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Linux newbie: Linux vs POSIX manual

$ apropos mkfifo
mkfifo (1)           - make FIFOs (named pipes)
mkfifo (1posix)      - make FIFO special files
mkfifo (3)           - make a FIFO special file (a named pipe)
mkfifo (3posix)      - make a FIFO special file
mkfifoat (3)         - make a FIFO (named pipe) relative to a directory file ...

So I have man pages for Linux Programmer’s Manual and POSIX Programmer’s Manual. Which should I prefer and why? (I'm writing a Linux application, no plans to port it AIX, BSD etc)

Thanks.

Solution

  • Basically, the linux manuals are documentation of the commands/APIs from their writers; The POSIX manuals are from the POSIX standard. Usually, the "normal" ones are shorter and terser, but deal with the specific implementation; the POSIX ones are longer and more detailed (see man 3p read), but only tell what is in the standard.

    The best is to look in both.