macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install texinfoprovider-native install command
brew / rank 793
Install texinfo with Homebrew
Official documentation format of the GNU project. Version 7.3 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-29.
install
Additional install commands
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
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
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 | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
install-info | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
makeinfo | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
pdftexi2dvi | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
pod2texi | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
texi2any | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
texi2dvi | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
texi2pdf | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
texindex | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
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 generated2026-08-03
manager version7.3
manager updated2026-07-29
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:texinfo |
|---|---|
| Version | 7.3 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/ |
| Last updated | 2026-07-29T23:04:27Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
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
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation