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readline for Mac

Library for command-line editing

Quick answer: readline is a command-line tool for macOS. Install it with brew install readline. It is distributed under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence. It has 3,783 Homebrew installs in the last 30 days.

What readline is

readline is a command-line tool for macOS: library for command-line editing.

It is distributed as a Homebrew formula, which builds or pours a binary and puts it on your PATH. It is distributed under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence.

How to install readline

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

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 readline on Mac?

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

Is readline open source?

Yes — Homebrew distributes it under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence.

Does readline 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 readline?

It was installed 3,783 times in the last 30 days according to Homebrew analytics, ranking #423 in this catalogue.

What version of readline is current?

The latest packaged version is 8.3.6.