fc-cat

fc-cat [ -v ] [ -f ] [ -e ] [ -q ] [ font-file(s) ]

-v
    Verbose output. Prints more information about the font properties.

-f
    Force re-reading of font files. Useful if Fontconfig's cache is stale.

-e
    Edit mode. Outputs XML that allows modification using fc-pattern, then re-adding to the cache.

-q
    Suppress error messages.

font-file(s)
    The list of font files to examine. If no file is specified, fc-cat reads all fonts in the paths specified in the Fontconfig configuration.

The fc-cat command is part of the Fontconfig library, a system for configuring and customizing font access. fc-cat is used to read font information directly from font files. It does not rely on the Fontconfig cache. It examines specified font files and outputs their information (such as family name, style, etc.) in an XML format compatible with Fontconfig's configuration files. The tool is typically utilized for debugging or advanced font management scenarios where inspecting font properties without using the Fontconfig cache is required. It can be essential for identifying why a font might not be rendering as expected, or when building custom font configurations. This allows a system administrator to find font files, examine properties, and identify conflicts within the font system. This process can be useful to troubleshoot why fonts are not being rendered by a specific program.

fc-cat requires direct access to font files. It does not use the Fontconfig cache, so changes made through Fontconfig configuration might not be reflected in its output until the cache is updated.

The XML output generated by fc-cat can be directly used in Fontconfig configuration files for advanced font customization.

Use fc-cat to determine if a font contains the expected character sets or language support. It is especially helpful when fonts render incorrectly in a specific application.

fc-cat has been a part of the Fontconfig library since its early versions. It was created to provide a direct way to inspect font properties and debug font issues. Its primary purpose has remained consistent throughout Fontconfig's development: to bypass the cache and directly access font data.

fc-cache(1), fc-list(1), fc-match(1), fc-pattern(1)