# Install docbook2x with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper Convert DocBook to UNIX manpages and GNU TeXinfo. Version 0.8.8 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:docbook2x ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install docbook2x ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install docbook2X ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: textproc/docbook2X/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add docbook2x ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: docbook2x from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install docbook2x ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: docbook2x from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install docbook2X ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: docbook2X 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#docbook2x ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/do/docbook2x/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S docbook2x ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: docbook2x from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install docbook2x ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: docbook2x from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:docbook2x - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.8.8 - **Source summary:** Convert DocBook to UNIX manpages and GNU TeXinfo - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT AND DocBook-XML - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - db2x_manxml (cli) - db2x_texixml (cli) - db2x_xsltproc (cli) - docbook2man (cli) - docbook2texi (cli) - sgml2xml-isoent (cli) - utf8trans (cli) - db2x_manxml (alias) - db2x_texixml (alias) - db2x_xsltproc (alias) - docbook2man (alias) - docbook2texi (alias) - sgml2xml-isoent (alias) - utf8trans (alias) ## Dependencies - docbook ## Uses from macOS - expat - libxslt - perl ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.8.8 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://docbook2x.sourceforge.net/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage docbook2X is a focused DocBook converter for traditional Unix man pages and GNU Texinfo. It is effectively mature legacy infrastructure: upstream's last release was 0.8.8 in March 2007, but distributions still carry it because man-page and info-page generation remain useful in source builds. ### Project history The project predates much of today's Markdown-centric documentation tooling and targeted the practical problem of turning DocBook refentry content into native Unix documentation formats. The preserved SourceForge homepage identifies 0.8.8, released on March 3, 2007, and the manual identifies Steve Cheng as author. SourceForge file history shows the 0.8.x line progressing from 2003 through 2007. ### Adoption history docbook2X was adopted by Linux and BSD distributions because it generated man and Texinfo output in packaging workflows where those formats were first-class artifacts. Although dormant upstream, it remains packaged in Homebrew, Debian, Fedora, Arch, MacPorts, Nix, Ubuntu, openSUSE, FreeBSD ports, OpenBSD ports, and Guix. ### How it is used The common commands convert DocBook/XML refentry documents into manual pages or Texinfo, with lower-level helpers for Man-XML and Texi-XML intermediate formats. The package is most often encountered in build dependencies rather than as a user-facing authoring tool. ### Why package nerds care docbook2X is a good example of a small, stable converter kept alive by distribution packaging long after upstream activity quieted. Its continued presence says a lot about Unix documentation culture: man pages and info documents are still build outputs worth preserving. ### Timeline - 2003: SourceForge file history shows early 0.8.x releases. - 2004-2006: the 0.8.x series iterated through converter and packaging improvements. - 2007: docbook2X 0.8.8 was released as the documented upstream release. - 2010s-2020s: distributions continued carrying patched packages for modern build environments. ### Related projects - Related projects include DocBook XML, DocBook XSL stylesheets, xmlto, xsltproc/libxslt, GNU Texinfo, groff, and distribution XML catalog tooling. - The Distrotech GitHub mirror is useful as a readable source mirror, but SourceForge remains the upstream identity in package metadata. ### Sources - - - - - - - - ## 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:** docbook2x - **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 - docbook2x - 0.8.8-18: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: docbook2x from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Converts DocBook/XML documents into man pages and TeXinfo | http://docbook2x.sourceforge.net - Nix - docbook2x: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/do/docbook2x/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - docbook2x - 0.8.8-18: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: docbook2x from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Converts DocBook/XML documents into man pages and TeXinfo | http://docbook2x.sourceforge.net - apk - docbook2x - 0.8.8-r10: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: docbook2x from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | DocBook converter to UNIX manpage and GNU Texinfo format | https://docbook2x.sourceforge.net/ - apk - docbook2x-doc - 0.8.8-r10: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: docbook2x-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | DocBook converter to UNIX manpage and GNU Texinfo format (documentation) | https://docbook2x.sourceforge.net/ - dnf - docbook2X - 0.8.8-52.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: docbook2X from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Convert docbook into man and Texinfo | http://docbook2x.sourceforge.net/ - pacman - docbook2x - 0.8.8-19: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: docbook2x from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | A software package that converts DocBook documents into the traditional Unix man page format and the GNU Texinfo format. | http://docbook2x.sourceforge.net - zypper - docbook2x - 0.8.8-130.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: docbook2x from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | DocBook-to-Texinfo Converter | http://docbook2x.sourceforge.net/ - zypper - docbook2x-doc - 0.8.8-130.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: docbook2x-doc from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | DocBook-to-Texinfo Converter | http://docbook2x.sourceforge.net/ - MacPorts - docbook2X: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: textproc/docbook2X/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. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [docbook](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/docbook/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [docbook-xsl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/docbook-xsl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, docbook, documentation, xml. - [xmltoman](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xmltoman/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, converter, developer-tools, documentation, manpages. - [xml2rfc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xml2rfc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, converter, developer-tools, documentation, xml. - [dita-ot](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dita-ot/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, documentation, xml. - [go-md2man](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go-md2man/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, converter, developer-tools, documentation. - [help2man](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/help2man/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, documentation, manpages. - [kdoctools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/kdoctools/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, docbook, documentation. - [ronn](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ronn/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, documentation, manpages. - [docutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/docutils/) - Local metadata places this package in an adjacent workflow. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, documentation. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/docbook2x.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/docbook2x.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