addftinfo

addftinfo [options] fontfile

fontfile
    The FreeType font file (e.g., .ttf, .otf) to add to the X font server.

-v
    Verbose output, showing the font information being added.

The addftinfo command is a utility used to add FreeType-generated font information to the X font server. This allows X applications to use fonts rendered by FreeType without needing to install the fonts system-wide or modify the X server configuration. It typically works by creating a font directory that contains the FreeType font files and a fonts.dir file that maps the font names to the font files. The command parses the specified font file, extracts necessary metrics and characteristics, and then communicates this information to the X server. This allows X applications to discover and use the FreeType fonts as if they were native X fonts. This is useful in environments where users want to use custom fonts without system-wide installation.

The addftinfo command relies on the FreeType library being installed and configured properly. It also depends on the X font server being running and accessible. The effects of this command are typically temporary, often lost upon restarting the X server. Proper configuration using fontconfig is the modern approach.

A typical usage scenario involves creating a directory for the fonts, placing the font files there, and running addftinfo on each font file. Then, using xset to add the directory to the font path.
Modern systems use Fontconfig which handles font management instead.

Fontconfig (fc-cache, fc-list) is generally preferred over using addftinfo directly for font management in modern Linux systems. Fontconfig offers a more robust and flexible solution for configuring fonts for X applications. The use of addftinfo is now largely deprecated.

xfs(1), xset(1), fc-cache(1)