ToyboxToybox is a free and open-source software implementation of over 200 Unix command line utilities. The Toybox project was started in 2006, and became a 0BSD licensed BusyBox alternative. Toybox is used for most of Android's command-line tools in all currently supported Android versions, and is also used to build Android on Linux and macOS. All of the tools are tested on Linux, and many of them also work on BSD and macOS.
GNU General Public LicenseSeries of free software licensesBusyBoxCollection of Unix commands in a single executable file BusyBoxOriginal authorBruce PerensDevelopersErik Andersen, Rob Landley, Denys Vlasenko and othersRelease4 November 1999; 26 years ago (1999-11-04)Stable release1.36.1 / 19 May 2023; 3 years ago (19 May 2023)Preview release1.38.0 / 13 May 2026; 4 months ago (13 May 2026) Written inCOperating systemUnix-likeSize2.1 MB (compressed "tar.bz2")TypeLinux on embedded systemsLinux for mobile devicesLicenseSince 1.3.0: GPL-2.0-onlyUntil 1.2.2.1: GPL-2.0-or-laterWebsitebusybox.net Repositorygit.busybox.net/busybox BusyBox is an implementation of many Unix commands in a single executable file.
GNUGNU ( ) is an extensive collection of free software (387 packages as of June 2025), which can be used as an operating system or can be used in parts with other operating systems. Most of GNU is licensed under the GNU Project's own General Public License (GPL). Richard Stallman, founder of the GNU projectGNU is also the project within which the free software concept originated. Richard Stallman, the founder of the project, views GNU as a "technical means to a social end".
POSIXThe Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX; IPA: ) is a family of standards specified by the IEEE Computer Society for maintaining compatibility between operating systems. In order to define a level of compatibility, POSIX specifies many aspects of functionality that can be classified as application programming interface (API), command-line shell, and shell commands.Command (computing)In computing, a command is a high-level instruction received via an external interface that directs the behavior of a computer program. Commonly, commands are sent to a program via a command-line interface, a script, a network protocol, or as an event triggered in a graphical user interface. Many commands support arguments to specify input and to modify default behavior. Terminology and syntax varies but there are notable common approaches.
Shell (computing)An operating systemshell is a computer program that provides relatively broad and direct access to the system on which it runs. The term shell refers to how it is a relatively thin layer around an operating system. Most shells are command-line interface (CLI) programs. Some shells also include graphical user interfaces (GUI).
SoftwareSoftware (SW) consists of computer programs that instruct the execution of a computer. Software also includes design documents and specifications. The history of software is closely tied to the development of digital computers in the mid-20th century. Early programs were written in the machine language specific to the hardware.
Command-line interfaceA command-line interface (CLI), also known as a command-line shell, is a means of interacting with software via commands – each formatted as a line of text. The concept of interacting with a computer via text evolved over two decades, transitioning from physical hardware to sophisticated software. Before the CLI, computers were programmed using physical switches or punched cards. The shift toward a "command" style interaction began with the use of Teleprinters (Teletypes).
UnixUnix ( , YOO-niks; trademarked as UNIX) is a family of multitasking, multi-user computer operating systems that derive from the original AT&T Unix, the development of which started in 1969 at the Bell Labs research center by Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, and others.
Free and open-source softwareFree and open-source software (FOSS) is software available under a license that gives users the right to use, share, modify, and distribute the software — modified or not — to everyone and provides the means to exercise those rights using the software's source code. FOSS is an inclusive umbrella term encompassing free software and open-source software.
Berkeley Software DistributionThe Berkeley Software Distribution, also known as BSD or Berkeley UNIX, is a Unix based operating system developed and distributed by the Computer Systems Research Group at the University of California, Berkeley. BSD released in 1978, it began as an improved derivative of AT&T's original Unix developed at Bell Labs. Bill Joy and Ozalp Babaoglu led early development. The BSD project received funding from DARPA until 1988.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.