uutils/sed

handles multiple exchange commands differently from GNU (pattern space truncation)

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#253 opened on Jan 11, 2026

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good first issue

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Description

Rust (incorrect - pattern space truncated)

  $ echo -e "line1\nline2\nline3" | cargo run -p sed -- '2x;3x'
  line1
  line2
  # Exit code: 0

GNU (correct)

$ echo -e "line1\nline2\nline3" | /usr/bin/sed '2x;3x'
 line1

 line2
 # Exit code: 0

Contributor guide

Research direction
Inspect the exchange command implementation in the Rust sed codebase and compare it with GNU sed's behavior for multiple exchange commands.
Tech stack
rust
Domain
cli
Issue type
Bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
Rustsed
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
60