macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install a2pslocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install a2psMacPorts ports tree · print/a2ps/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install a2ps with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Any-to-PostScript filter. Version 4.15.8 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-26.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add a2psAlpine Linux edge package indexes · a2ps · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install a2psDebian stable package indexes · a2ps · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install a2psFedora Rawhide package metadata · a2ps · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#a2psnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/a2/a2ps/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S a2psArch Linux sync databases · a2ps · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install a2psopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · a2ps · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Any-to-PostScript filter
Project links
Commands and aliases
- a2ps
- a2ps-lpr-wrapper
- card
- composeglyphs
- fixps
- lp2
- ogonkify
- pdiff
history
Project history and usage
GNU a2ps is an Any-to-PostScript filter and pretty-printer: it turns text and many source formats into PostScript, with page layout, headers, style sheets, delegations to other tools, and printer-oriented output.
Project history
The project became a GNU package for command-line printing workflows where PostScript was the common interchange format. Its README describes the tool as highly configurable while still aiming to let novice users perform complex PostScript manipulations.
After long maintenance gaps, release 4.14 in 2007 moved the package to GPLv3-or-later and modernized the build. A new maintenance cycle began in 2022, leading to the 4.15 stable release in 2023 with Reuben Thomas as maintainer, updated autotools/gnulib infrastructure, libpaper integration, CUPS-oriented lpr wrapper support, and security fixes.
Adoption history
a2ps became a familiar Unix packaging staple because it filled the practical gap between plain text, source code, and printer-ready PostScript. The input package data lists it across Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Alpine, Arch, MacPorts, Nix, and openSUSE, which matches its long-lived role as a small command-line printing utility.
How it is used
Users run a2ps to format files for printing or previewing, especially source files that benefit from syntax-aware pretty-printing. Related tools in the package, such as fixps, card, pdiff, lp2, ogonkify, and composeglyphs, reflect the broader PostScript-cleanup and print-preparation workflow around it.
Why package nerds care
Package nerds care about a2ps because it is the kind of GNU utility that exposes decades of Unix printing assumptions: PostScript pipelines, libpaper defaults, printer wrappers, generated documentation, legacy encodings, and security-sensitive parsers all in one small package.
Timeline
- 2007: GNU a2ps 4.14 ships as a maintenance release, moves to GPLv3-or-later, and updates build tooling.
- 2022: Alpha releases restart active maintenance with a new maintainer and modernized build system.
- 2023: GNU a2ps 4.15 ships as a stable release with CUPS-oriented printing support, libpaper integration, and security fixes.
- 2025: GNU a2ps 4.15.8 ships with bug fixes and build/documentation updates.
Related projects
- a2ps delegates work to tools such as Ghostscript, groff, dvips, gzip, psutils, and libpaper, making it part of the classic Unix document-conversion and printing pipeline.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
a2ps | cli | global executable | |
a2ps-lpr-wrapper | cli | global executable | |
card | cli | global executable | |
composeglyphs | cli | global executable | |
fixps | cli | global executable | |
lp2 | cli | global executable | |
ogonkify | cli | global executable | |
pdiff | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-07-08
manager version4.15.8
manager updated2026-05-26
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:a2ps |
|---|---|
| Version | 4.15.8 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/a2ps |
| Homepage | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/ |
| Repository | https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/a2ps.git |
| Upstream docs | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnu/a2ps/a2ps-4.15.8.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-05-26T23:37:44-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | bdw-gc, libpaper |
| Build dependencies | pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | a2ps |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
a2ps 1:4.15.6-1+b1
GNU a2ps - 'Anything to PostScript' converter and pretty-printer
https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/
sudo apt install a2ps- Section: text
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: a2ps
- 5 dependencies
- 14 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
Nix95%
a2ps
nix profile install nixpkgs#a2ps- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
Ubuntu apt95%
a2ps 1:4.15.5-2
GNU a2ps - 'Anything to PostScript' converter and pretty-printer
https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/
sudo apt install a2ps- Section: universe/text
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- 14 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
apk95%
a2ps 4.15.7-r0
a2ps is an Any to PostScript filter
https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/
sudo apk add a2ps- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: a2ps
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
apk95%
a2ps-doc 4.15.7-r0
a2ps is an Any to PostScript filter (documentation)
https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/
sudo apk add a2ps-doc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: a2ps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
apk95%
a2ps-emacs 4.15.7-r0
a2ps is an Any to PostScript filter (emacs plugin)
https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/
sudo apk add a2ps-emacs- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: a2ps
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
dnf95%
a2ps 4.15.8-3.fc44
Converts text and other types of files to PostScript
http://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/
sudo dnf install a2ps- License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND LGPL-3.0-or-later AND GPL-3.0-or-later WITH Bison-exception-2.2 AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: a2ps
- 17 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
pacman95%
a2ps 4.15.8-1
An Any to PostScript filter
https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps
sudo pacman -S a2ps- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
zypper95%
a2ps 4.15.6-2.4
Tool to convert ASCII/Latin Text into PostScript
https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/a2ps.html
sudo zypper install a2ps- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: a2ps
- 16 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
zypper95%
a2ps-devel 4.15.6-2.4
Library and header file for the interface of a2ps
https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/a2ps.html
sudo zypper install a2ps-devel- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: a2ps
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
zypper95%
a2ps-lang 4.15.6-2.4
Translations for package a2ps
https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/a2ps.html
sudo zypper install a2ps-lang- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: System/Localization
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: a2ps
- 1 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
zypper95%
liba2ps1 4.15.6-2.4
Library to convert ASCII/Latin text into PostScript
https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/a2ps.html
sudo zypper install liba2ps1- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: a2ps
- 2 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
MacPorts95%
a2ps
sudo port install a2ps- normalized package name match
- Matched by: A2ps
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment