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CLI Open source 71 installs/mo

kakoune for Mac

Selection-based modal text editor

Quick answer: kakoune is a developer tool for macOS. Install it with brew install kakoune. It is distributed under the Unlicense licence. It has 71 Homebrew installs in the last 30 days.

What kakoune is

kakoune is a developer tool for macOS: selection-based modal text editor.

It is distributed as a Homebrew formula, which builds or pours a binary and puts it on your PATH. The project is open source and lives at https://github.com/mawww/kakoune.

How to install kakoune

  1. Open Terminal (press ⌘ + Space and type “Terminal”).
  2. If Homebrew is not installed yet, run the installer below once.
  3. Run brew install kakoune.

Homebrew installer, if you need it:

Prefer a graphical installer? Download it from the official site. MacPicks never hosts or mirrors binaries — the Homebrew command always pulls from the vendor's own release.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I install kakoune on Mac?

Run brew install kakoune in Terminal. This requires Homebrew; if you do not have it, install it first with the command below.

Is kakoune open source?

Yes — Homebrew distributes it under the Unlicense licence.

Does kakoune run on Apple silicon?

Homebrew publishes this formula for macOS. If upstream does not ship an Apple silicon build, Rosetta 2 handles the Intel binary.

How popular is kakoune?

It was installed 71 times in the last 30 days according to Homebrew analytics, ranking #4005 in this catalogue.

What version of kakoune is current?

The latest packaged version is 2026.05.21.