# 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 ```sh sudo av install brew:texinfo ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install texinfo ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install texinfo ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: textproc/texinfo/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add texinfo ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: texinfo from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install info ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: info from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install info ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: info 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#texinfo ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: texinfo from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S texinfo ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: texinfo from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install info ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: info from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:texinfo - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 7.3 - **Source summary:** Official documentation format of the GNU project - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - info (cli) - install-info (cli) - makeinfo (cli) - pdftexi2dvi (cli) - pod2texi (cli) - texi2any (cli) - texi2dvi (cli) - texi2pdf (cli) - texindex (cli) - info (alias) - install-info (alias) - makeinfo (alias) - pdftexi2dvi (alias) - pod2texi (alias) - texi2any (alias) - texi2dvi (alias) - texi2pdf (alias) - texindex (alias) ## Uses from macOS - ncurses - perl ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sequoia, sonoma, tahoe, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 7.3 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## 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 - - - ## 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:** texinfo - **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 - info - 7.1.1-1+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: info from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Standalone GNU Info documentation browser | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - Debian apt - install-info - 7.1.1-1+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: install-info from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Manage installed documentation in info format | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - Debian apt - texinfo - 7.1.1-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: texinfo from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Documentation system for on-line information and printed output | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - Debian apt - texinfo-lib - 7.1.1-1+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: texinfo-lib from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Libraries needed by the texinfo package | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - Nix - texinfo: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: texinfo from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - Ubuntu apt - info - 7.1-3build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: info from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Standalone GNU Info documentation browser | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - Ubuntu apt - install-info - 7.1-3build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: install-info from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Manage installed documentation in info format | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - Ubuntu apt - texinfo - 7.1-3build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: texinfo from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Documentation system for on-line information and printed output | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - Ubuntu apt - texinfo-lib - 7.1-3build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: texinfo-lib from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Libraries needed by the texinfo package | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - apk - texinfo - 7.3-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: texinfo from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Utilities to work with and produce manuals, ASCII text, and on-line documentation from a single source file | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - apk - texinfo-doc - 7.3-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: texinfo-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | 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/ - dnf - info - 7.3-2.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: info from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | A stand-alone TTY-based reader for GNU texinfo documentation | http://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - dnf - texinfo - 7.3-2.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: texinfo from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Tools needed to create Texinfo format documentation files | http://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - dnf - texinfo-tex - 7.3-2.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: texinfo-tex from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Tools for formatting Texinfo documentation files using TeX | http://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - pacman - texinfo - 7.3-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: texinfo from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz | GNU documentation system for on-line information and printed output | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ - zypper - info - 7.3-1.2: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: info from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | A Stand-Alone Terminal-Based Info Browser | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ ## 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. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [nco](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nco/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [octave](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/octave/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [action-docs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/action-docs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, documentation. - [adr-tools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/adr-tools/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, documentation. - [adr-viewer](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/adr-viewer/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, documentation. - [cargo-docset](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cargo-docset/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, documentation. - [cheat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cheat/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, documentation. - [context7-mcp](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/context7-mcp/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, documentation. - [cppman](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cppman/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, documentation. - [dita-ot](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dita-ot/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, documentation. - [m4](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/m4/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, gnu, language. - [autoconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autoconf/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, gnu. - [automake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/automake/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, gnu. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/texinfo.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/texinfo.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