Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

shred is not in the Solnix base system: install pkgs.solnix.coreutils to get the GNU coreutils shred. The Solnix and Linux pages are the same program, with one wording difference in -v. The bundle has no BSD counterpart pages.

The manual pages

Solnix: shred(1) from pkgs.solnix.coreutils
Linux: shred(1) coreutils-full-9.11

What Solnix runs

Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.coreutils. The bundle lists no illumos variant of shred, and the SOLNIX DEFAULT ON PATH section is absent. The published Solnix page is from GNU coreutils 9.7 (April 2025).

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
Linux	same program	The Solnix page and the Linux page describe GNU coreutils shred with the same synopsis and the same options. Defaults match: 3 overwrite passes, no removal unless `-u` or `--remove` is given, and `--remove` defaults to 'wipesync'. Source: Solnix shred(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS; Linux shred(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS
Linux	`-v` description	The Solnix page describes `-v`/-`-verbose` as 'show progress'. The Linux page describes it as 'show details of data and metadata operations performed'. The bundle does not say whether the output differs. Source: Solnix shred(1) -v, --verbose; Linux shred(1) -v, --verbose
Linux	version of the documentation	The Solnix page footer says GNU coreutils 9.7. The Linux page comes from coreutils-full-9.11. The Linux page's options match the Solnix page's, so the bundle shows no option added or removed between the two. Source: Solnix shred(1) footer; Linux shred(1) bundle header (coreutils-full-9.11)
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	no BSD counterpart in the bundle	The bundle contains no FreeBSD, OpenBSD or NetBSD page for shred. The manual texts supplied cannot say whether those systems have a shred command or an equivalent. Do not assume one. Source: Bundle header: only COUNTERPART linux is listed
Linux	not on PATH by default	On Linux the page is shown for a shred that the bundle treats as present. On Solnix, shred is absent until pkgs.solnix.coreutils is installed. A script run on a fresh Solnix system will fail with command not found. Source: Solnix header: 'none: install pkgs.solnix.coreutils'
all four	in-place overwrite caveat	The Solnix page warns that shred assumes the file system and hardware overwrite data in place, and that backups and mirrors may keep copies. The manual does not name specific file systems. Do not rely on shred for secure deletion on Solnix without checking your storage. Source: Solnix shred(1) CAUTION paragraph in DESCRIPTION

Standards

POSIX: shred is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.

Writing portable scripts

Check that shred exists (command -v shred) before use. It is not in the Solnix base system and the bundle shows no BSD page for it.
Avoid depending on -v output format; the Solnix and Linux pages word it differently.

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.