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# uutils coreutils
[](https://crates.io/crates/coreutils)
[](https://discord.gg/wQVJbvJ)
[](https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/blob/main/LICENSE)
[](https://deps.rs/repo/github/uutils/coreutils)
[](https://codecov.io/gh/uutils/coreutils)
[](https://hosted.weblate.org/projects/rust-coreutils/)
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---
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uutils coreutils is a cross-platform reimplementation of the GNU coreutils in
[Rust](http://www.rust-lang.org). While all programs have been implemented, some
options might be missing or different behavior might be experienced.
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We provide prebuilt binaries, manpages, and shell completions from main branch at https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/releases/tag/latest-commit .
The latest stable tag https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/releases/latest also exists for reproducible products and packagers.
Bug reporters should use binary from latest commit.
Minimal compatible glibc version is same with ubuntu-latest runner. Use `coreutils-*-musl` if `coreutils-*-musl` is not compatible with your system.
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## Goals
uutils coreutils aims to be a drop-in replacement for the GNU utils. Differences with GNU
are treated as bugs.
Our key objectives include:
- Matching GNU's output (stdout and error code) exactly
- Better error messages
- Providing comprehensive internationalization support (UTF-8)
- Improved performances
- [Extensions](docs/src/extensions.md) when relevant (example: --progress)
uutils aims to work on as many platforms as possible, to be able to use the same
utils on Linux, macOS, *BSD, Windows, WASI and other platforms. This ensures, for example,
that scripts can be easily transferred between platforms.
uutils coreutils ships by default on Ubuntu since version 25.10.
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## Documentation
uutils has both user and developer documentation available:
- [User Manual](https://uutils.github.io/coreutils/docs/)
- [Developer Documentation](https://docs.rs/crate/coreutils/)
Both can also be generated locally, the instructions for that can be found in
the [coreutils docs](https://github.com/uutils/uutils.github.io) repository.
Use [weblate/rust-coreutils](https://hosted.weblate.org/projects/rust-coreutils/) to translate the Rust coreutils into your language.
You can try the utilities in your browser through the
[WebAssembly playground](https://uutils.github.io/playground/), without
installing anything.
## Requirements
- Rust (`cargo`, `rustc`)
- GNU Make (optional)
### Rust Version
uutils follows Rust's release channels and is tested against stable, beta and
nightly.
## Building
There are currently two methods to build the uutils binaries: either Cargo or
GNU Make.
> Building the full package, including all documentation, requires both Cargo
> and GNU Make on a Unix platform.
For either method, we first need to fetch the repository:
```shell
git clone https://github.com/uutils/coreutils
cd coreutils
```
### Cargo
Building uutils using Cargo is easy because the process is the same as for every
other Rust program:
```shell
cargo build --release
```
Replace `--release` with `--profile=release-small` to optimize binary size.
This command builds the most portable common core set of uutils into a multicall
(BusyBox-type) binary, named 'coreutils', on most Rust-supported platforms.
Additional platform-specific uutils are often available. Building these expanded
sets of uutils for a platform (on that platform) is as simple as specifying it
as a feature:
```shell
cargo build --release --features windows
# or ...
cargo build --release --features unix
# or ...
cargo build --release --target wasm32-wasip1 --no-default-features --features feat_wasm
```
To build SELinux-specific features, including `chcon` and `runcon`, ensure that `libselinux`
and `libclang` are installed on your system. Then, run the following command:
```
cargo build --release --features unix,feat_selinux
```
If you don't want to build every utility available on your platform into the
final binary, you can also specify which ones you want to build manually. For
example:
```shell
cargo build --features "base32 cat echo rm" --no-default-features
```
If you want to build the utilities as individual binaries, that is also possible:
```shell
cargo build --release --bins --workspace --exclude coreutils --exclude uu_runcon --exclude uu_chcon
```
Each utility is contained in its own package within the main repository, named "uu_UTILNAME". To
build selected individual utilities, use the `--package` [aka `-p`] option. For example:
```shell
cargo build -p uu_base32 -p uu_cat -p uu_echo -p uu_rm
```
### GNU Make
Building using `make` is a simple process as well.
