---
name: "chktex"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "texlive-doc"
version: "2026.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/chktex"
---

# chktex(1)

finds typographic errors in LaTeX.

## NAME

chktex - finds typographic errors in LaTeX.

## SYNOPSIS

**chktex** *\[-hiqrW\] \[-v\[0-...\]\] \[-l \<rcfile\>\] \[-\[wemn\] \<\[1-42\]\|all\>\]* *\[-d\[0-...\]\] \[-p \<name\>\] \[-o \<outfile\>\] \[-\[btxgI\]\[0\|1\]\]* **file1 file2 ...**

## DESCRIPTION

*chktex* finds typographic errors in *LaTeX*

## OPTIONS

Miscellaneous options:

- **-h --help**

  Print a help screen.

- **-i --license**

  Show distribution information.

- **-l --localrc**

  Read local .chktexrc formatted  file.

- **-d --debug**

  Debug information. Give it a number.

- **-r --reset**

  Reset settings to default.

Muting warning messages:

- **-w --warnon**

  Makes msg # given a warning and turns it on.

- **-e --erroron**

  Makes msg # given an error and turns it on.

- **-m --msgon**

  Makes msg # given a message and turns it on.

- **-n --nowarn**

  Mutes msg # given.

- **-L --nolinesupp**

  Do not allow per-line suppressions.  These are TeX comments of the form *% chktex ## .*

Output control flags:

- **-v --verbosity**

  How errors are displayed. Default 1, 0=Less, 2=Fancy, 3=lacheck.

- **-V --pipeverb**

  How errors are displayed when stdout != tty. Defaults to the same as -v.

- **-s --splitchar**

  String used to split fields when doing -v0

- **-o --output**

  Redirect error report to a file.

- **-q --quiet**

  Shuts up about version information.

- **-p --pseudoname**

  Input file-name when reporting.

- **-f --format**

  Format to use for output

Boolean switches (1 -\> enables / 0 -\> disables):

- **-b --backup**

  Backup output file.

- **-x --wipeverb**

  Ignore contents of \`\\verb' commands.

- **-g --globalrc**

  Read global .chktexrc file.

- **-I --inputfiles**

  Execute \\input statements.

- **-H --headererr**

  Show errors found in front of \\begin{document}

- **-W --version**

  Version information

If no LaTeX files are specified on the command line, we will read from stdin.   For explanation of warning/error messages, please consult the main document /usr/share/doc/chktex/ChkTeX.dvi.gz.

## DISTRIBUTION

Copyright (C) 1996 Jens T. Berger Thielemann

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the *GNU General Public License* as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but **WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;** without even the implied warranty of **MERCHANTABILITY** or **FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.** See the *GNU General Public License* for more details.

You should have received a copy of the **GNU General Public License** along with this program; if not, write to the *Free Software Foundation, Inc.,* 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA

## ENVIRONMENT

No environment variables are used.

## FILES

None.

## AUTHOR

Jens T. Berger Thielemann, *\<jensthi@ifi.uio.no\>*

This manual page was cobbled together by Clint Adams \<schizo@debian.org\>, based on the output of "chktex --help" and [deweb(1)](/deweb/1.md).

## SEE ALSO

**[deweb(1)](/deweb/1.md), [chkweb(1)](/chkweb/1.md)**