# Introduction

## Legal Notice

The Netatalk software package as well as this documentation are distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2. A copy of the license is included in this documentation, as well as within the Netatalk source distribution. An on-line copy can be found at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.txt

## Overview of Netatalk

Netatalk is an Open Source software package that can be used to turn a *NIX machine into an extremely light-weight and versatile file server for Macintosh computers. It speaks both AFP over TCP as well as the legacy AppleTalk protocol, which means it can act as a bridge between older Macs, networked Apple IIs, and the very latest macOS systems.

Netatalk is AFP 3.3 compliant with AFP 2 backwards compatibility. Its file server offers high transmission speeds and full support for Macintosh metadata (resource forks), while offering a wide range of authentication methods to accommodate any deployment environment.

The included print server daemon can provide Apple II and Macintosh clients with the ability to print to AppleTalk-only printers. In addition, Netatalk is fully integrated with CUPS, allowing any networked Mac to discover and print to a CUPS/AirPrint compatible printer on the network.

Additionally, Netatalk can be used to act as an AppleTalk router, providing both segmentation and zone names in traditional Macintosh networks.