Why do linux commands not work properly on android?

Question

> adb shell
sh-4.1$ ls -F
-F: No such file or directory

-F switch works fine on my Ubuntu. Why doesn't it work on android?

Is there a way to make it work?

Most commands are not the original gnu versions, they are either from toolbox or busybox and mostly stripped down versions.
@ott I know what busybox is, but to what are you referring when you say toolbox?
@ott-- Mind making that an answer, including some more details (what is Busybox (link), what is Toolbox (link), stripped-down for size/performance, etc)?
@KshitizSharma Look into /system/bin with adb shell, most programs are a symlink to toolbox. See the first answer in androidquestions.org/threads/189-Android-Command-Reference
@ott Is toolbox specific to android or is it an independent tool by itself like busybox? I ask this because googling for toolbox doesn't return anything useful.

ott-- · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-21 13:30:42Z

Most shell commands in Android are not the original gnu versions, they are either from Toolbox or Busybox and mostly stripped down versions.

A lot of commands in /system/bin are symlinks to /system/toolbox. I haven't found much documentation about it, just the source at https://android.googlesource.com/platform/system/core/+/jb-mr1-release/toolbox/

Busybox is a different version (available in PlayStore, requires root to install), it has more commands and thus comsumes more space.

There is a guide at github.com/jackpal/Android-Terminal-Emulator/wiki/…
Strictly speaking, GNU userland command tools are not "original", they were designed based on existing Unix command tools and POSIX.

1 Answer