cups-browsed

cups-browsed [options]

-c filename
    Specifies an alternate configuration file.

-d level
    Sets the debug logging level (0 to 3).

-f
    Runs in the foreground (for debugging).

-g group
    Specifies the group name to run as.

-h hostname[:port]
    Specifies the CUPS server to use.

-s
    Runs in standalone mode (disables systemd socket activation).

-u user
    Specifies the user name to run as.

-v
    Show version information.

The cups-browsed command is a daemon that browses for shared printers announced via DNS-SD (Bonjour/Avahi) and creates local queues for them in CUPS (Common Unix Printing System). It listens for printer advertisements on the network and dynamically adds or removes printer queues in the CUPS printing system, making network printers automatically available to users without requiring manual configuration. This is especially useful in environments where printers are frequently added or removed, or where users move between networks. cups-browsed simplifies printer discovery and setup for end-users. It allows users to print to networked printers that are discovered automatically without manual configuration.

The command runs as a background process and interacts with the CUPS server to manage printer queues. cups-browsed improves the ease of use of printing services on linux systems in small and big office and home environments.

Proper DNS-SD configuration is required for cups-browsed to function correctly. Firewall rules may need adjustment to allow MDNS traffic for printer discovery.

The configuration file for cups-browsed typically resides in /etc/cups/cups-browsed.conf. It allows customization of browsing behavior, such as filtering printers based on location or type.

Refer to the cups-browsed.conf(5) manual page for details.

The debug level can be adjusted to get verbose logging from cups-browsed. Running in the foreground with -f is useful for observing its behavior directly.

cups-browsed was developed as part of the CUPS project to simplify printer discovery and management in networked environments. Its introduction aimed to make network printing more user-friendly, particularly in dynamic environments where printers might come and go frequently. It's designed to automate the process of adding and removing printer queues within CUPS, based on network advertisements. CUPS is developed by OpenPrinting.

lp(1), lpadmin(8), cupsd(8), avahi-browse(1), driverless(1)