---
name: "getconf"
section: "1"
platform: "macos"
package: "system_cmds"
version: "1042.120.1"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/getconf"
---

# getconf(1)

retrieve standard configuration variables

## NAME

**getconf** – retrieve standard configuration variables

## SYNOPSIS

**getconf** **-a** \[*file*\]

**getconf** \[**-v** *environment*\] *path\_var* *file*

**getconf** \[**-v** *environment*\] *system\_var*

## DESCRIPTION

The **getconf** utility prints the values of POSIX or X/Open path or system configuration variables to the standard output. If a variable is undefined, the string “undefined” is output.

The first form of the command displays all of the path or system configuration variables to standard output. If *file* is provided, all path configuration variables are reported for *file* using [pathconf(2)](/pathconf/2.md). Otherwise, all system configuration variables are reported using [confstr(3)](/confstr/3.md) and [sysconf(3)](/sysconf/3.md).

The second form of the command, with two mandatory arguments, retrieves file- and file system-specific configuration variables using [pathconf(2)](/pathconf/2.md). The third form, with a single argument, retrieves system configuration variables using [confstr(3)](/confstr/3.md) and [sysconf(3)](/sysconf/3.md), depending on the type of variable. As an extension, the second form can also be used to query static limits from ⟨limits.h⟩.

All [sysconf(3)](/sysconf/3.md) and [pathconf(2)](/pathconf/2.md) variables use the same name as the manifest constants defined in the relevant standard C-language bindings, including any leading underscore or prefix. That is to say, *system\_var* might be ARG\_MAX or \_POSIX\_VERSION, as opposed to the [sysconf(3)](/sysconf/3.md) names \_SC\_ARG\_MAX or \_SC\_POSIX\_VERSION. Variables retrieved from [confstr(3)](/confstr/3.md) have the leading ‘\_CS\_’ stripped off; thus, \_CS\_PATH is queried by a *system\_var* of “PATH”.

### Programming Environments

The **-v** *environment* option specifies a IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (“POSIX.1”) programming environment under which the values are to be queried. This option currently does nothing, but may in the future be used to select between 32-bit and 64-bit execution environments on platforms which support both. Specifying an environment which is not supported on the current execution platform gives undefined results.

The standard programming environments are as follows:

- POSIX\_V6\_ILP32\_OFF32

  Exactly 32-bit integer, long, pointer, and file offset. **Supported** **platforms**: None.

- POSIX\_V6\_ILP32\_OFFBIG

  Exactly 32-bit integer, long, and pointer; at least 64-bit file offset. **Supported** **platforms**: IA32, PowerPC.

- POSIX\_V6\_LP64\_OFF64

  Exactly 32-bit integer; exactly 64-bit long, pointer, and file offset. **Supported** **platforms**: AMD64, SPARC64.

- POSIX\_V6\_LPBIG\_OFFBIG

  At least 32-bit integer; at least 64-bit long, pointer, and file offset. **Supported** **platforms**: None.

The command:

```
getconf POSIX_V6_WIDTH_RESTRICTED_ENVS
```

returns a newline-separated list of environments in which the width of certain fundamental types is no greater than the width of the native C type *long*. At present, all programming environments supported by FreeBSD have this property. Several of the [confstr(3)](/confstr/3.md) variables provide information on the necessary compiler and linker flags to use the standard programming environments described above.

Many of these values are also available through the [sysctl(8)](/sysctl/8.md) mechanism.

## EXIT STATUS

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

## EXAMPLES

The command:

```
getconf PATH
```

will display the system default setting for the PATH environment variable.

The command:

```
getconf NAME_MAX /tmp
```

will display the maximum length of a filename in the */tmp* directory.

The command:

```
getconf -v POSIX_V6_LPBIG_OFFBIG LONG_MAX
```

will display the maximum value of the C type *long* in the POSIX\_V6\_LPBIG\_OFFBIG programming environment, if the system supports that environment.

## DIAGNOSTICS

Use of a *system\_var* or *path\_var* which is completely unrecognized is considered an error, causing a diagnostic message to be written to standard error. One which is known but merely undefined does not result in an error indication. The **getconf** utility recognizes all of the variables defined for IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (“POSIX.1”), including those which are not currently implemented.

## SEE ALSO

[pathconf(2)](/pathconf/2.md), [confstr(3)](/confstr/3.md), [sysconf(3)](/sysconf/3.md), [sysctl(8)](/sysctl/8.md)

## STANDARDS

The **getconf** utility is expected to be compliant with IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (“POSIX.1”).

## HISTORY

The **getconf** utility first appeared in FreeBSD 5.0.

## AUTHORS

Garrett A. Wollman ⟨*wollman@lcs.mit.edu*⟩