DVI
Also known as: .dvi file, device independent file, TeX DVI output
DVI (Device Independent) is the original page-layout output format produced by the TeX typesetting system. It describes where text and rules go on each page without embedding fonts, and is usually converted onward to PostScript or PDF.
- Device-independent page layout from TeX
- Does not embed fonts; converted to PS or PDF
- Largely replaced by direct PDF output
What DVI is
When classic TeX compiles a document, it outputs a .dvi file describing each page geometrically — character positions, rules, and references to fonts — independent of any specific printer or display, hence "device independent."
A DVI viewer renders it on screen, but DVI does not embed the actual fonts or raster images well, so it has largely been superseded by direct PDF output from modern engines like pdfLaTeX.
Converting DVI
Utilities such as dvips and dvipdf turn a .dvi into PostScript or PDF for printing and sharing. In most current LaTeX workflows you skip DVI entirely and produce PDF straight away.
DVI files are small, since they hold layout instructions rather than embedded resources. You rarely need to keep them once you have the final PDF.