@item -batch
@opindex --batch
@itemx --batch
-Run Emacs in @dfn{batch mode}, which means that the text being edited is
-not displayed and the standard terminal interrupt characters such as
-@kbd{C-z} and @kbd{C-c} continue to have their normal effect. Emacs in
-batch mode outputs to @code{stderr} only what would normally be displayed
-in the echo area under program control, and functions which would
-normally read from the minibuffer take their input from @code{stdin}.
-
-Batch mode is used for running programs written in Emacs Lisp from
-shell scripts, makefiles, and so on. Normally the @samp{-l} option
-or @samp{-f} option will be used as well, to invoke a Lisp program
-to do the batch processing.
+Run Emacs in @dfn{batch mode}. Batch mode is used for running
+programs written in Emacs Lisp from shell scripts, makefiles, and so
+on. You should also use the @samp{-l} option or @samp{-f} option, to
+invoke a Lisp program to do batch processing.
+
+In batch mode, Emacs does not display the text being edited, and the
+standard terminal interrupt characters such as @kbd{C-z} and @kbd{C-c}
+continue to have their normal effect. The functions @code{prin1},
+@code{princ} and @code{print} output to @code{stdout} instead of the
+echo area, while @code{message} and error messages output to
+@code{stderr}. Functions that would normally read from the minibuffer
+take their input from @code{stdin} instead.
@samp{--batch} implies @samp{-q} (do not load an init file). It also
causes Emacs to exit after processing all the command options. In