To simply build all available utilities (with debug profile):
```shell
make
```
In release mode:
```shell
make PROFILE=release
```
To build all but a few of the available utilities:
```shell
make SKIP_UTILS='UTILITY_1 UTILITY_2'
```
To build only a few of the available utilities:
```shell
make UTILS='UTILITY_1 UTILITY_2'
```
## Installation
### Install with Cargo
Likewise, installing can simply be done using:
```shell
cargo install --path . --locked
```
This command will install uutils into Cargo's _bin_ folder (_e.g._
`$HOME/.cargo/bin`).
This does not install files necessary for shell completion or manpages. For
manpages or shell completion to work, use `GNU Make` or see
`Manually install shell completions`/`Manually install manpages`.
### Install with GNU Make
To install all available utilities (PROFILE=release by default):
```shell
make install
```
To install using `sudo` switch `-E` must be used:
```shell
sudo -E make install
```
To install all but a few of the available utilities:
```shell
make SKIP_UTILS='UTILITY_1 UTILITY_2' install
```
To install only a few of the available utilities:
```shell
make UTILS='UTILITY_1 UTILITY_2' install
```
To install every program with a prefix (e.g. uu-echo uu-cat):
```shell
make PROG_PREFIX=uu- install
```
To install the multicall binary:
```shell
make MULTICALL=y install
```
Set install parent directory (default value is /usr/local):
```shell
# DESTDIR is also supported
make PREFIX=/my/path install
```
Installing with `make` installs shell completions for all installed utilities
for `bash`, `fish` and `zsh`. Completions for `elvish` and `powershell` can also
be generated; See `Manually install shell completions`.
To skip installation of completions and manpages:
```shell
make COMPLETIONS=n MANPAGES=n install
```
### Manually install shell completions
The `uudoc` binary generates completions for the `bash`, `elvish`,
`fish`, `powershell` and `zsh` shells to stdout.
Install `uudoc` by
```shell
cargo install --bin uudoc --features uudoc --path .
```
Then use the installed binary:
```shell
uudoc completion <utility> <shell>
```
So, to install completions for `ls` on `bash` to
`/usr/local/share/bash-completion/completions/ls`, run:
```shell
uudoc completion ls bash > /usr/local/share/bash-completion/completions/ls.bash
```
Completion for prefixed `cp` with `uu-` on `zsh` is generated by
```shell
env PROG_PREFIX=uu- uudoc completion cp zsh
```
### Manually install manpages
To generate manpages, the syntax is:
```bash
uudoc manpage <utility>
```
So, to install the manpage for `ls` to `/usr/local/share/man/man1/ls.1` run:
```bash
uudoc manpage ls > /usr/local/share/man/man1/ls.1
```
## Un-installation
Un-installation differs depending on how you have installed uutils. If you used
Cargo to install, use Cargo to uninstall. If you used GNU Make to install, use
Make to uninstall.
### Uninstall with Cargo
To uninstall uutils:
```shell
cargo uninstall coreutils
```
### Uninstall with GNU Make
To uninstall all utilities:
```shell
make uninstall
```
To uninstall every program with a set prefix:
```shell
make PROG_PREFIX=uu- uninstall
```
To uninstall the multicall binary:
```shell
make MULTICALL=y uninstall
```
To uninstall from a custom parent directory:
```shell
# DESTDIR is also supported
make PREFIX=/my/path uninstall
```
## GNU test suite compatibility
Below is the evolution of how many GNU tests uutils passes. A more detailed
breakdown of the GNU test results of the main branch can be found
[in the user manual](https://uutils.github.io/coreutils/docs/test_coverage.html).
See <https://github.com/orgs/uutils/projects/1> for the main meta bugs
(many are missing).
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## Contributing
To contribute to uutils, please see [CONTRIBUTING](CONTRIBUTING.md).
## License
uutils is licensed under the MIT License - see the `LICENSE` file for details
GNU Coreutils is licensed under the GPL 3.0 or later.