colordctl

colordctl [--help|--version|--verbose|--log-level=level] COMMAND [COMMAND_OPTIONS] [ARGUMENTS]

Common examples:
colordctl device list
colordctl profile list
colordctl import-profile path/to/profile.icc
colordctl set-preferred-profile device-id profile-id

--help
    Displays a help message for the command or a specific subcommand.

--version
    Shows the colordctl version information.

--verbose
    Enables verbose output for more detailed information during execution.

--log-level=level
    Sets the logging level (e.g., 'debug', 'info', 'warning', 'error').

device list
    Lists all color-managed devices known to the colord daemon.

device get-profiles device-id
    Retrieves the list of profiles associated with a specific device identified by its ID.

profile list
    Lists all registered color profiles available in the system.

profile info profile-id
    Displays detailed information about a specific color profile identified by its ID.

import-profile path-to-icc
    Imports an ICC profile from a specified file into the colord system.

dump-profile profile-id
    Dumps the raw ICC profile data for a given profile ID to standard output.

set-preferred-profile device-id profile-id
    Sets a specific profile as the preferred one for a designated device.

get-color [sensor-id]
    Measures a color using a connected color sensor, if available, or from a display area.

calibrate device-id
    Initiates a calibration process for the specified device, often launching a graphical wizard.

The colordctl command-line tool interacts with the colord system daemon, which provides a comprehensive solution for color management on Linux. It allows users and system administrators to query, configure, and manage color profiles for various input and output devices such as displays, printers, scanners, and cameras.

colordctl serves as the primary interface for tasks like listing connected devices, inspecting their assigned color profiles, importing new ICC profiles, and even initiating device calibration processes. By centralizing color management, colordctl helps ensure consistent and accurate color representation across different hardware, crucial for professional design, photography, and consistent user experience. It typically leverages D-Bus for communication with the running colord daemon.

Many colordctl operations, especially those modifying system settings or device assignments, require root privileges or specific user permissions (e.g., via sudo).

The colord daemon must be running for colordctl to function correctly. Some commands, like calibrate or get-color, may require specific hardware (e.g., a colorimeter) or a graphical environment (X11/Wayland) to fully operate.

Device IDs and profile IDs can often be long, cryptic strings, requiring careful copying and pasting.

colordctl forms the backbone for color management in many Linux desktop environments. Tools like GNOME Color Manager and KDE's system settings often use colord and its profiles behind the scenes to provide a user-friendly interface for display calibration and profile assignment, making complex color management accessible to end-users.

A typical workflow for display calibration involves using colordctl (or its GUI frontends) in conjunction with a colorimeter. First, connect the colorimeter to the system. Then, use colordctl calibrate device-id to start the calibration process, which usually guides the user through measuring various colors displayed on the screen to generate a new, accurate ICC profile for the specific display.

The colord project, including colordctl, was initiated by Richard Hughes (Red Hat) around 2010. It aimed to provide a standardized, integrated color management solution for Linux, replacing disparate and often complex configurations. colordctl has been the primary command-line interface for interacting with the colord daemon since its early development, facilitating its adoption and integration into desktop environments like GNOME (via GNOME Color Manager) and KDE.

colord(8), systemctl(1), xrandr(1)