Comparison of BSD operating systems: Difference between revisions

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Most of the current BSD operating systems are [[Open-source software|open source]] and available for download, free of charge, under the [[BSD License]]. They also generally use a [[monolithic kernel]] architecture, apart from DragonFly BSD which feature [[hybrid kernel]]s. The various open source BSD projects generally develop the kernel and [[user space|userland]] programs and libraries together, the source code being managed using a single central source repository.

In the past, BSD washas also been used as a basis for several proprietary versions of UNIX, such as [[Apple Inc.]]'s [[MacOS]], [[Sun Microsystems|Sun]]'s [[SunOS]], [[Sequent Computer Systems|Sequent]]'s [[Dynix]], [[NeXT]]'s [[NeXTSTEP]], [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]]'s [[Ultrix]] and OSF/1 AXP (which became the now discontinued [[Tru64 UNIX]]).

==Aims and philosophies==

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In June 2008, the NetBSD Foundation moved to a [[BSD_licenses#2-clause_license_("Simplified_BSD_License"_or_"FreeBSD_License") | 2-clause BSD license]], citing changes at UCB and industry applicability.<ref>{{cite web | date = 2006-01-08 | url = http://www.netbsd.org/Misc/about.html | title = About the NetBSD Project – What is the NetBSD project? | publisher = The NetBSD Foundation, Inc. | access-date = 2006-04-22}}</ref>

Projects spawned by NetBSD include [[NPF (firewall)|NPF]], [[Rump kernel | Rump kernels ]], [[busdma]], [[pkgsrc]] and NVMM. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://blog.netbsd.org/tnf/entry/from_zero_to_nvmm |title=From Zero to NVMM| date=2019-04-09 |access-date=2025-01-06}}</ref>

'''Derivatives:'''

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}}</ref>

OpenBSD emphasizes very high standards in all areas. Security policies include disabling all non-essential services and having sane initial settings; and integrated [[cryptography]] (originally made easier due to relaxed Canadian export laws relative to the United States), [[Full disclosure (computer security)|full public disclosure]] of all security flaws discovered; thoroughly [[auditing]] code for bugs and security issues; various security features, including the [[W^X]] page protection technology and heavy use of randomization to mitigate attacks. Coding approaches include an emphasis on searching for similar issues throughout the [[code base]] if any code issue is identified. Concerning software freedom, OpenBSD prefers the [[BSD license|BSD]] or [[ISC license]], with the [[GNU General Public License|GPL]] acceptable only for existing software which is impractical to replace, such as the [[GNU Compiler Collection]]. NDAs are never considered acceptable. In common with its parent, NetBSD, OpenBSD strives to run on a wide variety of hardware.<ref>{{cite web | date = 2005-10-12 | url = http://www.openbsd.org/goals.html | title = OpenBSD Project Goals | publisher = OpenBSD | access-date = 2006-04-22}}</ref> Where licenses or code quality conflict with OpenBSD's philosophy, the OpenBSD team has re-implemented major pieces of software from scratch, which have often become the standard used within other versions of BSD. Examples include the [[PF (firewall)|pf]] [[packet filter]], new [[privilege separation]] techniques used to safeguard tools such as [[tcpdump]] and [[tmux]], much of the [[OpenSSH]] codebase, and replacing GPL licensed tools such as [[diff]], [[grep]] and [[pkg-config]] with [[ISC license|ISC]] or [[BSD license|BSD]] licensed equivalents.

OpenBSD prominently notes the success of its security approach on its website home page. {{As of|2024|July}}, only two vulnerabilities have ever been found in its default install (an [[OpenSSH]] vulnerability found in 2002, and a remote network vulnerability found in 2007) in a period of almost 22 years. According to OpenBSD expert Michael W. Lucas, OpenBSD "is widely regarded as the most secure operating system available anywhere, under any licensing terms."<ref>{{cite book

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A number of BSD OSes use stylized version of their respective names for logos. This includes TrueOS, GhostBSD, DesktopBSD, ClosedBSD,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.closedbsd.org/images/logo.jpg | title = ClosedBSD logo

| format = JPEG | access-date = 2006-10-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050306153339/http://www.closedbsd.org/images/logo.jpg

| archive-date=2005-03-06}} Original last retrieved on 2006-04-22.</ref> and [[MicroBSD]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.microbsd.net/images/logo.png | title = MicroBSD logo – The small secure unix like OS | format = PNG | access-date = 2006-04-22 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060425092758/http://www.microbsd.net/images/logo.png | archive-date = 2006-04-25 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>https://damnsmallbsd.org/MicroBSD/ | title = New MicroBSD Website</ref> TrueOS's slogan is "Personal computing, served up BSD style!", GhostBSD's "A simple, secure BSD served on a Desktop." DesktopBSD's "A Step Towards BSD on the Desktop." MicroBSD's slogan is "The small secure unix like OS."

[[MirOS]]'s site collects a variety of BSD mascots and [[Tux (mascot)|Tux]], the [[Linux]] mascot, together, illustrating the project's aim of supporting both BSD and Linux kernels. MirOS's slogan is "a wonderful operating system for a world of peace."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://mirbsd.mirsolutions.de/ | title = MirOS/MirPorts: a wonderful operating system for a world of peace | publisher = MirOS Project | access-date = 2006-04-22 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060412181907/http://mirbsd.mirsolutions.de/ | archive-date = 2006-04-12 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

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| 1996-09-01

| [[NetBSD|NetBSD 1.0]]

| 7.67

| 2025-04-28<ref>{{cite web |title=OpenBSD 7.7 |url=https://www.openbsd.org/77.html |access-date=16 May 2025 |website=OpenBSD}}</ref>

| {{Yes|Free}}