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ZX Spectrum dot commands & software: a guide

ZXPkg is a package registry, manager and preservation archive for the ZX Spectrum and ZX Spectrum Next. Browse and download packages on the web, or install them on-device. Browse the catalogue →

What are dot commands?

Dot commands are small utility programs you run from BASIC by typing a dot and a name, e.g. .morse. They live in the /DOT folder of your SD card and run under esxDOS and NextZXOS. They’re command-line tools for the Spectrum: file utilities, format converters, network tools.

How to install

  1. Open a package page and download the command file (and its .sig if you verify signatures).
  2. Copy it into the /DOT folder on your SD card (c:/dot on the Next).
  3. Run it from BASIC with a leading dot, e.g. .morse.

Or use the on-device client — two dot commands, .pkg (search, list, identify what’s installed and outdated) and .pkg-inst (install and update, gated by on-device signature verification). Works on the Next and on classic esxDOS machines.

Which machines are supported?

Each package declares a minimum machine (16k, 48k, 128k or next) and runs on that model and every higher one, since Spectrum software is upward-compatible. It also lists the OS it works under: esxDOS, NextZXOS, or both. Filter the catalogue by machine and OS to see what runs on yours.

Publish your own

Use the manifest wizard to generate a .zxpkg.toml, commit it to your public git repo (one manifest per package), then submit the repo. ZXPkg watches it and indexes it once the manifest appears, and keeps a full mirror so it’s preserved even if the original goes offline.

FAQ

What are ZX Spectrum dot commands?
Dot commands are small utility programs for the ZX Spectrum that you run from BASIC by typing a dot followed by the name, e.g. .morse. They live in the /DOT folder of the SD card and work under esxDOS and NextZXOS. Think of them as command-line tools for the Spectrum.
How do I install a dot command on the ZX Spectrum Next?
Download the command file from its package page and copy it into the /DOT folder on your SD card (c:/dot on the Next). Then run it from BASIC or the command line with a leading dot, e.g. .morse. ZXPkg also has an on-device client — the .pkg and .pkg-inst dot commands — that lists, identifies and installs packages with signature verification.
Does this work on a classic ZX Spectrum, not just the Next?
Yes. esxDOS dot commands run on classic 48K/128K Spectrums with a divMMC / DivIDE interface. Each package lists its minimum machine (16k, 48k, 128k or next) and which OS it supports (esxDOS, NextZXOS).
How do I publish my own package?
Use the manifest wizard to generate a .zxpkg.toml, commit it to your public git repo (one manifest per package), then submit the repo. ZXPkg watches the repo and indexes it automatically once the manifest is present.
Where are the files kept?
ZXPkg is also a preservation archive: it clones each repo and mirrors every binary, so packages keep working and stay downloadable even if the original repository or website disappears.