Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`rpc.yppasswdd(8)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

On Solnix, rpc.yppasswdd is the illumos NIS password-change daemon at /usr/lib/netsvc/yp/rpc.yppasswdd, started by SMF through ypstart(8). Its options resemble NetBSD's (-noshell, -nogecos, -nopw, -m make-args), but the directory option is -D, not -d. FreeBSD's version has a different option set, and its -m turns on multi-domain mode.

The manual pages

Solnix: rpc.yppasswdd(8) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
FreeBSD: rpc.yppasswdd(8) 15.1-RELEASE
NetBSD: rpc.yppasswdd(8) 11.0

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos rpc.yppasswdd. It is not in /usr/bin, /usr/sbin or /sbin; the full path is /usr/lib/netsvc/yp/rpc.yppasswdd. No other variants are shipped. The daemon is started on the master server of the passwd map by ypstart(8), which the service svc:/network/nis/server:default invokes at boot. Use svcadm(8) to enable, disable or restart it, and svcs(1) to query it.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
FreeBSD, NetBSD	service model	Solnix starts the daemon through SMF (svc:/network/nis/server:default, via ypstart(8)) and restarts it with svcadm(8). The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages describe no service mechanism in the text kept in the bundle. Source: Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION and NOTES; FreeBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-D` vs `-d`	Solnix `-D` directory places the passwd, shadow and passwd.adjunct files under that directory. NetBSD uses lower-case `-d` directory to change the root directory of the password file from "/". FreeBSD `-d` sets the default NIS domain. Same letter, different meaning. Source: Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) -D; NetBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) -d; FreeBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) -d
FreeBSD	`-m` meaning	On Solnix, `-m` takes arguments that are passed to make(1S), which runs in `/var/yp` after a password file changes. On FreeBSD, `-m` takes no argument and turns on multi-domain mode. Both forms of `-m` differ from each other, so a command line is not portable. Source: Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) -m; FreeBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) -m
FreeBSD	restricting field changes	Solnix uses `-noshell`, `-nogecos` and `-nopw` to block remote changes to the shell, GECOS and password fields. FreeBSD uses single-letter `-s` (shell) and `-f` (full name). The FreeBSD text kept in the bundle shows no option for blocking password changes. Source: Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) -s, -f
FreeBSD	source files and map rebuild	Solnix edits the passwd, shadow and security/passwd.adjunct files and rebuilds with make in `/var/yp` (when `-m` is given). FreeBSD edits a master.passwd template, `/var/yp/master.passwd` by default (`-t`), and runs `/usr/libexec/yppwupdate` to rebuild the maps. Source: Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION, -t
FreeBSD	superuser updates	FreeBSD lets the superuser on the NIS master change any field without the existing NIS password, and with `-a` add new entries. The Solnix page says entries change only if the password presented by yppasswd(1) matches the entry's encrypted password. It documents no superuser bypass. Source: FreeBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION, -a; Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION
NetBSD	binary password databases	With `-d`, NetBSD requires pwd.db and spwd.db to exist, created once with pwd_mkdb `-d` directory directory/etc/master.passwd, or the password change fails. The Solnix page mentions no such databases. It describes plain passwd, shadow and passwd.adjunct files. Source: NetBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) -d; Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, NetBSD	shadow and adjunct files	Solnix requires a shadow file unless `-D` names a directory other than `/etc`, and uses security/passwd.adjunct if present. A deviation in where the encrypted password sits makes updates fail. Adding or removing shadow or passwd.adjunct needs a daemon restart. Neither BSD page describes this. Source: Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, NetBSD	NIS to LDAP (N2L) mode	On Solnix, if `/var/yp/NISLDAPmapping` exists, the daemon runs in N2L mode: changes go to the DIT, `-D` is meaningless, `-m` is unused, and yppush(8) replaces ypmake(8). The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages mention no LDAP mode. Source: Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION (N2L); FreeBSD and NetBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, NetBSD	restricted shell check	On Solnix, setting check_restricted_shell_name=1 in `/etc/default/yppasswdd` makes the daemon treat shells whose names begin with 'r' as restricted, limiting a user's ability to change from them. It is off by default. The BSD pages document no such file. Source: Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION, yppasswdd(5); FreeBSD and NetBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8)
FreeBSD	backward-compatible file arguments	Solnix has a second syntax taking passwordfile and adjunctfile paths. It cannot be combined with `-D`, is kept only for backward compatibility, and might be removed. FreeBSD uses `-t` and `-p` for file locations instead. Source: Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) SYNOPSIS, NOTES; FreeBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) -t, -p
FreeBSD	access control	FreeBSD checks the client address against `/var/yp/securenets`, the same mechanism as ypserv(8). The Solnix page describes no client address check. Source: FreeBSD rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION; Solnix rpc.yppasswdd(8) DESCRIPTION

Standards

POSIX: rpc.yppasswdd is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: The kept page text states no interface stability level; SEE ALSO lists attributes(7), but the text in the bundle gives no ATTRIBUTES section.

Writing portable scripts

Do not share one rpc.yppasswdd command line across systems. -D, -d and -m mean different things on Solnix, NetBSD and FreeBSD, so pick options per OS.
Solnix and NetBSD both accept -noshell, -nogecos, -nopw and -m make-args, but verify the directory option (-D on Solnix, -d on NetBSD) per system.

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.