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==Things you should know if you're coming to FreeBSD from Linux==
# The kernels are different -- monolithic instead of microkernels, although FreeBSD does allow dynamic loading of modules (see [[kldstat]], [[kldload]], [[kldunload]] instead of linux's "lsmod", "insmod" and "rmmod".)
# You need to be a member of the wheel group to allow you to su to root.
# No iptables/netfilter: ipfw packet filter takes it's place, but you have to recompile your kernel to include it
# Init scripts: you're going to be doing it [[BSD]] style, not [[SysV]] style as in Linux. Translation: [[runlevels]] mean different things in BSD and [[init scripts]] are handled differently.
# No /[[proc]] tree. If you're used to banging around /proc to find system info, man [[sysctl]]. If you installed linux-compatibility, see /usr/compat/linux/proc
# You don't '''have''' to compile everything from ports, it's usually better for your particular system if you ''do''. See [[pkg_add]] and the other pkg tools.
# If in doubt, read the Handbook (or ask here).
# Different filesystems: linux uses ext2/ext3/reiserfs by default (usually) and FreeBSD uses UFS. It does not do journaling, but instead uses a system called soft-updates. Have a look [[http://www.usenix.org/publications/library/proceedings/usenix2000/general/seltzer.html here]] if you would like to know what this means. It seems that [[http://www.freebsd.org/projects/summerofcode.html Google]] might be helping to change this though.
# [[Java]]'s a tough nut to install due to Sun's licensing restrictions...unless you're not on the x86 FreeBSD platform, in which case it's uninstallable anyway.
# /stand/[[sysinstall]] will be quite useful to you at first.
# [[bash]] is not the default shell, [[csh]] or [[tcsh]] is. If you want to change that, see [[chsh]].
# Most linux distros use [[vim]], FreeBSD uses [[nvi]] by default. You can change this if it matters to you. Use /usr/ports/editors/vim-lite if you do not want to install the [[X windowing system]] else use /usr/ports/editors/vim.
# Your NIC is no longer eth0 or eth1 or whatever. FreeBSD names it's interfaces by the driver they use; you'll see rl0, ed0, hme0, etc.
# /etc/mtab doesn't show you mounts. [[mount]] and [[df]] do.
# Your hard disks are no longer /dev/hda or /dev/sda. Now they are /dev/ad0s1a. See [[partitions]].
# [[devinfo]] and [[swapinfo]] will do a lot of [[sysctl]] magic for you.
# Software RAID? See [[vinum]] and [[RAID1, Software, How to setup]].
# Bandwidth limiting/traffic shaping? See [[dummynet]]
# Disk encryption? [[http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/disks-encrypting.html It's in the Handbook]]
# Shell scripts do not use '''seq 1 10'''. They use '''jot 10 1''' instead.
# /boot/loader.conf is where you set which kernel modules to load at boot time. /etc/rc.conf is where you set which system daemons to load at boot time.  Or you can edit the startup scripts manually in /etc/rc.d (Some say this is the only way to do it, some say it doesn't matter. Your choice.)
# [[wget]] is replaced by [[fetch]]. Feel free to install wget if you don't want to learn another program, but they're very similar.
# If you install [[X11]], and switch to a shell, getting back to X is a matter of alt-F9 since FreeBSD sets you up with 8 virtual terminals instead of Linux's default of 6.

[[Category : Linux Equivalents]]