Standard for Information Technology--Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX(R)) Base Specifications, Issue 7

Abstract

POSIX.1-2008 is simultaneously IEEE Std Specifications, Issue 7. This 2016 Edition includes 1003.1-2008/Cor 2-2016 incorporated into IEEE Corrigenda address problems discovered since the approval of IEEE Std 1003.1-2008. POSIX.1-2008 defines a standard operating system interface and environment, including a command interpreter (or “shell”), and common utility programs to support applications portability at the source code level. POSIX.1-2008 is intended to be used by both application developers and system implementors and comprises four major components (each in an associated volume): General terms, concepts, and interfaces common to all volumes of this standard, including utility conventions and C-language header definitions, are included in the Base Definitions volume. Definitions for system service functions and subroutines, language-specific system services for the C programming language, function issues, including portability, error handling, and error recovery, are included in the System Interfaces volume. Definitions for a standard source code-level interface to command interpretation services (a “shell”) and common utility programs for application programs are included in the Shell and Utilities volume. Extended rationale that did not fit well into the rest of the document structure, which contains historical information concerning the contents of POSIX.1-2008 and why features were included or discarded by the standard developers, is included in the Rationale (Informative) volume.