CMP(1)                      386BSD Reference Manual                     CMP(1)

NAME
     cmp - Compare two files.

SYNOPSIS
     cmp [-l | -s] file1 file2

DESCRIPTION
     The cmp utility compares two files of any type and writes the results to
     the standard output.  By default, cmp is silent if the files are the
     same; if they differ, the byte and line number at which the first
     difference occurred is reported.

     Bytes and lines are numbered beginning with one.

     The following options are available:

     -l      Print the byte number (decimal) and the differing byte values
             (octal) for each difference.

     -s      Print nothing for differing files; return exit status only.

     If file1 or file2 is ``-'', the the standard input is used.

     The cmp utility exits with one of the following values:

     0     The files are identical.

     1     The files are different; this includes the case where one file is
           identical to the first part of the other.  In the latter case, if
           the -s option has not been specified, cmp writes to standard error
           that EOF was reached in the shorter file (before any differences
           were found).

     >1    An error occurred.

SEE ALSO
     diff(1),  diff3(1)

STANDARDS
     The cmp function is expected to be POSIX 1003.2 compatible.

BSD Experimental                 June 27, 1991                               1