SYSEXITS(3)

🌸 NAME 🌸

sysexits — legacy exit status codes for system programs.

Okay bestie, this is the SYSEXITS(3) page from the Library Functions Manual, and we're about to make these codes make sense. ✨

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <sysexits.h>

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💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

Some commands attempt to describe the nature of a failure condition by using these pre-defined exit codes. Iconic in theory, but listen:

Deprecated alert, fr fr: this interface has been deprecated and is retained only for compatibility. Its use is discouraged. 💀

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🔥 ERRORS 🔥

The successful exit is always indicated by a status of 0, or EX_OK. Slay.

Error numbers begin at EX__BASE to reduce the possibility of clashing with other exit statuses that random programs may already return. The meaning of the codes is approximately as follows:

• EX_USAGE (64) — the command was used incorrectly, e.g., with the wrong number of arguments, a bad flag, a bad syntax in a parameter, or whatever. Basically: user error, bestie.
• EX_DATAERR (65) — the input data was incorrect in some way. This should only be used for user's data and not system files.
• EX_NOINPUT (66) — an input file (not a system file) did not exist or was not readable. This could also include errors like “No message” to a mailer (if it cared to catch it).
• EX_NOUSER (67) — the user specified did not exist. This might be used for mail addresses or remote logins.
• EX_NOHOST (68) — the host specified did not exist. This is used in mail addresses or network requests.
• EX_UNAVAILABLE (69) — a service is unavailable. This can occur if a support program or file does not exist. This can also be used as a catchall message when something you wanted to do does not work, but you do not know why. the “idk bestie it just didn't work” code
• EX_SOFTWARE (70) — an internal software error has been detected. This should be limited to non-operating system related errors as possible.
• EX_OSERR (71) — an operating system error has been detected. This is intended to be used for such things as “cannot fork”, “cannot create pipe”, or the like. It includes things like getuid returning a user that does not exist in the passwd file.
• EX_OSFILE (72) — some system file (e.g., /etc/passwd, /var/run/utx.active, etc.) does not exist, cannot be opened, or has some sort of error (e.g., syntax error).
• EX_CANTCREAT (73) — a (user specified) output file cannot be created.
• EX_IOERR (74) — an error occurred while doing I/O on some file.
• EX_TEMPFAIL (75) — temporary failure, indicating something that is not really an error. In sendmail, this means that a mailer (e.g.) could not create a connection, and the request should be reattempted later.
• EX_PROTOCOL (76) — the remote system returned something that was “not possible” during a protocol exchange.
• EX_NOPERM (77) — you did not have sufficient permission to perform the operation. This is not intended for file system problems, which should use EX_NOINPUT or EX_CANTCREAT, but rather for higher level permissions.
• EX_CONFIG (78) — something was found in an unconfigured or misconfigured state.

The numerical values corresponding to the symbolical ones are given in parenthesis for easy reference. You're welcome 💖

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🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

• err(3)
• exit(3)
• style(9)

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🎀 HISTORY 🎀

The sysexits file first appeared in 4BSD.

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👑 AUTHORS 👑

This manual page was written by Jörg Wunsch.

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💀 BUGS 💀

This interface is not portable.

The choice of an appropriate exit value is often ambiguous. ngl, relatable

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xoxo, this was the Debian SYSEXITS(3) page, dated May 9, 2024 — mwah 💋💅