macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install papslocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install papsMacPorts ports tree · print/paps/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 6674
Install paps with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper
Pango to PostScript converter. Version 0.8.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-11. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install libpaps-dev.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install papsDebian stable package indexes · paps · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install papsFedora Rawhide package metadata · paps · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#papsnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/pa/paps/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install papsopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · paps · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Pango to PostScript converter
Project links
Commands and aliases
- paps
- src-to-paps
history
Project history and usage
paps is a command-line converter that uses Pango to turn UTF-8 text into PostScript or PDF, with support for internationalized text layout.
Project history
paps was written around 2005 to print plain UTF-8 text using Pango. Its name combines the first two letters of Pango with “ps” for PostScript.
The original implementation emitted bitmap fonts because Pango output could not then be translated simply into PostScript outlines. A later custom PostScript font-encoding approach produced resolution-independent output but caused very large PDFs and prevented text selection.
After Cairo and PangoCairo made idiomatic PostScript output practical, paps was rewritten around those libraries. The rewritten version was published on GitHub as version 0.7.0 in 2015.
Adoption history
paps has been packaged across Homebrew, Debian and Ubuntu, Fedora-family distributions, openSUSE, MacPorts, and Nix. That breadth reflects its role as a small, reusable bridge between Unicode-aware desktop text layout and traditional printing workflows.
How it is used
Users pass UTF-8 text to `paps` to produce PostScript or PDF suitable for printing or further conversion. Command help is available through `paps --help`, and fuller command documentation is installed as the `paps` man page.
Why package nerds care
paps is a classic glue utility: it exposes Pango's internationalized text shaping through a pipeline-friendly command and produces established print formats. Its long presence in several Unix package ecosystems makes it useful for scripts that need better Unicode handling than older plain-text-to-PostScript tools.
Timeline
- c. 2005: paps was written to enable printing of UTF-8 plain-text files.
- Early 2010s: Cairo and PangoCairo supplied a simpler modern rendering route.
- 2015: The Cairo-based rewrite was released on GitHub as version 0.7.0.
Related projects
- Pango provides internationalized text layout and shaping.
- Cairo and PangoCairo provide the modern PostScript and PDF rendering path.
Sources
- https://github.com/dov/paps#readme
- source_facts.package-manager
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
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 5 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 3 build dependencies.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
paps | cli | global executable | |
src-to-paps | 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 generated2026-09-19
manager version0.8.0
manager updated2026-09-11
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv0.8.0
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:paps |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.8.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/paps |
| Homepage | https://github.com/dov/paps |
| Repository | https://github.com/dov/paps |
| License | LGPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/dov/paps/archive/refs/tags/v0.8.0.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-09-11T18:29:23Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | cairo, fmt, gettext, glib, pango |
| Build dependencies | meson, ninja, pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | paps |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 3 |
| 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%
libpaps-dev 0.6.8-7.2
Development files for libpaps
sudo apt install libpaps-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: paps
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Paps
Debian apt95%
libpaps0t64 0.6.8-7.2
UTF-8 to PostScript converter library using Pango
sudo apt install libpaps0t64- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: paps
- 5 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Paps
Debian apt95%
paps 0.6.8-7.2
UTF-8 to PostScript converter using Pango
sudo apt install paps- Section: text
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Paps
Nix95%
paps
nix profile install nixpkgs#paps- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Paps
Ubuntu apt95%
libpaps-dev 0.6.8-7.2build1
Development files for libpaps
sudo apt install libpaps-dev- Section: universe/libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: paps
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Paps
Ubuntu apt95%
libpaps0t64 0.6.8-7.2build1
UTF-8 to PostScript converter library using Pango
sudo apt install libpaps0t64- Section: universe/libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: paps
- 5 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Paps
Ubuntu apt95%
paps 0.6.8-7.2build1
UTF-8 to PostScript converter using Pango
sudo apt install paps- Section: universe/text
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Paps
dnf95%
paps 0.8.0-19.fc45
Plain Text to PostScript converter
sudo dnf install paps- License: LGPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: paps
- 13 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Paps
dnf95%
texttopaps 0.8.0-19.fc45
CUPS filter based on paps
sudo dnf install texttopaps- License: LGPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: paps
- 12 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Paps
zypper95%
paps 0.8.0-4.5
A text to postscript converter through pango
sudo zypper install paps- License: LGPL-2.0-only
- Category: System/Base
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: paps
- 12 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Paps
MacPorts95%
paps
sudo port install paps- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Paps
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
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation