Table of contents
BusyBox
BusyBox is a single binary that provides several stripped-down Unix tools in a single executable.
As BusyBox is an open source project, you can find more
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Lightweight
BusyBox is designed to be a minimalistic utility that combines tiny versions of many common UNIX utilities into a single small executable, making it ideal for systems with limited resources.
All-in-One
It provides a comprehensive suite of tools and utilities in one package, eliminating the need to install and manage multiple separate utilities.
Customizable
BusyBox can be customized to include only the needed utilities, which allows for a tailored solution that fits the specific requirements of a project or system.
Open Source
It is open source, meaning it is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute, which encourages collaboration and community-driven improvements.
Widely Used in Embedded Systems
BusyBox is popular in embedded systems and other environments where storage and processing power are limited, making it a proven choice for resource-constrained applications.
We have collected here some useful links to help you find out if BusyBox is good.
Check the traffic stats of BusyBox on SimilarWeb. The key metrics to look for are: monthly visits, average visit duration, pages per visit, and traffic by country. Moreoever, check the traffic sources. For example "Direct" traffic is a good sign.
Check the "Domain Rating" of BusyBox on Ahrefs. The domain rating is a measure of the strength of a website's backlink profile on a scale from 0 to 100. It shows the strength of BusyBox's backlink profile compared to the other websites. In most cases a domain rating of 60+ is considered good and 70+ is considered very good.
Check the "Domain Authority" of BusyBox on MOZ. A website's domain authority (DA) is a search engine ranking score that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages (SERPs). It is based on a 100-point logarithmic scale, with higher scores corresponding to a greater likelihood of ranking. This is another useful metric to check if a website is good.
The latest comments about BusyBox on Reddit. This can help you find out how popualr the product is and what people think about it.
The busybox container is, as the name suggests, a base image that contains the minimum environment for BusyBox to work. It is also one of the official Docker images. The actual Dockerfile for creating this image is as follows:. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
Https://busybox.net/~landley/c99-draft.html#7.20.6.1 "The abs, labs, and llabs functions compute the absolute value of an integer j. If the result cannot be represented, the behavior is undefined. (242)" 242 The absolute value of the most negative number cannot be represented in two's complement. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
On to our second point, which is the cli utilities' implementation. Debian and Ubuntu use gnu's Coreutils while Alpine uses Busybox(remember, we are talking about the most used application container bases. You can install a desktop version of Alpine with GNU coreutils). Here we have the same situation as before, The GNU coreutils are bigger, do more and have a larger attack surface. Busybox is smaller, does not... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
AWK runs everywhere. Perl and Python do not. Busybox has their own independent AWK implementation. https://busybox.net/ https://frippery.org/busybox/ Also see the first edition of the AWK manual online here: https://archive.org/details/pdfy-MgN0H1joIoDVoIC7. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
A majority of routers are already based on the Linux kernel. Many are just BusyBox. The most common Linux firewalls are iptables and nftables. With the latter being the most popular one due to being around longer. They are really fine grained and powerful. Source: over 2 years ago
Https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/arm64/booting.rst This was my guiding light for a project a while back. It describes what Linux expects "time zero" looks like for the system; whatever operating system is going to boot needs that kind of contract between the boot environment and its own entry point. You can develop a lightweight linux-based OS with that document and a package like https://busybox.net/. Source: over 2 years ago
For libc, we have musl as an alternate implementation. For most coreutils, we have busybox and the BSD coreutils. For desktop environments, you can use something like xfce. Source: almost 3 years ago
Head over to busybox.net for the BusyBox source code. The latest release at the time of writing (2022-08-14) is 1.35.0. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
Many embedded Linux distros use Busybox https://busybox.net/ which is a set of standard tools/applications that most embedded Linux distros will need. So you might find that all your applications in /usr/bin, say, are just symbolic links to /bin/busybox. Source: over 3 years ago
Alpine Linux is a lightweight Linux distro based on musl libc and busybox. The package is less than 3 MB "on the wire" - 10 times smaller than Ubuntu! With Alpine, one can create a container image with JDK 17 that weighs less than 100 MB on disk. It saves a lot of pull time and reduces associated costs. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
