POSIXGNU

POSIXGNU is a hypothetical initiative within the GNU ecosystem that aims to harmonize GNU software with the POSIX standards, increasing portability and conformance across platforms. It is described as a conceptual project intended to align GNU components with the POSIX specification while preserving the Free Software Foundation’s licensing and development principles.

Scope of the project would cover user-space components commonly used in GNU/Linux environments, including the C library, core utilities, shells, and the interfaces defined by POSIX. The focus would be on implementing and testing POSIX.1 and POSIX.2 features, such as process and thread management, file input/output, signals, and the expected behavior of command utilities.

Implementation and goals envision reliance on GNU components like glibc, coreutils, Bash, and related toolchains, with an emphasis on aligning them to POSIX specifications and providing reference test suites or conformance marks to indicate compliance. The initiative would not necessarily replace existing distributions but would guide conformity and testing efforts across GNU projects.

Status and history for POSIXGNU remains a conceptual proposal rather than a formal standard or separate distribution. Discussions have occurred within the GNU community, but there is no official endorsement or project-wide release at this time.

Governance and reception suggest maintenance by volunteers under the broader governance practices of the Free Software Foundation. The proposal has mixed reception: proponents emphasize portability and standard compliance, while critics warn of potential duplication with existing POSIX-conformance efforts in GNU software.

See also POSIX; GNU Project; glibc; coreutils; Bash; Linux.