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bsd

BSD Unix

FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD. Setup guides and honest comparisons across the BSD family.

58 articles
comparison
FreeBSD vs Linux: Which Is Better
FreeBSD vs Linux compared on networking, ZFS, jails, containers, and production workloads. Real benchmarks, real commands, direct recommendation for sysadmins.
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guide
FreeBSD Getting Started Guide
Set up FreeBSD 14.2 fast: disk layout, pkg, jails, ZFS, and network config. Real commands for sysadmins coming from Linux.
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guide
OpenBSD Setup Tutorial: From Install to Running
Step-by-step OpenBSD 7.6 setup for sysadmins: install, network config, SSH hardening, pf firewall, and package management with real commands.
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guide
TrueNAS and FreeBSD: Getting Started
Deploy TrueNAS SCALE or CORE on FreeBSD in 2026. Real commands, ZFS tuning, jail setup, and NFS/SMB config for sysadmins who know what they're doing.
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guide
FreeBSD Jails Tutorial: Practical Guide
Practical FreeBSD jails tutorial for sysadmins. Create, network, and manage jails on FreeBSD 14.x with real commands, ezjail, and vnet examples.
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guide
FreeBSD Web Server Setup with Nginx
Set up a production-ready Nginx web server on FreeBSD 14.2. Real commands, pkg install, rc.conf, TLS with ACME, and tuning for high traffic.
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guide
pf Firewall on OpenBSD: Practical Tutorial
Configure pf on OpenBSD 7.6 from scratch. Real rules, NAT, anchors, logging, and performance tuning for sysadmins who need working configs fast.
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guide
Why Use BSD Instead of Linux
BSD vs Linux for production servers: real tradeoffs on ZFS, networking, licensing, and security. Concrete reasons experienced sysadmins choose FreeBSD or OpenBSD.
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faq
What Is BSD? History and Variants Explained
BSD started at UC Berkeley in 1977. Learn the real history, how FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and NetBSD differ, and which variant to deploy in 2026.
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comparison
BSD vs Linux Security: Which Is More Secure
BSD vs Linux security compared for sysadmins: jails, pledge, seccomp, SELinux, real configs and CVE data to help you choose the right OS for your workload.
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comparison
NetBSD vs FreeBSD vs OpenBSD: Differences Explained
NetBSD vs FreeBSD vs OpenBSD compared for sysadmins: performance, security, hardware support, use cases, and which to deploy in 2026.
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comparison
FreeBSD Jails vs Docker: Containerisation Compared
FreeBSD Jails vs Docker compared on isolation, performance, networking, and ops overhead. Real commands, benchmarks, and a direct recommendation for sysadmins.
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guide
FreeBSD ZFS Setup and Management
Set up and manage ZFS on FreeBSD 14.x. Pool creation, datasets, snapshots, replication, and tuning - real commands and production config examples.
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guide
Self-Hosted AI on FreeBSD: Setup Guide
Run Ollama and open-weight LLMs on FreeBSD 14.2 with real commands, jail configs, and GPU passthrough. Tested on a 32GB RAM server.
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comparison
OpenBSD vs FreeBSD: Which BSD to Choose
OpenBSD vs FreeBSD compared for sysadmins: security defaults, performance, jails vs unveil, ZFS, ports, and when to pick each. Real commands included.
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guide
OpenBSD pf Firewall Rules: Practical Examples
Real pf firewall rules for OpenBSD 7.5+. Block, pass, NAT, and stateful filtering with tested configs, macros, and anchors for production sysadmins.
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guide
FreeBSD Ports vs Packages: Which to Use
FreeBSD ports vs packages explained for sysadmins: when to compile from ports, when to use pkg, and the real performance and maintenance tradeoffs.
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comparison
FreeBSD vs Ubuntu Server: Which to Use
FreeBSD 14.2 vs Ubuntu 24.04 LTS compared for sysadmins: performance, jails vs containers, ZFS, pkg vs apt, and when each OS wins.
