---
name: "pactree"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "pacman-contrib"
version: "1.13.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pactree"
---

# pactree(8)

package dependency tree viewer

## NAME

pactree - package dependency tree viewer

## SYNOPSIS

*pactree* \[options\] \<package\>

## DESCRIPTION

*pactree* produces a dependency tree for a package.

By default, a tree-like output is generated, but with the *--graph* option, a Graphviz description is generated.

## OPTIONS

- **-a, --ascii**

  Use ASCII characters for tree formatting. By default, pactree will use Unicode line drawing characters if it is able to detect that the locale supports them.

- **-c, --color**

  Colorize output.

- **--config \<file\>**

  Specify an alternate pacman configuration file.

- **-b, --dbpath**

  Specify an alternative database location.

- **--debug**

  Print log messages produced by libalpm.

- **-d, --depth \<num\>**

  Limits the number of levels of dependency to show. A zero means show the named package only, one shows the packages that are directly required.

- **--gpgdir \<dir\>**

  Specify an alternate GnuPG directory for verifying database signatures (default is /etc/pacman.d/gnupg).

- **-g, --graph**

  Generate a Graphviz description. If this option is given, the *--color* and *--linear* options are ignored.

- **-h, --help**

  Display syntax and command-line options.

- **-l, --linear**

  Prints package names at the start of each line, one per line.

- **-o, --optional\[=depth\]**

  Additionally prints optional dependencies up to a certain depth, default 1 for immediate optional dependencies. When used in conjunction with *-r* it shows which packages it is optional for. In Graphviz mode, produce dotted lines. Negative values mean infinite depth.

- **-r, --reverse**

  Show packages that depend on the named package.

- **-s, --sync**

  Read package data from sync databases instead of local database.

- **-u, --unique**

  List dependent packages once. Implies *--linear*.

- **-V, --version**

  Display the version.

## SEE ALSO

[**pacman**(8)](/pacman/8.md), [**pacman.conf**(5)](/pacman.conf/5.md), [**makepkg**(8)](/makepkg/8.md)

## BUGS

Bugs? You must be kidding; there are no bugs in this software. But if we happen to be wrong, file an issue with as much detail as possible at https://gitlab.archlinux.org/pacman/pacman-contrib/-/issues/new.

## AUTHORS

Current maintainers:

• Johannes Löthberg \<johannes@kyriasis.com\>

• Daniel M. Capella \<polyzen@archlinux.org\>

For additional contributors, use git shortlog -s on the pacman-contrib.git repository.