---
name: "cheetah3"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "python3-cheetah"
version: "3.4.0-1+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cheetah3"
---

# cheetah3(1)

Python template command-line tool

## NAME

cheetah - Python template command-line tool

## SYNOPSIS

**cheetah, cheetah-compile**

**cheetah COMMAND** \[*options*\] *FILE*...\
 **cheetah-compile** \[*options*\] *FILE*...

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents briefly the **cheetah** command-line tool.  This manual page was written for the Debian distribution because the original program does not have a manual page.

**cheetah** is a Python-powered template engine and code generator. It can be used as a standalone utility or it can be combined with other tools. Cheetah has many potential uses, but web developers looking for a viable alternative to ASP, JSP, PHP and PSP are expected to be its principle user group.

The **cheetah** command-line tool is the standalone utility portion of the software suite.  **cheetah-compile** is a convenience script that for the "**cheetah compile ...**" command. The utility accepts a single command possible options and a list of files.  If **FILE** is a single "-", read standard input and write standard output.

## COMMANDS

The possible **cheetah** commands are listed below. You may abbreviate the command to the first letter; e.g., 'h' == 'help'.

- **compile**

  Compile template definitions

- **fill**

  Fill template definitions

- **help**

  Print commands help message

- **options**

  Print options help message for compile and fill commands

- **test**

  Run regression tests

- **version**

  Print version number

## OPTIONS

The options for **cheetah** apply to the **compile** and **fill** commands. A summary of options is included below.

- **--idir DIR**

  Input directories(default: current dir)

- **--odir ODIR**

  Output directories (default: current dir)

- **--iext IEXT**

  Input extension.  The default input extension for both the **compile** and **fill** commands is "**tmpl**".

- **--oext OEXT**

  Output extension.  The default output extension for the **compile** command is "**py**".  The default output extension for **fill** is "**html".**

- **-R**

  **Recurse subdirectories looking for input files**

- **--debug**

  **Print lots of diagnostic output to the standard error file descriptor**

- **--env**

  **Print the environment in the searchList**

- **--flat**

  **No destination subdirectories**

- **--nobackup**

  **Do not make backups**

- **--pickle FILE**

  **unpickle FILE and put that output in the searchList**

- **--stdout, -p**

  **Output to standard output file descriptor (pipe)**

## SEE ALSO

**[pydoc(1)](/pydoc/1.md)**\
 **The programs are documented fully on the project website** *http://cheetahtemplate.sourceforge.net.* **You can also browse the Python library files and their docstring descriptions** **by using the standard pydoc utility.**

## AUTHOR

**This manual page was written by Chad C. Walstrom \<chewie@debian.org\>,** **for the Debian project and is dedicated to the Public Domain.**