[SOLVED] Finding and buying a printer compatible with Linux (CUPS)

SeagullFish · 2025-08-17 14:03:09

Hi, all.

The last few months I have been running into some issues with printing documents. The symptoms energed for the first time after I upgraded to CUPS-versions newer than 2:2.4.11-2 and gutenprint-versions newer than 5.3.4-3.

My printer was old, and used old technology for transferring printing data. For that reason, CUPS was dependent on a driver in the form of a ppd-file in order to cooperate with the printer. I am not sure exactly why I had problems printing. This may have been the result of a combination of several underlying problems. However, I suspect that some of it may have been related to OpenPrinting removing direct support for printer drivers and raw queues in CUPS. For older printers that are still dependent on them, OpenPrinting now refer to using subordinate third-party applications, as discussed in this GitHub article.

I went through several rounds of trial and error, testing various versions of both ppd-files and software. (For example in this discussion.) Occasionally, I managed to make CUPS cooperate a bit with the printer. But the problems reemerged after rebooting or subsequent software updates. And most of the times I only succeeded with printing unformatted text from text editing applications like Xed og Gedit, while attempts of printing formatted text from Libreoffice or graphics failed.

Over time, it also became apparent that fewer and fewer retailers are selling ink cartridges for the printer. So eventually I had to bite the bullet, and realize that the old printer has passed its prime. It was time to buy a new one. But in the stores you’ll find a whole «jungle» of various printer models for sale, from a multitude of competing manufacturers. The question I asked myself then was:

How can I know which printers will be compatible with Linux in the future? (Implicitly, which of them will be compatible with future versions of CUPS?)

To find an answer to this question, I have searched the internet and scrutinized some difficult pieces of articles and discussions. The purpose of starting this thread is to share some of my experiences and recommendations, in case others wonder the same thing later. But I am no expert in this area, so I would appreciate input if anyone has relevant experiences.

SeagullFish · 2025-08-17 14:03:47

In order to understand the main essence of what has been changed in CUPS (from verion 2.x to version 3.x) I suggest watching this video, especially the flow chart shown approximately 15 minutes into the video.

In order for a printer to work with future versions of CUPS, it should be IPP Everywhere[TM] certified. This far, there have been issued 2 different versions of the IPP Everywhere[TM] specification (version 1.0 issued in 2013, and version 1.1 issued in 2019). A third version (2.0) is currently under development. A list of certified printers (and which version they are certified for) is available here: https://www.pwg.org/printers

However, it is wise to be aware that the certification is based on testing and reporting conducted by the printer manufacturers themselves. Sure enough, the testing is supposed to be conducted in accordance with standardized guidelines so that the certification will be as equal and fair as possible across different manufacturers. But ultimately, the honesty of the manufacturers will be the basis for the certification. For that reason, there is a theoretical possibility that rogue manufacturers may «cheat» to obtain certification for printer models that does not necessarily comply 100% with all requirements in the specification.

IPP Everywhere[TM] is based on the communication protocols IPP and IPPS. But there are also 2 other competing certification programs available, named Apple AirPrint[TM] and Mopria[TM]. These are also based on IPP and IPPS, and therefore share many similar properties with IPP Everywhere[TM]. I assume that a lot of printers that are Apple AirPrint[TM] and/or Mopria[TM] certified in practice will work with Linux (CUPS), even if they don’t necessarily are IPP Everywhere[TM] certified. However, I cannot guarantee this. Lists of certified printers are available here for Apple AirPrint[TM] and here for Mopria[TM].

In the discussion below the mentioned GitHub article, it is mentioned that:

michaelrsweet wrote:

99.9% of all printer features have been standardized in the Printer Working Group - we've been working on that for over two decades and the last little bits are just really hard to standardize because that last 0.1% of features are not well defined and/or are covered by patents and trademarks that those companies don't want to standardize. Not all print clients can expose all of the attributes/values, because honestly there is a LOT more complexity in IPP than most users will ever need, but the capability is there.

From the discussion, it would seem that some printer manufacturers are making printers with additional features that are not necessarily well defined in the IPP Everywhere[TM] specifications. For that reason, such printers may require proprietary software made by the manufacturers in order to take advantage of these additional features. And it is not a matter of course that such software is available for Linux. For that reason, I recommend being skeptical of manufacturers who, to an excessive extent, instruct buyers to use their proprietary software for their products.

Summary of my recommendations:

Browse the selection of printers for sale in your local stores, or in online stores that offer delivery to your location. Take note of some printer models that you think that you might consider buying, considering price, ink or laser, single or double sided printing, scanner function, paper trays, and so on.
Check which ones of the noted printer models that appear in the list of IPP Everywhere[TM] certified printers. I recommend avoiding printers that does not occur in that list. Alternatively, if such printers appear in the lists for Apple AirPrint[TM] or Mopria[TM] certified printers, you could perhaps still concider trying them, but I think that the risk of technical issues may be slightly higher.
Scrutinize the product specifications at the manufacturers own web site, and any installation instructions if relevant. If the manufacturer has excessive instructions to use self-produced applications for MS Windows with this printer, this could perhaps be a warning sign that you should avoid that printer, unless the manufacturer also has separate specific instructions for use with Linux.
It could be wise to read some user reviews for printer manufacturers in various online Linux forums. In order to keep my introductory posts neutral, I avoid mentioning specific manufacturer names. However, I have noticed that printers from several manufacturers have been criticized for generally bad compatibility with Linux, while printers from a few other manufacturers has received a remarkable amount of praise for working well.
Select a printer that seems to be compatible, and that meets your wishes and requirements.

Best of luck.

Edit: Corrected minor typos.

Last edited by SeagullFish (2025-08-17 18:50:27)

Succulent of your garden · 2025-08-17 21:44:09

Hi ! Some weeks back ago I made this post https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=306385 maybe you can find useful information on it

Last edited by Succulent of your garden (2025-08-17 21:45:19)

Arch Linux

#1 2025-08-17 14:03:09

[SOLVED] Finding and buying a printer compatible with Linux (CUPS)

#2 2025-08-17 14:03:47

Re: [SOLVED] Finding and buying a printer compatible with Linux (CUPS)

Summary of my recommendations:

#3 2025-08-17 21:44:09

Re: [SOLVED] Finding and buying a printer compatible with Linux (CUPS)

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