---
name: "M2"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "macaulay2"
version: "1.24.11+ds-5+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/M2"
---

# M2(1)

start Macaulay2, a software system for algebraic geometry research.

## NAME

M2 - start *Macaulay2*, a software system for algebraic geometry research.

## SYNOPSIS

**M2** \[*option* ...\] \[*file* ...\]

## DESCRIPTION

The command **M2** starts *Macaulay2*, which is a software system devoted to supporting research in algebraic geometry and commutative algebra.

### Options

- **--help**

  print this brief help message and exit

- **--no-backtrace**

  print no backtrace after error

- **--copyright**

  display full copyright messasge

- **--no-debug**

  do not enter debugger upon error

- **--debug n**

  debug warning message n by signalling an error

- **--int**

  don't handle interrupts

- **--notify**

  notify when loading files during initialization and when evaluating command line arguments

- **--no-prompts**

  print no input prompts

- **--no-readline**

  don't use readline

- **--no-core**

  don't load the Core

- **--no-threads**

  don't start any additional threads (or tasks)

- **--prefix DIR**

  set prefixDirectory

- **--print-width n**

  set printWidth=n (the default is the window width)

- **--script**

  as first argument, interpret second argument as name of a script implies --stop, --no-debug, --silent and -q see scriptCommandLine

- **--silent**

  no startup banner

- **--stop**

  exit on error

- **--texmacs**

  TeXmacs session mode

- **--version**

  print version number and exit

- **-q**

  don't load user's init.m2 file or use packages in home directory

- **-E '...'**

  evaluate expression '...' before initialization

- **-e '...'**

  evaluate expression '...' after initialization

## SEE ALSO

The documentation for *Macaulay2* is available locally starting in ${prefix}/share/doc/Macaulay2/Macaulay2Doc/html/index.html, where ${prefix} is replaced by the directory prefix used when the package was installed.  The directory is available as the value of the *Macaulay2* variable prefixDirectory, but the best way to get to the documentation is to run the command *viewHelp* in *Macaulay2*.

The home page for *Macaulay2* is **http://www.math.uiuc.edu/Macaulay2/**.

## AUTHOR

*Macaulay2* is written by Daniel R. Grayson and Michael E. Stillman with generous support of the National Science Foundation, for which we are grateful.

## COPYRIGHT

*Macaulay2* is copyright 2019 by Daniel R. Grayson and Michael E. Stillman.  We permit you to use it under the terms of the GNU General Public License, version 2 or version 3, as published by the Free Software Foundation.  This is free software.  There is no warranty; not even for merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.