# maim

> Screenshot software. maim (make image) takes screenshots of your desktop. It has options to take only a region, and relies on slop to query for regions. maim is supposed to be an improved scrot.

**Wikidata**: [Q115792652](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115792652)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/maim

## Summary
maim (short for "make image") is free, open-source screenshot software that captures images of your desktop. It supports taking screenshots of the whole desktop or only a selected region (it relies on the external tool slop to query regions) and was created as an improved alternative to scrot.

## Key Facts
- maim is free software and instance_of both "free software" and "screenshot software."
- License: GNU General Public License, version 3.0 (GPLv3).
- Stable release: version 5.8.0, published 2024-04-10 (tag: v5.8.0).
- Earlier released versions include 3.3.39 (2014-10-22), 3.3.41 (2014-12-04), 4.4.58 (2017-02-23), 5.4.62 (2017-05-23), 5.4.68 (2017-07-29), 5.5 (2018-04-23), 5.5.1 (2018-05-13), 5.6.3 (2018-06-13), and 5.7.4 (2021-06-15).
- Source code repository: https://github.com/naelstrof/maim.
- maim runs on Unix-like operating systems including Linux, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD.
- maim is packaged or available in many distributions: Fedora (package "maim"), Gentoo (media-gfx/maim), Ubuntu (maim), Debian (maim), openSUSE (maim), Arch Linux (community/x86_64/maim), NetBSD (x11/maim), and FreeBSD port graphics/maim.
- maim depends on slop for region selection (relies on slop to query regions).
- Copyright status: copyrighted.
- maim is described as intended to be an improved alternative to Scrot.

## FAQs
### Q: What is maim?
A: maim is a free, open-source screenshot utility (name short for "make image") that captures images of your desktop and can capture either the full desktop or a selected region.

### Q: How do I capture only a portion of the screen with maim?
A: maim supports region-only screenshots by relying on the external tool slop to query and obtain the selected region for capture.

### Q: Under what license is maim distributed and where is its source hosted?
A: maim is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 3.0 (GPLv3). Its source code is hosted on GitHub at https://github.com/naelstrof/maim.

## Why It Matters
maim provides a straightforward, freely licensed solution for capturing desktop screenshots on Unix-like systems. By focusing on capturing the entire desktop or a user-selected region (with region selection handled by slop), it fills a common need for quick and scriptable image capture without requiring a heavy graphical utility. Its GPLv3 license ensures users can run, study, modify, and redistribute the software, which encourages integration into diverse workflows and packaging across many distributions. maim's presence in major distro repositories and ports (Linux distributions, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD) makes it readily available to users across those platforms. Because it was designed as an improved alternative to the older scrot tool, maim is relevant to users seeking modern or extended behavior for command-line or lightweight screenshot tasks while retaining portability and free-software freedoms.

## Notable For
- Relying on slop for interactive region selection rather than implementing its own region selector.
- Being explicitly positioned as an improved alternative to scrot.
- Wide availability across many Unix-like systems via native packages and ports (Fedora, Gentoo, Ubuntu, Debian, openSUSE, Arch, NetBSD, FreeBSD, OpenBSD).
- Published under the GNU General Public License, version 3.0, and hosted on GitHub (https://github.com/naelstrof/maim).
- Having an active version history with stable releases as recent as version 5.8.0 (2024-04-10).

## Body

### H3 Overview
- Name: maim (short for "make image").
- Purpose: screenshot software that takes screenshots of the desktop.
- Core capability: capture full desktop or a selected region.
- Region selection: relies on slop to query and obtain the selection.

### H3 License and Source
- License: GNU General Public License, version 3.0 (GPLv3).
- Source code repository URL: https://github.com/naelstrof/maim.
- Copyright status: copyrighted.

### H3 Platforms and Distribution
- Operating systems: Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD (listed as supported Unix-like OSes).
- Packages and ports:
  - FreeBSD port: graphics/maim.
  - OpenBSD port: graphics/maim.
  - Fedora package: maim.
  - Gentoo package: media-gfx/maim.
  - Ubuntu package: maim.
  - Debian package: maim (debian_stable_package).
  - openSUSE package: maim.
  - Arch Linux package: community/x86_64/maim.
  - NetBSD package id: x11/maim.
  - Guix variable name: maim.
  - SlackBuilds: graphics/maim.

### H3 Version History (selected releases)
- 3.3.39 — publication date: 2014-10-22.
- 3.3.41 — publication date: 2014-12-04.
- 4.4.58 — publication date: 2017-02-23.
- 5.4.62 — publication date: 2017-05-23.
- 5.4.68 — publication date: 2017-07-29.
- 5.5 — publication date: 2018-04-23.
- 5.5.1 — publication date: 2018-05-13.
- 5.6.3 — publication date: 2018-06-13.
- 5.7.4 — publication date: 2021-06-15.
- 5.8.0 — publication date: 2024-04-10 (marked as stable version).

### H3 Relationship to Other Software
- maim is described as intended to be an improved alternative to Scrot (reply_to: Scrot).
- For interactive region selection, maim depends on the separate tool slop.

### H3 Metadata and Classification
- Instance of: free software; screenshot software.
- Programming language: listed as Q2407 (as in the provided structured properties).
- AlternativeTo software id: maim.
- SEO/context data: no SEO data available in provided material.

## References

1. [Release 3.3.39. 2014](https://github.com/naelstrof/maim/releases/tag/v3.3.39)
2. [Release 3.3.41. 2014](https://github.com/naelstrof/maim/releases/tag/v3.3.41)
3. [Release 4.4.58. 2017](https://github.com/naelstrof/maim/releases/tag/v4.4.58)
4. [Release 5.4.62. 2017](https://github.com/naelstrof/maim/releases/tag/v5.4.62)
5. [Release 5.4.68. 2017](https://github.com/naelstrof/maim/releases/tag/v5.4.68)
6. [Release 5.5. 2018](https://github.com/naelstrof/maim/releases/tag/v5.5)
7. [Release 5.5.1. 2018](https://github.com/naelstrof/maim/releases/tag/v5.5.1)
8. [Release 5.6.3. 2018](https://github.com/naelstrof/maim/releases/tag/v5.6.3)
9. [Release 5.7.4. 2021](https://github.com/naelstrof/maim/releases/tag/v5.7.4)
10. [Release 5.8.0. 2024](https://github.com/naelstrof/maim/releases/tag/v5.8.0)
11. [Release 5.8.1. 2025](https://github.com/naelstrof/maim/releases/tag/v5.8.1)