Util-linux

util-linux is a package of utilities distributed by the Linux Kernel Organization for use in a Linux operating system. A fork, util-linux-ng (with ng meaning "next generation"), was created when development stalled,^[4] but as of January 2011^[update] has been renamed back to util-linux, and is the official version of the package.^[5]

util-linux

Stable release	2.41[1]  / 18 March 2025; 2 months ago (18 March 2025)
Repository	github.com/util-linux/util-linux
Written in	C
Operating system	Linux
Available in	31 languages, 7 full translations[2]
Type	Utility software
License	Portions variously under GNU General Public License (v2+ or v2 only), GNU Lesser General Public License (v2+) and BSD License.[3]
Website	www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/ git.kernel.org/cgit/utils/util-linux/util-linux.git

Content

The package includes the following utilities:

• addpart
• agetty
• blkdiscard^[6]
• blkid
• blkzone
• blockdev
• cal
• cfdisk
• chcpu
• chfn
• chmem
• choom
• chrt
• chsh
• col (legacy)^[7]
• colcrt
• colrm
• column
• ctrlaltdel
• delpart
• dmesg
• eject
• fallocate
• fdformat
• fdisk
• fincore
• findfs
• findmnt
• flock
• fsck
• fsck.cramfs
• fsck.minix
• fsfreeze
• fstrim
• getopt
• hardlink
• hexdump
• hwclock^[a]
• ionice
• ipcmk
• ipcrm
• ipcs
• irqtop^[8]
• isosize
• kill
• last
• ldattach
• line (legacy)^[7]
• logger
• login
• look
• losetup
• lsblk
• lscpu^[9]
• lsfd^[b]
• lsipc
• lsirq^[10]
• lslocks
• lslogins
• lsmem
• lsns
• mcookie
• mesg
• mkfs (legacy)^[7]
• mkfs.bfs
• mkfs.cramfs
• mkfs.minix
• mkswap
• more
• mount
• mountpoint
• namei
• newgrp
• nologin
• nsenter
• partx
• pg (legacy)^[7]
• pivot_root
• prlimit^[11]
• raw
• readprofile
• rename
• renice
• reset (legacy)^[7]
• resizepart
• rev
• rfkill
• rtcwake
• runuser
• script
• scriptlive
• scriptreplay
• setarch^[c]
• setpriv
• setsid
• setterm
• sfdisk
• su
• sulogin
• swaplabel
• swapoff
• swapon
• switch_root
• taskset
• tunelp (deprecated)^[12]
• ul
• umount
• unshare
• utmpdump
• uuidd
• uuidgen
• uuidparse
• vipw^[d]
• wall
• wdctl
• whereis
• wipefs
• write
• zramctl

Removed content

Utilities formerly included, but removed as of 1 July 2015^[update]:

• arch^[13]
• chkdupexe^[14]
• clock^[15]
• cytune^[16]
• ddate^[e]
• elvtune^[19]
• fastboot^[20]
• fasthalt^[20]
• halt^[20]
• initctl^[20]
• ramsize^[f]
• rdev^[21]
• reboot^[20]
• rootflags^[f]
• shutdown^[20]
• simpleinit^[20]
• tailf^[22]
• vidmode^[f]

See also

• BusyBox – Collection of Unix tools in single executable file
• CUPS – Computer printing system
• GNU Core Utilities – Collection of standard, Unix-based utilities from GNU
• Toybox – Collection of Unix tools in single executable file
• uname – Standard UNIX utility that prints name and other details about the machine

Notes

1. cquery and set the hardware clock (RTC)
2. modern replacement for lsof
3. including architecture symlinks such as i386, linux32, linux64, x86_64, etc.
4. including symlink to vigr
5. removed from default build^[17] before being removed^[18] altogether
6. formerly a symlink to rdev^[21]