Dear debian and linux enthusiasts, Have you ever stopped and wondered: Are `/usr/bin/[` and `/usr/bin/test` truly unique across all unices?
# diff /usr/bin/\[ /usr/bin/test Binary files /usr/bin/[ and /usr/bin/test differ # ls /usr/bin/\[ -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 67K Sep 20 2022 '/usr/bin/[' # ls /usr/bin/test -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 59K Sep 20 2022 /usr/bin/test # sys.distro Debian GNU/Linux 12 \n \l # I can think of one single reason to keep them separate: /usr/bin/[ needs to ensure there’s a closing ]. test doesn't. If that's the only reason, then the two commands must be sharing a huge chunk of the same DNA! So, why keep them separate? Is this about some old Unix tradition? an optimization somewhere somehow? I’m throwing the question to you, brilliant minds of the honorable debian users list, to demystify this sibling rivalry. Thoughts, insights, and conspiracy theories welcome! Best, -- yassine -- sysadm https://about.me/ychaouche
