OS Manuals

/usr/bin/emacs-31.1

An extensible, customizable, free/libre text editor

From emacs 31.1-r2 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running emacs-31.1 --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage: /usr/bin/emacs-31.1 [OPTION-OR-FILENAME]...

Run Emacs, the extensible, customizable, self-documenting real-time
display editor.  The recommended way to start Emacs for normal editing
is with no options at all.

Run M-x info RET m emacs RET m emacs invocation RET inside Emacs to
read the main documentation for these command-line arguments.

Initialization options:

--batch                     do not do interactive display; implies -q
--chdir DIR                 change to directory DIR
--daemon, --bg-daemon[=NAME] start a (named) server in the background
--fg-daemon[=NAME]          start a (named) server in the foreground
--debug-init                enable Emacs Lisp debugger for init file
--display, -d DISPLAY       use X server DISPLAY
--module-assertions         assert behavior of dynamic modules
--dump-file FILE            read dumped state from FILE
--fingerprint               output fingerprint and exit
--seccomp=FILE              read Seccomp BPF filter from FILE
--no-build-details          do not add build details such as time stamps
--no-desktop                do not load a saved desktop
--no-init-file, -q          load neither ~/.emacs nor default.el
--no-loadup, -nl            do not load loadup.el into bare Emacs
--no-site-file              do not load site-start.el
--no-x-resources            do not load X resources
--no-site-lisp, -nsl        do not add site-lisp directories to load-path
--no-splash                 do not display a splash screen on startup
--no-window-system, -nw     do not communicate with X, ignoring $DISPLAY
--init-directory=DIR        use DIR when looking for the Emacs init files.
--quick, -Q                 equivalent to:
                              -q --no-site-file --no-site-lisp --no-splash
                              --no-x-resources
--script FILE               run FILE as an Emacs Lisp script
-x                          to be used in #!/usr/bin/emacs -x
                              and has approximately the same meaning
			      as -Q --script
--terminal, -t DEVICE       use DEVICE for terminal I/O
--user, -u USER             load ~USER/.emacs instead of your own

Action options:

FILE                    visit FILE
+LINE                   go to line LINE in next FILE
+LINE:COLUMN            go to line LINE, column COLUMN, in next FILE
--directory, -L DIR     prepend DIR to load-path (with :DIR, append DIR)
--eval EXPR             evaluate Emacs Lisp expression EXPR
--execute EXPR          evaluate Emacs Lisp expression EXPR
--file FILE             visit FILE
--find-file FILE        visit FILE
--funcall, -f FUNC      call Emacs Lisp function FUNC with no arguments
--insert FILE           insert contents of FILE into current buffer
--kill                  exit without asking for confirmation
--load, -l FILE         load Emacs Lisp FILE using the load function
--visit FILE            visit FILE

Display options:

--background-color, -bg COLOR   window background color
--basic-display, -D             disable many display features;
                                  used for debugging Emacs
--border-color, -bd COLOR       main border color
--border-width, -bw WIDTH       width of main border
--color, --color=MODE           override color mode for character terminals;
                                  MODE defaults to `auto', and
                                  can also be `never', `always',
                                  or a mode name like `ansi8'
--cursor-color, -cr COLOR       color of the Emacs cursor indicating point
--font, -fn FONT                default font; must be fixed-width
--foreground-color, -fg COLOR   window foreground color
--fullheight, -fh               make the first frame high as the screen
--fullscreen, -fs               make the first frame fullscreen
--fullwidth, -fw                make the first frame wide as the screen
--maximized, -mm                make the first frame maximized
--geometry, -g GEOMETRY         window geometry
--no-bitmap-icon, -nbi          do not use picture of gnu for Emacs icon
--iconic                        start Emacs in iconified state
--internal-border, -ib WIDTH    width between text and main border
--line-spacing, -lsp PIXELS     additional space to put between lines
--mouse-color, -ms COLOR        mouse cursor color in Emacs window
--name NAME                     title for initial Emacs frame
--no-blinking-cursor, -nbc      disable blinking cursor
--reverse-video, -r, -rv        switch foreground and background
--title, -T TITLE               title for initial Emacs frame
--vertical-scroll-bars, -vb     enable vertical scroll bars
--xrm XRESOURCES                set additional X resources
--parent-id XID                 set parent window
--help                          display this help and exit
--version                       output version information and exit

You can generally also specify long option names with a single -; for
example, -batch as well as --batch.  You can use any unambiguous
abbreviation for a --option.

Various environment variables and window system resources also affect
the operation of Emacs.  See the main documentation.

Report bugs to bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org.  First, please see the Bugs
section of the Emacs manual or the file BUGS.
Options (61)
OptionDescriptionSource
--batchdo not do interactive display;help
--chdir DIRchange to directory DIRhelp
--fg-daemon NAMEstart a (named) server in the foregroundhelp
--debug-initenable Emacs Lisp debugger for init filehelp
--display, -d DISPLAYuse X server DISPLAYhelp
--module-assertionsassert behavior of dynamic moduleshelp
--dump-file FILEread dumped state from FILEhelp
--fingerprintoutput fingerprint and exithelp
--seccomp FILEread Seccomp BPF filter from FILEhelp
--no-build-detailsdo not add build details such as time stampshelp
--no-desktopdo not load a saved desktophelp
--no-init-file, -qload neither ~/.emacs nor default.elhelp
--no-loadup, -nldo not load loadup.el into bare Emacshelp
--no-site-filedo not load site-start.elhelp
--no-x-resourcesdo not load X resourceshelp
--no-site-lisp, -nsldo not add site-lisp directories to load-pathhelp
--no-splashdo not display a splash screen on startuphelp
--no-window-system, -nwdo not communicate with X, ignoring $DISPLAYhelp
--init-directory DIRuse DIR when looking for the Emacs init files.help
--quick, -Qequivalent to:help
--script FILErun FILE as an Emacs Lisp scripthelp
-xto be used in #!/usr/bin/emacs -x and has approximately the same meaning as -Q --scripthelp
--terminal, -t DEVICEuse DEVICE for terminal I/Ohelp
--user, -u USERload ~USER/.emacs instead of your ownhelp
--directory, -L DIRprepend DIR to load-path (with :DIR, append DIR)help
--eval EXPRevaluate Emacs Lisp expression EXPRhelp
--execute EXPRevaluate Emacs Lisp expression EXPRhelp
--file FILEvisit FILEhelp
--find-file FILEvisit FILEhelp
--funcall, -f FUNCcall Emacs Lisp function FUNC with no argumentshelp
--insert FILEinsert contents of FILE into current bufferhelp
--killexit without asking for confirmationhelp
--load, -l FILEload Emacs Lisp FILE using the load functionhelp
--visit FILEvisit FILEhelp
--background-color, -bg COLORwindow background colorhelp
--basic-display, -Ddisable many display features;help
--border-color, -bd COLORmain border colorhelp
--border-width, -bw WIDTHwidth of main borderhelp
--color, --color MODEoverride color mode for character terminals;help
--cursor-color, -cr COLORcolor of the Emacs cursor indicating pointhelp
--font, -fn FONTdefault font;help
--foreground-color, -fg COLORwindow foreground colorhelp
--fullheight, -fhmake the first frame high as the screenhelp
--fullscreen, -fsmake the first frame fullscreenhelp
--fullwidth, -fwmake the first frame wide as the screenhelp
--maximized, -mmmake the first frame maximizedhelp
--geometry, -g GEOMETRYwindow geometryhelp
--no-bitmap-icon, -nbido not use picture of gnu for Emacs iconhelp
--iconicstart Emacs in iconified statehelp
--internal-border, -ib WIDTHwidth between text and main borderhelp
--line-spacing, -lsp PIXELSadditional space to put between lineshelp
--mouse-color, -ms COLORmouse cursor color in Emacs windowhelp
--name NAMEtitle for initial Emacs framehelp
--no-blinking-cursor, -nbcdisable blinking cursorhelp
--reverse-video, -r, -rvswitch foreground and backgroundhelp
--title, -T TITLEtitle for initial Emacs framehelp
--vertical-scroll-bars, -vbenable vertical scroll barshelp
--xrm XRESOURCESset additional X resourceshelp
--parent-id XIDset parent windowhelp
--helpdisplay this help and exithelp
--versionoutput version information and exithelp

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.