sha512sum(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
sha512sum is not in the Solnix base system: install pkgs.solnix.coreutils to get the GNU coreutils version (page footer: GNU coreutils 9.7). Its options match the Linux page. FreeBSD documents sha512sum on a shared md5/sha page, where the program name selects GNU or BSD behaviour.
The manual pages
- Solnix: sha512sum(1) from
pkgs.solnix.coreutils - Linux: sha512sum(1) coreutils-full-9.11
- FreeBSD: sha512sum(1) 15.1-RELEASE
What Solnix runs
Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.coreutils. The bundle lists no other Solnix variants and does not say whether a different checksum command ships in the base system.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | same program | Solnix and Linux both document GNU coreutils sha512sum with the same SYNOPSIS and the same options: -b, -c, -t, -w, -z, --tag, --ignore-missing, --quiet, --status, --strict, --warn. The Solnix page is from coreutils 9.7 and the Linux page from 9.11.Source: Solnix sha512sum(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION and footer; Linux sha512sum(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION |
| Linux | page wording on cksum | The Linux page calls sha512sum a 'Legacy interface to the cksum utility'. The Solnix page does not say this, though both list cksum(1) under SEE ALSO. The manual does not say whether Solnix's 9.7 build differs in behaviour. Source: Linux sha512sum(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix sha512sum(1) DESCRIPTION, SEE ALSO |
| FreeBSD | program name selects the mode | On FreeBSD, one program serves many names. Invoked as a name ending in 'sum' (such as sha512sum) it uses GNU options and output. Invoked as sha512 it uses BSD options. On Solnix, sha512sum has only the GNU interface. Source: FreeBSD sha512sum(1) DESCRIPTION, BSD OPTIONS, GNU OPTIONS; Solnix sha512sum(1) SYNOPSIS |
| FreeBSD | -c in BSD mode vs sha512sum | FreeBSD sha512 (BSD mode) -c takes a string and compares the file's digest against it. sha512sum -c (on Solnix, Linux and FreeBSD) reads a checksum file instead. Do not mix the two forms.Source: FreeBSD sha512sum(1) BSD OPTIONS -c string, GNU OPTIONS -c; Solnix sha512sum(1) -c |
| FreeBSD | what -c accepts and prints | FreeBSD -c accepts digest lines in either classical BSD format or GNU format. It prints 'name: OK' or 'name: FAILED' per line, then counts of failed and skipped lines. Solnix says only that the input should be a former output of this program.Source: FreeBSD sha512sum(1) GNU OPTIONS -c; Solnix sha512sum(1) DESCRIPTION (last paragraph) |
| FreeBSD | file name encoding | FreeBSD encodes file names with unprintable characters using vis(3) VIS_CSTYLE | VIS_OCTAL in all modes. The Solnix page mentions file name escaping only under -z, which disables it. It does not describe the escape style.Source: FreeBSD sha512sum(1) DESCRIPTION (vis(3)); Solnix sha512sum(1) -z |
| FreeBSD | -z and escaping | Solnix -z ends each output line with NUL and also disables file name escaping. The FreeBSD -z entry says only that output lines end with NUL rather than newline. Whether FreeBSD still escapes names under -z is not stated.Source: Solnix sha512sum(1) -z; FreeBSD sha512sum(1) GNU OPTIONS -z |
| FreeBSD | --quiet wording | Solnix --quiet suppresses the OK line for each verified file. FreeBSD --quiet prints nothing unless verification fails. The two pages word it differently, so check mismatch reporting before relying on it.Source: Solnix sha512sum(1) --quiet; FreeBSD sha512sum(1) GNU OPTIONS --quiet |
| FreeBSD | extra BSD-mode options | FreeBSD adds BSD-mode options (-p, -q, -r, -s, -x, and -a in shasum mode) that sha512sum on Solnix and Linux does not have. In the sha512sum form they are not part of the GNU option set.Source: FreeBSD sha512sum(1) BSD OPTIONS, PERL OPTIONS; Solnix sha512sum(1) SYNOPSIS |
| Linux, FreeBSD | binary vs text mode | Solnix says there is no difference between binary and text mode on GNU systems. FreeBSD says the same for its implementation. The default output line still carries a '*' (binary) or ' ' (text) mode character, per the Solnix page. Source: Solnix sha512sum(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD sha512sum(1) GNU OPTIONS -t |
Standards
- POSIX: sha512sum is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Solnix: The sums are computed as described in FIPS-180-2.
Writing portable scripts
- Stick to the options all three pages share (
-b,-c,-t,-w,-z,--tag,--ignore-missing,--quiet,--status,--strict,--warn). Call it as sha512sum, not sha512, so FreeBSD uses GNU mode. - On a default Solnix system, check that sha512sum exists before using it. If it is missing, install pkgs.solnix.coreutils.
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.