# Install mkfontscale with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper Create an index of scalable font files for X. Version 1.2.4 via Homebrew; verified 2026-04-18. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:mkfontscale ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install mkfontscale ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install mkfontscale ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: x11/mkfontscale/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add mkfontscale ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mkfontscale from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install mkfontscale ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: mkfontscale 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#mkfontscale ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/mk/mkfontscale/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install mkfontscale ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: mkfontscale from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:mkfontscale - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.2.4 - **Source summary:** Create an index of scalable font files for X - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** X11 - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-04-18T23:54:30Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - mkfontdir (cli) - mkfontscale (cli) - mkfontdir (alias) - mkfontscale (alias) ## Dependencies - freetype - libfontenc ## Build dependencies - pkgconf - xorgproto ## Uses from macOS - bzip2 ## 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: 1.2.4 - Package-manager updated: 2026-04-18 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.x.org/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage mkfontscale is an X.Org command-line utility for the legacy X11 font system. Its manual states that the version shipped with X.Org was originally written by Juliusz Chroboczek for the XFree86 project and that its functionality was inspired by Joerg Pommnitz's ttmkfdir utility. The program scans scalable font files and writes index data that X11 font machinery can use; the related mkfontdir command creates fonts.dir files. ### How it is used The package's role is infrastructural rather than application-facing. X.Org and downstream package managers keep it available for systems that still need X11 core font directories, scalable font indexes, or compatibility with older X font workflows. The freedesktop GitLab project describes it as utilities for creating the fonts.scale and fonts.dir index files used by the legacy X11 font system, while Homebrew packages it with freetype and libfontenc dependencies and installs both mkfontscale and mkfontdir. ### 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:** mkfontscale - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - mkfontscale: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/mk/mkfontscale/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - apk - mkfontscale - 1.2.4-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mkfontscale from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Scalable font index generator for X | https://xorg.freedesktop.org/ - apk - mkfontscale-doc - 1.2.4-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mkfontscale-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Scalable font index generator for X (documentation) | https://xorg.freedesktop.org/ - dnf - mkfontscale - 1.2.3-4.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: mkfontscale from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Tool to generate legacy X11 font system index files | https://www.x.org - zypper - mkfontscale - 1.2.4-1.2: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: mkfontscale from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Utility to create index of scalable font files for X | https://xorg.freedesktop.org/ - MacPorts - mkfontscale: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: x11/mkfontscale/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Nix - mkfontdir: installed executable or alias match | nixpkgs package indexes: mkfontdir from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Media and graphics packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/media-graphics-tools/) - Matched media, image, audio, video, or graphics metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [freetype](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/freetype/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [font-util](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/font-util/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [bdftopcf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bdftopcf/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, fonts, system, x11, xorg. - [libxcvt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libxcvt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, x11, xorg. - [libxpm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libxpm/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, x11, xorg. - [xauth](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xauth/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, x11, xorg. - [xcursorgen](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xcursorgen/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, x11, xorg. - [xdpyinfo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xdpyinfo/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, x11, xorg. - [xeyes](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xeyes/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, x11, xorg. - [xinit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xinit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, x11, xorg. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/mkfontscale.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/mkfontscale.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