Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

On Solnix, rm is the illumos /usr/bin/rm. It accepts -d, -f, -i, -r, -R and -v, but has no -I, -P, -W or -x and no GNU long options. Its -f/-i handling differs from the others: when standard input is not a terminal, rm acts as if -f were given, and -i always overrides -f whatever the order.

The manual pages

Solnix: rm(1) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
Linux: rm(1) coreutils-full-9.11
FreeBSD: rm(1) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: rm(1) 8.0
NetBSD: rm(1) 11.0
Standard: POSIX.1-2024 (IEEE Std 1003.1-2024), rm

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos /usr/bin/rm. /usr/xpg4/bin/rm is also shipped, with synopsis [-fiRr]. Its -f does not prompt, writes no diagnostic for non-existent operands and does not change the exit status for them, and it ignores earlier -i. Its -i ignores any -f. The /usr/bin/rm page does not say that -f ignores missing files. The page lists -d and -v as supported by both variants, but the xpg4 synopsis does not show them.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	`-f` and `-i` precedence	On Solnix `/usr/bin/rm`, `-i` overrides `-f` and stays in effect even when stdin is not a terminal. On FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD, `-f` overrides any previous `-i` and `-i` overrides any previous `-f`, so the last one given wins. Source: Solnix rm(1) OPTIONS /usr/bin/rm -i; FreeBSD rm(1) -f, -i; OpenBSD rm(1) -f, -i; NetBSD rm(1) -f, -i
all four	stdin not a terminal	Solnix rm runs as if `-f` were set whenever standard input is not a terminal, so write-protected files are removed without a prompt. The Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages describe prompting only when stdin is a terminal and do not mention this `-f` equivalence. Source: Solnix rm(1) DESCRIPTION (last paragraph); Linux rm(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD rm(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD rm(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD rm(1) DESCRIPTION
all four	`-f` and non-existent files	Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD document `-f` as ignoring non-existent files, with no diagnostic and no error exit status. The Solnix `/usr/bin/rm` `-f` entry does not say this. Only `/usr/xpg4/bin/rm` `-f` documents it. Source: Linux rm(1) -f; FreeBSD rm(1) -f; OpenBSD rm(1) -f; NetBSD rm(1) -f; Solnix rm(1) OPTIONS /usr/bin/rm -f and /usr/xpg4/bin/rm -f
all four	`-d` meaning	Solnix `-d` removes a directory only if it is empty. Linux `-d`/-`-dir` also removes empty directories. On FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD, `-d` attempts to remove directories as well as other files, and `-R` implies `-d`. Source: Solnix rm(1) DESCRIPTION, -d; Linux rm(1) -d, --dir; FreeBSD rm(1) -d, -R; OpenBSD rm(1) -d, -R; NetBSD rm(1) -d, -R
Linux, FreeBSD	`-I`	Solnix has no `-I`. Linux and FreeBSD `-I` asks once before removing more than three files or removing recursively. OpenBSD and NetBSD have no `-I` either. On Solnix, `-i` is the only prompting option. Source: Linux rm(1) -I; FreeBSD rm(1) -I; Solnix rm(1) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD rm(1) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD rm(1) SYNOPSIS
all four	`-P` overwrite	Solnix has no `-P`. OpenBSD `-P` overwrites regular files once with a random pattern. NetBSD `-P` overwrites three times and refuses to remove a file it cannot overwrite. FreeBSD `-P` has no effect. Linux has no `-P` and points to shred(1). Source: OpenBSD rm(1) -P; NetBSD rm(1) -P; FreeBSD rm(1) -P, COMPATIBILITY; Linux rm(1) DESCRIPTION/SEE ALSO shred(1); Solnix rm(1) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-W` undelete	Solnix has no `-W`. FreeBSD and NetBSD `-W` tries to undelete files covered by whiteouts, which are used by union file systems. Passing `-W` to Solnix rm is an invalid option. Source: FreeBSD rm(1) -W; NetBSD rm(1) -W; Solnix rm(1) SYNOPSIS
Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD	staying on one file system	Solnix has no option to avoid crossing mount points. FreeBSD and NetBSD use `-x`. Linux uses `--one-file-system`. Source: FreeBSD rm(1) -x; NetBSD rm(1) -x; Linux rm(1) --one-file-system; Solnix rm(1) OPTIONS
Linux	long options and root protection	Linux (GNU) rm has long options (`--force`, `--recursive`, `--verbose`, `--interactive`[=WHEN]) and `--preserve-root`, which is the default. The Solnix page lists no long options and says nothing about refusing to remove /. Source: Linux rm(1) --preserve-root, --no-preserve-root, --interactive; Solnix rm(1) SYNOPSIS and OPTIONS
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	protected operands	FreeBSD makes removing /, . or .. an error. OpenBSD does so for the root directory, . and ... NetBSD names only . and ... The Solnix page does not list any operands that are refused. Source: FreeBSD rm(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD rm(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD rm(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix rm(1) OPERANDS
all four	end-of-options marker	Solnix NOTES describe - as the end-of-options marker, with -- accepted as a BSD migration aid that may disappear. If both appear, the second is a file name. Linux and FreeBSD document rm -- `-foo`. Source: Solnix rm(1) NOTES; Linux rm(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD rm(1) NOTES
FreeBSD	unlink in the same page	The FreeBSD page also covers unlink, a one-argument mode that calls unlink(2). The Solnix rm page documents no unlink command and points to unlink(2) in SEE ALSO. Source: FreeBSD rm(1) NAME, SYNOPSIS; Solnix rm(1) SEE ALSO

Standards

POSIX: rm is a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: Interface Stability: /usr/xpg4/bin/rm is Committed. The page points to standards(7).
OpenBSD: The rm utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”) specification. The flags [-dPv] are extensions to that specification.
NetBSD: The rm utility is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2 (“POSIX.2”) compatible. The -v and -x options are extensions.
FreeBSD: The page says the rm command conforms to (the standard name is missing from the text). unlink conforms to Version 2 of the Single UNIX Specification (“SUSv2”). The page calls -v non-standard.

Writing portable scripts

For portable scripts use only -f, -i and -r (or -R). -d, -v, -I, -P, -W and -x are missing or behave differently on at least one system.
Put -- or ./ before file names that may start with a dash. Solnix documents - and -- as end-of-options markers, and Linux and FreeBSD document -- and ./name.

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.