At this point, development on a Mega Drive wouldn't be useful to me personally unless I had a fairly POSIX-like environment with it (perhaps Busybox?) but this is not really possible. Source: over 3 years ago
Busybox is described on its manual page as the swiss army knife of embedded Linux. It combines small versions of common UNIX utilities into a single small executable. It provides around 400 implementations of Linux commands such as more, less, head, tail, grep, awk, sed, dpkg, all compiled into a single binary. Source: over 3 years ago
Alpine is an amazing little distro for containers, but part of its appeal comes from the fact that it puts a lot of external utilities into BusyBox, and that includes tar. However, in an apparently undocumented move, the caching GHA uses BSD or GNU tar for storing and restoring artifacts. That means it's needed in your container. Check above:. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago
I take it you got the busybox binary from here: https://busybox.net/. Source: almost 4 years ago
My uneducated summary: The "Linux is actually GNU/Linux" meme comes from a full quote by Richard Stallman (?) in which he claims that Linux should be referred to as GNU slash (or plus) Linux, because most Linux-based operating systems ship with the GNU coreutils (commands like rm, cp, stat) and GLibC (implementation of the C standard library, like printf). However Alpine Linux instead uses Busybox CoreUtils and... Source: about 4 years ago
Look at command help: https://busybox.net/. Source: about 4 years ago
I haven't tried what the OP is asking for, but maybe busybox instead? It's been awhile since I used Cygwin, but I remember it being cumbersome. Source: over 4 years ago
BusyBox, often described as "The Swiss Army Knife of Embedded Linux," continues to hold a robust reputation in the world of Unix-like terminal utilities. As a compact software tool suite, BusyBox combines multiple utilities into a single, small executable, offering around 400 implementations of common Linux commands. This capability makes it an invaluable resource for various applications, particularly in embedded systems and lightweight environments.
A significant portion of BusyBox's acclaim comes from its versatility across different operating systems and platforms. It serves notably in environments where resources are constrained, such as embedded Linux systems, where BusyBox becomes the backbone for many distributions. Alpine Linux, a lightweight distro renowned for its efficiency, builds on BusyBox and musl libc, emphasizing its importance in creating minimalist container images that save on disk space and pull times. This is particularly useful for cloud-based applications and microservices in platforms like Docker, where BusyBox is often employed as a base image due to its minimalistic footprint.
In the realm of Android, BusyBox finds its niche among terminal enthusiasts and developers requiring a robust command-line interface. Articles frequently highlight its utility as a terminal emulator for Android devices, appealing to users who prefer or require rooted devices to access the full suite of Linux command-line tools. The consensus points to BusyBox as not only a competitive option in this category but also a preferred choice for those needing quick and reliable performance.
Within the competitive landscape, BusyBox faces rivals like GNU Core Utilities, Termux, and other Linux utility suites like Toybox and Cygwin. While GNU Core Utilities offer a more extensive feature set, BusyBox’s strength lies in its compactness and reduced vulnerability. Its smaller size correlates with a smaller attack surface, an important security feature that the industry prizes, especially in contexts requiring hardened security, such as IoT devices and embedded systems.
Community engagement around BusyBox remains active, with discussions often revolving around its implementation in Linux distributions and its role in developing custom environments. For instance, BusyBox's independence in fulfilling standard application needs is frequently emphasized, as it provides various Unix utilities integral to system operations. BusyBox is notably referenced in projects where lightweight or containerized environments are paramount, underscoring its integral role in facilitating efficient software development and deployment.
In conclusion, BusyBox stands out as a formidable tool in the arsenal of developers seeking efficiency and reliability in environments where resource constraints are a consideration. The endorsement it receives across various domains, from container deployments to mobile platforms, attests to its versatility and enduring relevance in the ever-evolving software landscape. As such, BusyBox continues to be a pivotal element in creating streamlined, secure, and effective systems.
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Is BusyBox good? This is an informative page that will help you find out. Moreover, you can review and discuss BusyBox here. The primary details have not been verified within the last quarter, and they might be outdated. If you think we are missing something, please use the means on this page to comment or suggest changes. All reviews and comments are highly encouranged and appreciated as they help everyone in the community to make an informed choice. Please always be kind and objective when evaluating a product and sharing your opinion.