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guide
FreeBSD for Desktop Use: Is It Worth It
FreeBSD as a daily driver in 2026: real setup steps, hardware quirks, pkg vs ports, GPU support, and a direct verdict for sysadmins.
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best
Best BSD for Beginners in 2025
Coming from Linux? We tested FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD and GhostBSD to find the best BSD for beginners in 2025. Real install steps, real benchmarks.
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guide
FreeBSD Networking Guide: Configuration and Tools
Configure FreeBSD 14 networking from scratch: static IPs, VLANs, jails, PF firewall, and diagnostic tools. Real commands, tested configs, no padding.
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guide
FreeBSD Nextcloud Setup: Self-Hosted Cloud
Step-by-step FreeBSD Nextcloud setup using jails, nginx, PostgreSQL, and PHP 8.3. Real commands, real config, tested on FreeBSD 14.2.
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guide
OpenBSD FAQ: Common Questions Answered
Answers to the most common OpenBSD questions for sysadmins: packages, pf, rc.d, disk setup, and more. Real commands, real configs, no padding.
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guide
FreeBSD bhyve Virtualization Guide
Set up bhyve on FreeBSD 14.x step by step. Real commands for networking, storage, GPU passthrough, and running Linux/Windows VMs in production.
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reference
FreeBSD pkg Command Reference
Complete FreeBSD pkg command reference with real examples. Install, query, audit, and automate packages on FreeBSD 14. Commands tested on live servers.
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guide
OpenBSD as a Router and Firewall
Configure OpenBSD 7.6 as a production router and firewall using PF. Real commands, NAT, VLAN, and traffic shaping examples for sysadmins.
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comparison
FreeBSD ZFS vs Linux ZFS: Key Differences
FreeBSD ZFS and OpenZFS on Linux differ in ARC tuning, encryption, send/recv, and vdev support. We tested both. Here is what actually matters for production.
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guide
FreeBSD Update and Upgrade: freebsd-update Guide
Master freebsd-update for patching and major version upgrades. Real commands, config examples, and tested procedures for FreeBSD 13 and 14.
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guide
FreeBSD MySQL and PostgreSQL Setup
Install and configure MySQL 8.4 and PostgreSQL 16 on FreeBSD 14.2. Real commands, tuning, rc.conf, and production-ready config examples.
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comparison
OpenBSD doas vs sudo: Privilege Escalation
doas vs sudo on OpenBSD: config syntax, security model, audit surface, and which to deploy in 2026. Real examples from our test server.
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guide
OpenBSD httpd Web Server Setup
Set up OpenBSD httpd with TLS, virtual hosts, and acme-client in under 30 minutes. Real config examples, tested on OpenBSD 7.5.
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guide
FreeBSD Apache Web Server Setup
Install and configure Apache 2.4 on FreeBSD 14. Covers pkg install, MPM tuning, TLS, virtual hosts, and production hardening with real commands.
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guide
FreeBSD Poudriere: Building Custom Packages
Build custom FreeBSD packages with Poudriere. Real commands, jail setup, options files, signing, and repo config for production environments.
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guide
FreeBSD Linux Binary Compatibility Layer
Run unmodified Linux binaries on FreeBSD using the Linuxulator. Step-by-step setup, real commands, performance notes, and production caveats.
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guide
OpenBSD WireGuard Setup Guide
Configure WireGuard on OpenBSD 7.6 step by step. Covers wg(4), ifconfig, pf rules, key generation, and peer routing with real commands.
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guide
FreeBSD pf NAT Guide: Network Address Translation
Configure NAT on FreeBSD 14 with pf: real pf.conf examples, port forwarding, binat, rdr rules, and troubleshooting commands that work in production.
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guide
OpenBSD Packages Guide: pkg_add and pkg_info
Master OpenBSD package management with pkg_add and pkg_info. Real commands, mirror config, signing verification, and upgrade workflows for sysadmins.
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guide
NetBSD Getting Started: Install and Setup
Install NetBSD 10.1 from scratch, configure pkgsrc, harden SSH, and set up networking. Real commands, real configs for experienced sysadmins.
