---
name: "makewhatis.local"
section: "8"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/makewhatis.local"
---

# makewhatis.local(8)

start makewhatis for local file systems

## NAME

**makewhatis.local** – start makewhatis for local file systems

## SYNOPSIS

**/usr/libexec/makewhatis.local** \[options\] *directories* *...*

## DESCRIPTION

The **makewhatis.local** utility starts makewhatis(1) only for file systems physically mounted on the system where **makewhatis.local** is being executed. Running makewhatis by *periodic* *weekly* for rw nfs-mounted /usr may kill your NFS server -- all NFS clients start makewhatis at the same time! So use this wrapper for [cron(8)](/cron/8.md) instead of calling makewhatis directly.

## FILES

- */etc/periodic/weekly/320.whatis*

  run **makewhatis.local** every week

## SEE ALSO

[find(1)](/find/1.md), makewhatis(1), [cron(8)](/cron/8.md), [periodic(8)](/periodic/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **makewhatis.local** utility appeared in FreeBSD 2.2.