Bug 14261

Summary: Busybox is missing applet for POSIX's "join"
Product: Busybox Reporter: Guenther Brunthaler <gb_about_gnu>
Component: OtherAssignee: unassigned
Status: NEW ---    
Severity: enhancement CC: busybox-cvs
Priority: P5    
Version: unspecified   
Target Milestone: ---   
Hardware: All   
OS: All   
Host: Target:
Build:

Description Guenther Brunthaler 2021-10-09 20:52:45 UTC 
Busybox implements most standard utilities defined by POSIX, but for some reason "join" is missing.

I do not know whether this was just plain oversight or if there is a good reason why this utility is missing (too complex perhaps?)

On the other hand, busybox does have the somewhat similar "comm" utility already.

I use "join" frequently to perform simple database joins on CSV files, eliminating the requirement to install a real RDBMS. "cut", "sort" and "join" are essential for that kind of work.

Of course, there is always the GNU version of "join". But as usual, the executable is bloated and much larger than necessary.

I have seen the source code for the NetBSD implementation of "join" - it did not seeem too large in order to be a suitable addition to Busybox.
Comment 1 Bernhard Reutner-Fischer 2021-10-10 08:36:15 UTC 
Well, usually utilities are added to busybox if need arises.

Tested patches are of course very welcome, please send it to the mailing-list.
PS: join(1) is described here: https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/join.html