What is the difference between FreeBSD and OpenBSD reddit / BSD ---------------------------------------------------------------------- D3cimator · 2021-08-19 16:27 Sorry for my ignorance, but despite searching online, I could not find the differences between free and open BSD. Could somebody please explain the differences to me. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- OIHipster112 · 2021-08-19 16:33 Lots of differences to be honest. To name a few: 1. FreeBSD is the most general purpose, and has Nvidia drivers. Important if you are in graphics intensive tasks. FreeBSD is a good choice and supports a good number of platforms to varying degrees but is generally good for the common platforms. Has features like Jails (like containers) and Bhyve (virtualization) to make it a nice workstation. 2. OpenBSD focuses a lot on correctness and necessity-meaning clean code and whether or not something belongs in the system. Generally OpenBSD is good for a router, firewall, or other task that security is more of a necessity than usability. Code doesn't just get added or removed-there are reasons behind them that usually involve security concerns or a lack of manpower to update them. This is NOT to say that the other is bad. Think of it like tools in a shop-there are times a hammer makes sense and there are times where a screwdriver makes better sense. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LousyMeatStew · 2021-08-19 16:45 I also want to add another specific recommendation for OpenBSD that I don't feel gets recognized as much as it should. OpenBSD is a GREAT learning operating system. Nearly everything you need to know about every command, every conf file, etc. is in a man file. The source is clean and very readable. If you want to get started with a *nix by diving in head first without needing to keep going back and forth to Google searches, OpenBSD is a great choice. Similarly for learning how a modern OS works. The source code is very well maintained for readability and consistency. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jggimi · 2021-08-19 16:53 Wikipedia has a page comparing the BSD projects, which may be helpful if you haven't seen it yet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_BSD_operating_systems ---------------------------------------------------------------------- rdcldrmr · 2021-08-19 17:10 FreeBSD: generally fast but generally not secure. OpenBSD: generally secure but generally not fast. That's the short answer. The longer answer is that they're completely separate projects developed by different people with different goals. They occasionally share bits of code here and there and have a shared history from the old BSD unix. The differences go much deeper than between Linux distros. In my experience, FreeBSD has more "enterprise" features (in due part to their large amount of corporate/sponsored development) whereas OpenBSD's various tools moreso follow the unix tradition of "do one thing and do it well." It has little to no corporate/sponsored development outside of an occasional update of the graphics drivers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GuinansEyebrows · 2021-08-19 17:23 It will 100% spoil you when you inevitably have to put those skills to use supporting Linux environments. OpenBSD (and even FreeBSD) have so much better documentation than any Linux distro (or even most GNU utilities). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EsotericFox · 2021-08-19 18:37 OpenBSD *can* be great for all skill-levels, but make sure you RTFM before you ask for help. The project has absolutely amazing documentation, and focuses heavily on correct and quality code. Sometimes the focus on code-quality means that features you enjoy elsewhere are unavailable--and time and again the decisions made in OpenBSD have proved to be the right path to take. That *also* means that all the bells and whistles you want might not be there, and nobody is going be receptive to new users asking for things to be added or changed. DIY. All of my production environment machines run OpenBSD unless there's a *very* compelling reason not to. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LousyMeatStew · 2021-08-19 18:40 > OpenBSD can be great for all skill-levels, but make sure you RTFM before you ask for help. OpenBSD is one of the few projects that I feel is justified in having an RTFM attitude because their FM is generally excellent. Oh and just to be clear, yes, OpenBSD is great for all skill levels. I'm specifically saying that it tends to get overlooked as a great place for beginners to start with most proponents generally pointing towards its stability and security. My only worry is that this tends to make OpenBSD sound more intimidating than it actually is for newbies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [deleted] · 2021-08-19 18:43 [deleted] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Scary_Wish_4893 · 2021-08-19 20:13 OpenBSD is betta ---------------------------------------------------------------------- karlmarxscoffee · 2021-08-19 23:09 > FreeBSD: generally fast but generally not secure. Whoa! Other than OpenBSD it don't think you could find anything more secure than FreeBSD. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [deleted] · 2021-08-19 23:35 [deleted] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- rdcldrmr · 2021-08-19 23:56 Read [this article](https://vez.mrsk.me/freebsd-defaults.html) then. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PunishedRaion · 2021-08-20 01:50 Entirely different operating systems sharing a common lineage and codebase. Others are covering the applications/nuts and bolts differences, but really, this is a bit fallacious since the two are entirely different in design and function. OpenBSD is a fork of NetBSD's early years after Theo deRaadt got kicked out of the NetBSD development team. It's a close cousin of NetBSD, but they're not binary-compatible. FreeBSD is a descendant of 386BSD, itself a descendant of 4.4BSD-lite (which NetBSD is based on). Again, not binary compatible. The two are about as close as say, Windows NT 4 and OS/2 WARP 3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jmb7438 · 2021-08-20 03:54 even better than arch? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- legkamran · 2021-08-20 05:25 if you need speed and virtualzation, openBSD is not your answer... Not handling multicore process and I dont know even have any kind of solution for that... if you need install and just use it, openBSD is your answer.... The best BSD by default install outofthebox works almost everything(yeah nvidia and some amd graphivs has some promlems but nevermind FreeBSD also has ton of scripts and even it not enought)... FreeBSD you need write scripts for drivers... packages is not rich as FreeBSD but basic tasks cam be easly... and if you think compile from source, if app writen for linux you need heavly port them... becouse sound system, init system, etc. totally different tools. Sandbox and jails not the same but generally similar tools(Jails for FreeBSD)... performance FreeBSD is better (multitasking), even better actually is NetBSD(hardware dont know why temperature highter than other OS when using it 10°C~15°C)... The best is DragonFlyBSD they are fork FreeBSD but totaly different approach(suggesting look for them, not disappoint)... so in the end use DragonFlyBSD, if you whan secure OS go for HardenedBSD(FreeBSD for if not secure than openBSD, its almost secure as openBSD)... but remember on FreeBSD you need write ton of scripts if neceserry... and the friendly community I saw so far is unitedBSD(NetBSD guys)... they are even answer most stupid newbie questions without say : just google it!!! ... on other thand its actully hard if you cant find answer even in openBSD İİRC chat have bunch of ego guys : even cant do it?!... sorry but I will say it among BSD FrerBSD most popular so its natural that community also big the most stupit chat I ever saw was in FreeBSD chats... yes, there has good guys and even doing fantastic helps when you need, but mostly your first replies will from lads who didnt know what your problem is.... last not least each of them has own benefits for using... and if anything unreadable or ununderstable sorry, its not my even third language :) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- JakoDel · 2021-08-20 11:34 I dont think he even knows of os/2 existence but as an os/2 fan, quite happy to see that comparison :) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- StephaneiAarhus · 2021-08-20 16:20 Yes. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- OIHipster112 · 2021-08-20 16:38 Oh for sure. OpenBSD developers pay an absurd amount of attention to good detail or good commentary with their code. They definitely seem to try to strive for code that makes sense or have some reasoning WHY it the code is that way. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- OIHipster112 · 2021-08-20 16:56 Actually, it can be MUCH better than the documentation for Arch. It seems much better organized and concise. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PunishedRaion · 2021-08-20 21:51 I had to think of SOMETHING that wasn't UNIX and similar in some respect! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GuinansEyebrows · 2021-08-20 22:25 this could be a joke but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and answer with a genuine "yes, much better than arch" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- OIHipster112 · 2021-08-20 22:40 Not to say that the documentation of Arch Linux is bad....just the formatting of the BSDs reflect a directness and a get to the pointness that sometimes gets missed in other things. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jmb7438 · 2021-08-20 22:49 Wasn’t a joke so thanks! I haven’t used either but I always hear about how good the arch docs are. Was just curious how OpenBSD stacked up ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GuinansEyebrows · 2021-08-20 23:00 It's actually been more than 5 years since I last used Arch. Is the wiki still the primary source for documentation? My criteria for 'good documentation' includes not having to be connected to the Internet and preferably without using a web browser. openBSD's manpages are unbeatable in that regard. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- OIHipster112 · 2021-08-20 23:06 Since I have RARELY used Arch's documentation myself, I am guessing that the Wiki is the primary source. Gentoo is just as bad with their handbook (if I use Linux, typically it's Gentoo...). The BSDs seem like they make a good design choice by either including the documentation or giving you the option of having the man pages available. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [deleted] · 2021-08-21 10:08 [deleted] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- nu0or · 2021-08-21 11:57 really? i love openbsd for its simplicity. but i would not use it in production. each version seems to introduce more bugs, i had more kernel panics (using _only_ base) in openbsd 6.8 and 6.9 than in all of my other computers i ever used combined, and i got my first computer in 1982. what do you run in production? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EsotericFox · 2021-08-21 16:38 Firewalls, routers, various servers (web, git, MX, etc.). I haven't seen a single kernel panic in 6.8 or 6.9 on any of my boxes (both VMs and bare metal). All my production machines are using amd64 with battle-tested hardware. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- nu0or · 2021-08-21 16:49 interesting.. i can pretty much produce a kernel panic at will now.. could be some incompatibility with openbsd and my hardware.. but probably not ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EsotericFox · 2021-08-21 16:53 If it's that trivial for you to reproduce you should strongly consider reporting it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- nu0or · 2021-08-21 16:56 nah.. dont really care.. netbsd on same hardware runs without issues.. so i trust it more in production than openbsd... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- __undefined_user__ · 2021-08-22 09:50 Why do you think that gentoo handbook is bad? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- OIHipster112 · 2021-08-22 12:06 The thing of it is: Arch and Gentoo have GREAT documentation but the BSDs seem to have provided it a little better and more often than not the BSDs give you the option to download the documentation to the computer so you can read it via terminal. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [deleted] · 2021-09-04 10:15 [deleted] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FartFFartonson · 2021-09-04 10:16 No, it's pufferfish! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- zazbrown · 2023-07-15 01:36 It may have been mistaken for a joke because different Linux distributions are extremely similar. The package manager/ecosystem is one of the biggest things. Other than that, they just differ in how the system is configured and occasionally customization to things like the desktop environment. In particular, the man pages will be the same. Also, the Arch wiki can be used for non-Arch OSs. In general, there can't be large improvements between compatible FOSS operating systems because once someone makes that improvement, it'll just be copied to the rest.