gimp

Start GIMP

$ gimp

$ gimp [path/to/image1 path/to/image2 ...]

$ gimp --new-instance [path/to/image1 path/to/image2 ...]

$ gimp --no-splash

$ gimp --console-messages

$ gimp --debug-handlers

gimp [OPTIONS] [FILE...]

-h, --help
    Show the full list of command-line options.

-v, --version
    Display the GIMP version information.

--verbose
    Enable verbose output during startup and execution.

--no-data
    Do not load patterns, gradients, palettes, or brushes.

--no-fonts
    Do not load any fonts. Useful for debugging font issues.

--no-splash
    Do not show the splash screen during startup.

--no-interface
    Run GIMP in batch mode without a graphical user interface (GUI).

--display display
    Specify the X display to use for the graphical interface.

--batch-interpreter interpreter
    Specify the interpreter to use for batch commands (e.g., 'gimprc-batch', 'python-fu-batch').

-b, --batch commands
    Execute the specified commands in batch mode. Typically combined with '--no-interface' and '--quit'.

--quit
    Quit GIMP after executing all batch commands. Useful for automated processing.

--gimprc filename
    Use an alternative user GIMP resource file instead of the default.

--system-gimprc filename
    Use an alternative system-wide GIMP resource file.

--session name
    Use a new GIMP session with the given name. Useful for running multiple instances.

The GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free and open-source raster graphics editor primarily used for image retouching, image composition, and image authoring. It provides a sophisticated set of tools for tasks such as photo manipulation, creating original artwork, web graphics design, and converting image formats. GIMP supports a wide array of file formats and offers advanced features like layers, masks, customizable brushes, filters, and a robust plugin architecture. It's a versatile tool employed by graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, and scientists for both creative and technical image-related work. Being cross-platform, it runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its extensive scripting capabilities (via Script-Fu/Scheme and Python) also make it powerful for automating repetitive tasks and batch processing, allowing users to control its functionalities from the command line without the graphical interface.

GIMP is primarily a GUI application. While it supports powerful command-line options for batch processing and automation, its core functionality relies on the graphical interface. For simple image conversions or manipulations that don't require GIMP's advanced features, other command-line tools like ImageMagick might be more efficient and resource-friendly.
Batch mode scripting often requires knowledge of Script-Fu (Scheme) or Python scripting within the GIMP environment.

GIMP's command-line interface is exceptionally powerful for automating tasks. By combining the --no-interface, --batch, and --quit options, users can write scripts to perform complex operations like resizing, watermarking, or format conversion on multiple images without opening the graphical interface. This makes GIMP a valuable tool in server-side automation or large-scale image processing workflows.

GIMP extends its functionality through internal scripting using Script-Fu (based on Scheme) and external scripting via Python (Python-Fu). These interfaces allow users to create custom plugins and automate complex workflows, significantly enhancing GIMP's versatility beyond its built-in features.

GIMP was initially started by Spencer Kimball and Peter Mattis in 1995 as a university project at the University of California, Berkeley. It was originally named the General Image Manipulation Program. In 1997, it became part of the GNU Project, and its name was changed to the GNU Image Manipulation Program. The first public release, GIMP 0.54, was in 1996. It quickly gained popularity as a powerful open-source alternative to proprietary image editing software, fostering a vibrant community of users and developers who contributed to its feature set and plugin ecosystem. Its development has seen significant evolution, including changes to its single-window vs. multi-window interface, continuous improvements in performance, and expansion of its professional-grade features.

convert(1), display(1), inkscape(1), krita(1)