Info

Info is a word that denotes information—data with meaning and usefulness. In computing and digital contexts, INFO is also used as an acronym and as the name of specific systems and formats.

The most widely known use of INFO in computing is the GNU Info documentation system. Info is a hypertext-like format and reader designed to present software manuals and other documentation. It originated with the Texinfo project and is packaged with GNU software as an alternative to traditional man pages.

Info documents are plain-text files with the .info extension that describe a hierarchical tree of nodes linked by menus and cross-references. Each node has a title and content; navigation proceeds via menus, and commands such as Next, Up, and See Also enable traversal. The Info format supports lightweight markup and can be compressed for distribution (for example, as .info.gz).

Common tools include the info command-line reader and Info mode in Emacs, which provides integrated navigation of Info documents within an editor. GNU projects and many open-source packages provide manuals in Info format, making documentation accessible offline and lightweight.

Beyond the GNU Info system, INFO appears as an acronym in various organizations, products, or standards, reflecting the general term information. In any given context, the meaning of INFO should be clarified to avoid ambiguity.