---
name: "iconvconfig"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "man-pages"
version: "6.19-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/iconvconfig"
---

# iconvconfig(8)

create iconv module configuration cache

## NAME

iconvconfig - create iconv module configuration cache

## SYNOPSIS

**iconvconfig** \[*options*\] \[*directory*\]...

## DESCRIPTION

The [**iconv**(3)](/iconv/3.md) function internally uses *gconv* modules to convert to and from a character set. A configuration file is used to determine the needed modules for a conversion. Loading and parsing such a configuration file would slow down programs that use [**iconv**(3)](/iconv/3.md), so a caching mechanism is employed.

The **iconvconfig** program reads iconv module configuration files and writes a fast-loading gconv module configuration cache file.

In addition to the system provided gconv modules, the user can specify custom gconv module directories with the environment variable **GCONV\_PATH**. However, iconv module configuration caching is used only when the environment variable **GCONV\_PATH** is not set.

## OPTIONS

- **--nostdlib**

  Do not search the system default gconv directory, only the directories provided on the command line.

- **--output=***outputfile* **-o** *outputfile*

  Use *outputfile* for output instead of the system default cache location.

- **--prefix=***pathname*

  Set the prefix to be prepended to the system pathnames. See FILES, below. By default, the prefix is empty. Setting the prefix to *foo*, the gconv module configuration would be read from *foo/usr/lib/gconv/gconv-modules* and the cache would be written to *foo/usr/lib/gconv/gconv-modules.cache*.

- **--help** **-?**

  Print a usage summary and exit.

- **--usage**

  Print a short usage summary and exit.

- **--version** **-V**

  Print the version number, license, and disclaimer of warranty for **iconv**.

## EXIT STATUS

Zero on success, nonzero on errors.

## FILES

- */usr/lib/gconv*

  Usual default gconv module path.

- */usr/lib/gconv/gconv-modules*

  Usual system default gconv module configuration file.

- */usr/lib/gconv/gconv-modules.cache*

  Usual system gconv module configuration cache.

Depending on the architecture, the above files may instead be located at directories with the path prefix */usr/lib64*.

## SEE ALSO

[**iconv**(1)](/iconv/1.md), [**iconv**(3)](/iconv/3.md)