---
name: "manpath"
section: "1"
platform: "macos"
package: "man"
version: "62"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/manpath"
---

# manpath(1)

display search path for manual pages

## NAME

**manpath** – display search path for manual pages

## SYNOPSIS

**manpath** \[**-Ldq**\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **manpath** utility determines the user's manual search path from the user's PATH, and local configuration files. This result is echoed to the standard output.

- **-L**

  Output manual locales list instead of the manual path.

- **-d**

  Print extra debugging information.

- **-q**

  Suppresses warning messages.

## IMPLEMENTATION NOTES

The **manpath** utility constructs the manual path from two sources:

1. From each component of the user's PATH for the first of:

   - *pathname/man*

   - *pathname/MAN*

   - If pathname ends with /bin: *pathname/../share/man* and *pathname/../man*

2. The configuration files listed in the FILES section for *MANPATH* entries.

The information from these locations is then concatenated together.

If the **-L** flag is set, the **manpath** utility will search the configuration files listed in the FILES section for *MANLOCALE* entries.

## ENVIRONMENT

The following environment variables affect the execution of **manpath**:

- MANLOCALES

  If set with the **-L** flag, causes the utility to display a warning and the value, overriding any other configuration found on the system.

- MANPATH

  If set, causes the utility to display a warning and the value, overriding any other configuration found on the system.

- PATH

  Influences the manual path as described in the IMPLEMENTATION NOTES.

## FILES

- */etc/man.conf*

  System configuration file.

- */usr/local/etc/man.d/\*.conf*

  Local configuration files.

## SEE ALSO

[apropos(1)](/apropos/1.md), [man(1)](/man/1.md), [whatis(1)](/whatis/1.md), [man.conf(5)](/man.conf/5.md)