Foomatic

Foomatic is a database-driven system for integrating free software printer drivers with the CUPS printing system and also with an easy-to-use command-line interface for direct, spooler-less printing.

Foomatic consists of three packages:

  • foomatic-db-engine

    Foomatic’s database engine generates PPD files from the data in Foomatic’s XML database. It also contains scripts to directly configure print queues and handle jobs.

  • foomatic-db

    The collected knowledge about printers, drivers, and driver options in XML files, used by foomatic-db-engine to generate PPD files. It also contains manufacturer-supplied PPD files which got released under free software licenses.

  • foomatic-db-nonfree

    Foomatic database extension consisting of manufacturer-supplied PPD files released under non-free licenses which restricts them in how they can get redistributed.