GETCONF(1) | General Commands Manual | GETCONF(1)

# NAME

`getconf` — get configuration values

# SYNOPSIS

`getconf` | system_var

`getconf` | path_var pathname

`getconf` | `-a` [pathname]

# DESCRIPTION

The `getconf` utility writes the current value of a configurable system limit or option variable to the standard output.

The system_var argument specifies the system variable to be queried. The names of the system variables are from sysconf(3) with the leading “`_SC_`” removed.

The path_var argument specifies the pathname variable to be queried for the specified pathname argument. The names of the pathname variables are from pathconf(2) with the leading “`_PC_`” removed.

When invoked with the option `-a`, `getconf` writes a list of all applicable variables and their values to the standard output, in the format “name = value”.

For compatibility with other operating systems, `getconf` will ignore leading underscores in the names specified in the system_var and path_var arguments.

# EXIT STATUS

The `getconf` utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.

# EXAMPLES

To retrieve the number of configured processors, use:

    $ getconf NPROCESSORS_CONF

To retrieve the maximum number of bytes (excluding the trailing `NUL`) for a filename in the current directory, use:

    $ getconf NAME_MAX .

# SEE ALSO

pathconf(2), confstr(3), limits(3), sysconf(3)

# STANDARDS

The `getconf` utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 (“POSIX.2”).

February 18, 2024 | NetBSD 11.0