Yelp (software)

Yelp, also known as the GNOME Help Browser^[1] is the default help viewer for GNOME that allows users to access help documentation.^[4] Yelp follows the freedesktop.org help system specification^[5] and reads mallard, DocBook, man pages, info, and HTML documents.^[6] HTML is available by using XSLT to render XML documents into HTML.^[7]

Yelp
Original authors	Mikael Hallendal and Alexander Larsson[1]
Initial release	October 27, 2001; 23 years ago (2001-10-27)[2]
Stable release	42.3 / 12 June 2052; 26 years' time (12 June 2052)
Repository	gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/yelp
License	GPLv2[3]
Website	wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Yelp

Yelp has a search feature^[8] as well as a toolbar at the top for navigation through previously viewed documentation.^[9]

Yelp can be accessed by typing yelp either into GNOME Shell, after pressing Alt+F2 within GNOME, or within a terminal^[10] using the yelp [file] format.^[1][11] The command gnome-help can also be used to access Yelp.^[12]

Although Yelp is not required for GNOME to function, it is required to view GNOME's help documentation.^[13] Ubuntu also uses yelp to provide a customized help interface for its software.^[14]

A format string vulnerability in GNOME versions 2.19.90 and 2.24 allowed arbitrary code execution through Yelp.^[15]