses `-f` instead. Source: Solnix newaliases(8) -C; NetBSD newaliases(1) -C config_file / -C config_dir; FreeBSD newaliases(1) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD newaliases(8) -f
OpenBSD, NetBSD	where the alias file is chosen	Solnix rebuilds `/etc/mail/aliases`, and `-oAfile` can name other alias files. OpenBSD takes the alias file location from smtpd.conf(5), defaulting to `/etc/mail/aliases.` NetBSD (Postfix) uses the alias_database parameter unless `-oA` gives an input file. Source: Solnix newaliases(8) DESCRIPTION, -oAfile; OpenBSD newaliases(8) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD newaliases(1) DESCRIPTION (newaliases, alias_database)
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	exit status	Solnix newaliases returns sysexits.h codes such as EX_OK, EX_NOUSER, EX_UNAVAILABLE, EX_SYNTAX, EX_SOFTWARE, EX_OSERR, EX_NOHOST and EX_TEMPFAIL. FreeBSD and OpenBSD document only 0 on success and >0 on error. The NetBSD text in the bundle gives no exit status. Source: Solnix newaliases(8) EXIT STATUS; FreeBSD newaliases(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD newaliases(8) EXIT STATUS
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	verbose output	Solnix newaliases runs in verbose mode (`-v`) automatically, so it prints progress when run. The FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD texts in the bundle do not say it does. Source: Solnix newaliases(8) DESCRIPTION (runs in verbose mode); FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD newaliases pages
FreeBSD, OpenBSD	makemap	FreeBSD warns not to use makemap to build the aliases database, because newaliases adds a special token sendmail needs. OpenBSD says that with db files newaliases is equivalent to makemap `-t` aliases `/etc/mail/aliases.` The Solnix page does not mention makemap. Source: FreeBSD newaliases(1) DESCRIPTION (Notice); OpenBSD newaliases(8) DESCRIPTION; Solnix newaliases(8)
NetBSD	log level and ignored flags	Solnix `-oLn` sets the default log level (default 9), and `-on` validates the right-hand side of aliases. In NetBSD's Postfix interface, `-L` label is ignored (use syslog_name), and the `-n` and `-m` flags are ignored. Source: Solnix newaliases(8) -oLn, -on; NetBSD newaliases(1) -L, -m, -n
NetBSD	visibility delay and `-I`	NetBSD documents that an alias database update may take a minute to become visible; postfix reload removes the delay. It also accepts `-I` as well as `-bi`. The Solnix page describes neither a delay nor `-I`. Source: NetBSD newaliases(1) DESCRIPTION (newaliases, Note; -bi, -I); Solnix newaliases(8)

Standards

POSIX: newaliases is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: The page lists attributes(7) under SEE ALSO but gives no interface stability level in the bundle text.

Writing portable scripts

Call plain newaliases with no options in scripts. Flags differ: -C on Solnix and NetBSD, -f on OpenBSD, and none on FreeBSD.
Check the exit status only as zero versus non-zero. Only Solnix documents the specific sysexits.h codes.

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.