macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install texinfolocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install texinfoMacPorts ports tree · textproc/texinfo/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install texinfo with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Official documentation format of the GNU project. Version 7.3 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add texinfoAlpine Linux edge package indexes · texinfo · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install infoDebian stable package indexes · info · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install infoFedora Rawhide package metadata · info · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#texinfonixpkgs package indexes · texinfo · source: raw.githubusercontent.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S texinfoArch Linux sync databases · texinfo · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install infoopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · info · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Official documentation format of the GNU project
Project links
Commands and aliases
- info
- install-info
- makeinfo
- pdftexi2dvi
- pod2texi
- texi2any
- texi2dvi
- texi2pdf
- texindex
history
Project history and usage
GNU Texinfo is the GNU project's documentation system and format, designed so one source document can produce online Info documentation and printable output. In package-manager culture, texinfo is both a documentation format and a practical build dependency: packages use makeinfo, texi2any, install-info, and info to build, install, and read manuals.
Project history
The GNU Texinfo manual's history section attributes the invention of the Texinfo format, the initial processors, and edition 1.0 of the manual to Richard M. Stallman. Robert J. Chassell substantially revised and extended the manual starting with edition 1.1, Brian Fox maintained the standalone Texinfo distribution through version 3.8 and wrote the standalone makeinfo and info programs, and Karl Berry continued maintenance after Texinfo 3.8.
Adoption history
Texinfo became deeply associated with GNU because it solved a packaging problem GNU projects shared: keeping reference manuals, online Info readers, and printed documentation in one source format. The GNU manual and homepage describe Texinfo as the GNU documentation system, and the package is carried across mainstream Unix-like package managers under names such as texinfo or info.
How it is used
The package is used in build systems to convert .texi sources into Info, HTML, DVI, PDF, and related output. Its executables include makeinfo and texi2any for conversion, info for reading Info manuals, install-info for registering manuals, and texi2dvi/texi2pdf-style tools for TeX-backed print output.
Why package nerds care
Texinfo is a classic transitive dependency in source builds: many GNU and GNU-adjacent packages ship manuals in .texi form even when users never open the Info reader. Package maintainers care about whether a build requires makeinfo, whether generated Info files are shipped, and whether install-info hooks are needed after installation.
It also marks a cultural boundary between GNU and BSD documentation stacks. Texinfo and Info emphasize hyperlinked manuals and single-source publishing, while BSD packaging often favors mdoc(7) manpages and mandoc.
Timeline
- 1980s: Richard M. Stallman invents the Texinfo format and writes the initial processors and edition 1.0 of the manual.
- Texinfo 3.8 era: Brian Fox maintains the standalone distribution and writes the standalone makeinfo and info programs.
- After Texinfo 3.8: Karl Berry continues Texinfo maintenance.
- Current GNU releases: Texinfo remains the official GNU documentation system and ships texi2any, makeinfo, info, install-info, and related tools.
Related projects
- GNU Emacs and the GNU Info reader ecosystem are historically linked to Texinfo manuals.
- TeX is used for print-oriented Texinfo output such as DVI and PDF.
- texi2mdoc converts Texinfo sources into BSD mdoc(7) manual markup for mandoc workflows.
Sources
- https://ftp.gnu.org/old-gnu/Manuals/texinfo-4.2/html_node/History.html - GNU Texinfo manual history credits Stallman, Chassell, Fox, and Berry.
- https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo - GNU Texinfo project homepage.
- https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/manual/texinfo/texinfo.html - current GNU Texinfo manual.
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
- Homebrew declares a post-install hook for this formula.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 8 platform targets.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
info | cli | global executable | |
install-info | cli | global executable | |
makeinfo | cli | global executable | |
pdftexi2dvi | cli | global executable | |
pod2texi | cli | global executable | |
texi2any | cli | global executable | |
texi2dvi | cli | global executable | |
texi2pdf | cli | global executable | |
texindex | 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 generated2026-07-07
manager version7.3
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:texinfo |
|---|---|
| Version | 7.3 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/texinfo |
| Homepage | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ |
| Repository | https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/texinfo.git |
| Upstream docs | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnu/texinfo/texinfo-7.3.tar.xz |
| Uses from macOS | ncurses, perl |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sequoia, sonoma, tahoe, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | texinfo |
| 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%
info 7.1.1-1+b1
Standalone GNU Info documentation browser
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo apt install info- Section: doc
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: texinfo
- 3 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
Debian apt95%
install-info 7.1.1-1+b1
Manage installed documentation in info format
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo apt install install-info- Section: doc
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: texinfo
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
Debian apt95%
texinfo 7.1.1-1
Documentation system for on-line information and printed output
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo apt install texinfo- Section: text
- Architecture: all
- 5 dependencies
- 4 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
Debian apt95%
texinfo-lib 7.1.1-1+b1
Libraries needed by the texinfo package
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo apt install texinfo-lib- Section: text
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: texinfo
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
Nix95%
texinfo
nix profile install nixpkgs#texinfo- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
Ubuntu apt95%
info 7.1-3build2
Standalone GNU Info documentation browser
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo apt install info- Section: doc
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: texinfo
- 3 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
Ubuntu apt95%
install-info 7.1-3build2
Manage installed documentation in info format
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo apt install install-info- Section: doc
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: texinfo
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
Ubuntu apt95%
texinfo 7.1-3build2
Documentation system for on-line information and printed output
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo apt install texinfo- Section: universe/text
- Architecture: all
- 5 dependencies
- 4 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
Ubuntu apt95%
texinfo-lib 7.1-3build2
Libraries needed by the texinfo package
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo apt install texinfo-lib- Section: universe/text
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: texinfo
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
apk95%
texinfo 7.3-r0
Utilities to work with and produce manuals, ASCII text, and on-line documentation from a single source file
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo apk add texinfo- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: texinfo
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
apk95%
texinfo-doc 7.3-r0
Utilities to work with and produce manuals, ASCII text, and on-line documentation from a single source file (documentation)
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo apk add texinfo-doc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: texinfo
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
dnf95%
info 7.3-2.fc45
A stand-alone TTY-based reader for GNU texinfo documentation
http://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo dnf install info- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: texinfo
- 6 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
dnf95%
texinfo 7.3-2.fc45
Tools needed to create Texinfo format documentation files
http://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo dnf install texinfo- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: texinfo
- 3 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
dnf95%
texinfo-tex 7.3-2.fc45
Tools for formatting Texinfo documentation files using TeX
http://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo dnf install texinfo-tex- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: texinfo
- 7 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
pacman95%
texinfo 7.3-1
GNU documentation system for on-line information and printed output
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo pacman -S texinfo- License: GPL3
- Architecture: x86_64
- 4 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
zypper95%
info 7.3-1.2
A Stand-Alone Terminal-Based Info Browser
https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/
sudo zypper install info- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: texinfo
- 5 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Texinfo
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