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CLI Open source 682 installs/mo

ncurses for Mac

Text-based UI library

Quick answer: ncurses is a command-line tool for macOS. Install it with brew install ncurses. It is distributed under the X11-distribute-modifications-variant licence. It has 682 Homebrew installs in the last 30 days.

What ncurses is

ncurses is a command-line tool for macOS: text-based UI library.

It is distributed as a Homebrew formula, which builds or pours a binary and puts it on your PATH. It is distributed under the X11-distribute-modifications-variant licence.

How to install ncurses

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

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 ncurses on Mac?

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

Is ncurses open source?

Yes — Homebrew distributes it under the X11-distribute-modifications-variant licence.

Does ncurses 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 ncurses?

It was installed 682 times in the last 30 days according to Homebrew analytics, ranking #1294 in this catalogue.

What version of ncurses is current?

The latest packaged version is 6.6.