NAME

arch - display the architecture of the current host

SYNOPSIS

/usr/bin/arch

/usr/bin/arch --k
/usr/bin/arch archname

DESCRIPTION

arch displays the application architecture of the current host system.

Systems can be broadly classified by their architectures, which define what executables will run on which machines. A distinction can be made between kernel architecture and application architecture (or, commonly, just "architecture"). Machines that run different kernels due to underlying hardware differences may be able to run the same application programs.

OPTIONS

-k

Display the kernel architecture, such as sun4, sun4c, etc. This defines which specific SunOS kernel will run on the machine, and has implications only for programs that depend on the kernel explicitly (for example, ps(1)).

archname

Return "true" (exit status 0 )if application binaries for archname can run on the current host system, otherwise, return "false" (exit status 1 ). This is the preferred method for installation scripts to determine the environment of the host machine; that is, which architecture of a multi-architecture release to install on this machine. archname must be a valid application architecture.

SEE ALSO

mach(1), uname(1)