# 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 ```sh sudo av install brew:a2ps ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install a2ps ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install a2ps ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: print/a2ps/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add a2ps ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: a2ps from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install a2ps ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: a2ps from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install a2ps ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: a2ps from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#a2ps ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/a2/a2ps/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S a2ps ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: a2ps from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install a2ps ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: a2ps from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:a2ps - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 4.15.8 - **Source summary:** Any-to-PostScript filter - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-26T23:37:44-04:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - a2ps (cli) - a2ps-lpr-wrapper (cli) - card (cli) - composeglyphs (cli) - fixps (cli) - lp2 (cli) - ogonkify (cli) - pdiff (cli) - a2ps (alias) - a2ps-lpr-wrapper (alias) - card (alias) - composeglyphs (alias) - fixps (alias) - lp2 (alias) - ogonkify (alias) - pdiff (alias) ## Dependencies - bdw-gc - libpaper ## Build dependencies - pkgconf ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 4.15.8 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-26 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## 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 - - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** a2ps - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - a2ps - 1:4.15.6-1+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: a2ps from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | GNU a2ps - 'Anything to PostScript' converter and pretty-printer | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/ - Nix - a2ps: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/a2/a2ps/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - a2ps - 1:4.15.5-2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: a2ps from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | GNU a2ps - 'Anything to PostScript' converter and pretty-printer | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/ - apk - a2ps - 4.15.7-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: a2ps from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | a2ps is an Any to PostScript filter | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/ - apk - a2ps-doc - 4.15.7-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: a2ps-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | a2ps is an Any to PostScript filter (documentation) | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/ - apk - a2ps-emacs - 4.15.7-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: a2ps-emacs from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | a2ps is an Any to PostScript filter (emacs plugin) | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/ - dnf - a2ps - 4.15.8-3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: a2ps from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Converts text and other types of files to PostScript | http://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/ - pacman - a2ps - 4.15.8-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: a2ps from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | An Any to PostScript filter | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps - zypper - a2ps - 4.15.6-2.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: a2ps from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Tool to convert ASCII/Latin Text into PostScript | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/a2ps.html - zypper - a2ps-devel - 4.15.6-2.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: a2ps-devel from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Library and header file for the interface of a2ps | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/a2ps.html - zypper - a2ps-lang - 4.15.6-2.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: a2ps-lang from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Translations for package a2ps | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/a2ps.html - zypper - liba2ps1 - 4.15.6-2.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: liba2ps1 from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Library to convert ASCII/Latin text into PostScript | https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/a2ps.html - MacPorts - a2ps: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: print/a2ps/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Productivity CLI packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/productivity-cli-packages/) - Matched curated productivity category metadata from av.db. - [libpaper](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libpaper/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [cdlabelgen](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cdlabelgen/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, postscript, printing, productivity. - [mpage](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mpage/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, postscript, printing, productivity. - [fop](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fop/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, document-processing, postscript, productivity. - [cpdf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cpdf/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, document-processing, productivity. - [latexdiff](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/latexdiff/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, document-processing, productivity. - [libvisio](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libvisio/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, document-processing, productivity. - [opendetex](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/opendetex/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, document-processing, productivity. - [pcal](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pcal/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, postscript, printing, productivity. - [zile](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/zile/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: bdw, bdw-gc, cli, gnu, productivity. - [emacs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/emacs/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, gnu, productivity. - [gnu-barcode](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnu-barcode/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, gnu, postscript, printing. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/a2ps.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/a2ps.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph