Editing CUPS (section)

{{Short description|Computer printing system}}
{{for2|the drinkware|Cup||Cup (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{Primary sources|date=May 2011}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Apple CUPS
| logo = [[File:CUPS.svg|frameless|class=skin-invert]]
| author = [[Michael Sweet (programmer)|Michael Sweet]] ([[Easy Software Products]])
| developer = [[Apple Inc.]]
| released = {{Start date|1999|06|09}}
| latest release version = 2.3.6
| latest release date = May 25, 2022
| repo = https://github.com/apple/cups
| programming language = [[C (programming language)|C]]
| operating system = [[macOS]], [[iOS]], and [[iPadOS]] (Prior to 2020: Other [[Unix-like]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], and [[ArcaOS]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arcanoae.com/arcaos/arcaos-screenshots/captured010/|title=CUPS 2|access-date=2020-09-03}}</ref>)
| genre = [[Print server]]
| license = [[Apache License 2.0]]<ref name="license">{{cite web|url=https://github.com/apple/cups/blob/master/LICENSE|title=CUPS Software License Agreement|website=[[GitHub]] |at=License Exceptions|access-date=November 8, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110142531/https://github.com/apple/cups/blob/master/LICENSE|archive-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://www.cups.org}}
| replaced_by = OpenPrinting CUPS (except macOS, iOS, and iPadOS)
| discontinued = no
}}

{{Infobox software
| name = OpenPrinting CUPS
| developer = OpenPrinting and community
| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q868171|P348|P548=Q2804309}}
| latest release date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q868171|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}
| latest preview version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q868171|P348|P548=Q51930650}}
| latest preview date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q868171|P348|P548=Q51930650|P577}}
| operating system = [[Unix-like]] and [[ArcaOS]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arcanoae.com/arcaos/arcaos-screenshots/captured010/|title=CUPS 2|access-date=2020-09-03}}</ref>
| repo = {{URL|github.com/openprinting/cups}}
| website = {{URL|openprinting.github.io/cups/}}
| replaces = Apple CUPS (except macOS, iOS, and iPadOS)
}}

'''CUPS''' (formerly an [[acronym]] for '''Common UNIX Printing System''') is a modular [[computer printer|printing]] system for [[Unix-like]] computer [[operating systems]] which allows a computer to act as a [[print server]]. A computer running CUPS is a [[Server (computing)|host]] that can accept print jobs from [[client (computing)|client]] computers, process them, and send them to the appropriate printer.

CUPS consists of a [[print spooler]] and scheduler, a filter system that converts the print data to a format that the printer will understand, and a backend system that sends this data to the print device. CUPS uses the [[Internet Printing Protocol]] (IPP) as the basis for managing [[print job]]s and [[queue (printing)|queues]]. It also provides the traditional [[command line interface]]s for the [[System V printing system|System V]] and [[Berkeley printing system|Berkeley]] print systems, and provides support for the Berkeley print system's [[Line Printer Daemon protocol]] and limited support for the [[Server Message Block]] (SMB) protocol. System administrators can configure the [[device driver]]s which CUPS supplies by editing text files in Adobe's [[PostScript Printer Description]] (PPD) format. There are a number of user interfaces for different platforms that can configure CUPS, and it has a built-in web-based interface. CUPS is [[free software]], provided under the [[Apache License]].