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guide
OpenBSD pledge and unveil: Security Sandboxing
Learn how OpenBSD pledge and unveil syscall restrictions work, with real C examples, testing commands, and production hardening patterns for sysadmins.
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guide
FreeBSD rc System: Starting Services at Boot
Master FreeBSD's rc system to manage boot-time services. Real commands, rc.conf patterns, and custom rc.d scripts for sysadmins migrating from Linux.
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guide
FreeBSD VNET Jails: Virtualised Networking
Configure FreeBSD VNET jails with isolated network stacks, epair interfaces, and bridges. Real commands, tested configs, and production recommendations.
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guide
Installing Packages on OpenBSD: pkg_add Guide
Master pkg_add on OpenBSD 7.6. Real commands for installing, updating, and managing packages with mirrors, flavors, and quirks covered.
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guide
OpenBSD smtpd Mail Server Setup
Set up a production OpenBSD smtpd mail server with TLS, DKIM, SPF, and DMARC. Real configs, tested commands, and relay setup for OpenBSD 7.6.
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guide
FreeBSD pf: Port Redirection and NAT
Configure FreeBSD pf port redirection and NAT with real pf.conf examples, rdr-to rules, NAT pools, and binat. Tested on FreeBSD 14.1.
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guide
OpenBSD tmux Setup and Configuration
Configure tmux on OpenBSD 7.6 with real .tmux.conf examples, plugin-free setup, pane layouts, and session management for sysadmins.
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guide
OpenBSD Xenocara Desktop Setup
Set up a working OpenBSD Xenocara desktop with cwm, xterm, and fonts. Real commands, real config, tested on OpenBSD 7.6 with specific package lists.
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guide
OpenBSD Unbound DNS: Local Resolver Setup
Set up Unbound as a validating, recursive DNS resolver on OpenBSD 7.6. Real config, DNSSEC, split-horizon, and performance tuning included.
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guide
FreeBSD GEOM Framework: Disk Management
Master FreeBSD GEOM disk management: RAID, encryption, mirroring, and striping with real gmirror, gstripe, and geli commands for sysadmins.
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guide
FreeBSD Loader and Boot Configuration
Configure FreeBSD's boot loader, loader.conf, and boot stages with real commands. Covers BIOS, UEFI, ZFS boot environments, and kernel tuning.
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faq
What Is DragonFly BSD? Overview and Use Cases
DragonFly BSD delivers HAMMER2, lightweight SMP, and unique kernel design. Learn what it is, how it differs from FreeBSD, and the use cases where it wins.
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guide
OpenBSD relayd: Load Balancing Guide
Configure OpenBSD relayd for TCP and HTTP load balancing. Real configs, health checks, TLS termination, and performance tuning from our test lab.
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guide
OpenBSD bgpd Routing Guide
Configure OpenBSD bgpd for iBGP and eBGP routing. Real configs, filtering, communities, route reflectors, and production-tested examples for sysadmins.
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guide
FreeBSD pf Anchors: Modular Firewall Rules
Master FreeBSD pf anchors to build modular, reloadable firewall rulesets. Real configs, anchor chaining, dynamic tables, and production patterns.
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guide
FreeBSD Capsicum: Capability-Based Security
Harden FreeBSD applications with Capsicum capability-based security. Real sandboxing examples, cap_enter(), rights masks, and production deployment patterns.
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guide
FreeBSD IPSec with racoon: VPN Setup
Set up a site-to-site IPSec VPN on FreeBSD 14 using racoon. Real config files, kernel options, and troubleshooting commands included.
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guide
OpenBSD Daily Security Scripts Explained
OpenBSD's daily security scripts run every night via cron. Learn what each check does, how to read the output, and how to tune reports for production servers.
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guide
OpenBSD sysctl Guide: Kernel Parameters
Master OpenBSD sysctl to tune kernel parameters live and persistently. Real commands, network tuning, security hardening, and performance examples.
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guide
OpenBSD signify: Package Signing Explained
How OpenBSD signify signs and verifies packages: key pairs, pkg_add verification, rolling your own signed repo, and what happens when verification fails.
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