tlmgr-dump-tlpdb

Dump the local package database

$ tlmgr dump-tlpdb --local

$ tlmgr dump-tlpdb --remote

$ tlmgr dump-tlpdb --local --json

tlmgr dump-tlpdb

The tlmgr-dump-tlpdb command is a crucial utility within the TeX Live Manager (tlmgr) suite. Its primary function is to extract and display the complete contents of the TeX Live package database (tlpdb) to standard output. This database contains detailed information about every package installed in the TeX Live distribution, including package names, versions, dependencies, file lists, and descriptions. The output is typically in a human-readable (but primarily machine-parsable) format, allowing administrators and automated scripts to inspect the installed packages and their metadata. This is helpful for tasks such as generating reports, analyzing dependencies, performing custom installations, or troubleshooting package-related issues. It provides a snapshot of the current state of the TeX Live installation. The command doesn't make any changes to the system; it merely provides a read-only view of the package database.

The output format is subject to change between TeX Live releases, although changes are usually kept minimal. Relying on exact output format can lead to problems when upgrading TeX Live.

The output consists of sections, each starting with a marker like 'name packagename' or 'version versionnumber'. Each section represents a package and contains various fields such as `category`, `revision`, `relocatable`, `shortdesc`, `longdesc`, `depend`, and `runfiles`. Understanding this format is essential for effectively parsing and utilizing the command's output.

The command is most useful for programmatic access to the TeX Live package information. For example, you can parse the output with tools like grep, awk, or Python scripts to extract specific package details or generate custom reports about your TeX Live installation.

tlmgr(1), tlmgr-info(1)