What Is the TERMINFO Database?

The TERMINFO database describes terminal and printer capabilities. A wide range of capabilities can be defined that include, for example, the number of lines and columns for the device, whether or not the terminal wraps at the right margin, or what character sequence causes a carriage return. The database is used by screen-oriented programs such as VI or CURSES programs. By using TERMINFO to handle the capabilities of individual devices, a program can work with a variety of devices without any changes to the code.

Refer to Chapter 3 “TERMINFO Database” for a complete description of the TERMINFO database.