10.1. Synopsis

FreeBSD provides binary compatibility with Linux®, allowing users to install and run most Linux® binaries on a FreeBSD system without having to first modify the binary. It has even been reported that, in some situations, Linux® binaries perform better on FreeBSD than they do on Linux®.

However, some Linux®-specific operating system features are not supported under FreeBSD. For example, Linux® binaries will not work on FreeBSD if they overly use i386™ specific calls, such as enabling virtual 8086 mode.

Note: Support for 64-bit binary compatibility with Linux® was added in FreeBSD 10.3.

After reading this chapter, you will know:

How to enable Linux® binary compatibility on a FreeBSD system.

How to install additional Linux® shared libraries.

How to install Linux® applications on a FreeBSD system.

The implementation details of Linux® compatibility in FreeBSD.

Before reading this chapter, you should: