fc-cache

The fc-cache command line tool is used to build font information cache files for the fontconfig library in Unix-like operating systems. Fontconfig is a font configuration and customization library that provides a unified interface for applications to manage and query fonts on a system.

When fonts are installed or modified on a Unix-like system, the fc-cache tool is used to update the font cache files. These cache files contain information about available fonts, their properties, and their location on the system. By maintaining an up-to-date cache, fontconfig can quickly locate and manage fonts for various applications and user interfaces.

Running fc-cache typically involves scanning font directories on the system, locating font files, and generating or updating the cache files. Font directories can be system-wide directories such as /usr/share/fonts, or user-specific directories like ~/.fonts.

The fc-cache command can be used with different options to perform various operations. Some commonly used options include:

• -f or --force: Forces rebuilding of the font cache files, even if no changes have been made.
• -v or --verbose: Provides verbose output during the cache generation process, displaying detailed information about the fonts being processed.
• -r or --system-only: Restricts the cache generation to system-wide font directories only, omitting user-specific directories.

fc-cache is typically run during font installation or after making changes to the font configuration on a system. It ensures that fontconfig is aware of the available fonts, allowing applications to render text correctly and provide consistent font management across the system.