install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install ad

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#ad

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ad/ad/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Adaptable text editor inspired by vi, kakoune, and acme

Project links

Commands and aliases

ad

history

Project history and usage

`ad` is an adaptable Rust text editor that combines modal editing ideas from vi and Kakoune with Plan 9 Acme-style external-tool integration.

Project history

The README presents `ad` as a personal, experimental editor rather than a polished replacement for Vim, Kakoune, or Emacs. Its design centers on text that can be executed as well as edited, a filesystem interface inspired by Acme, and command-language ideas from Sam.

The GitHub repository was created in 2023 and is developed on the `develop` branch. Its setup task creates a `~/.ad` dotfile directory and copies default configuration, plumbing rules, helper scripts, libraries, colorschemes, and syntax data.

Adoption history

The project is available through Homebrew and Nix according to the supplied package-manager facts, but the README warns that user-facing documentation is limited and that the editor is not yet recommended as a primary editor.

How it is used

Users install or build `ad`, run `cargo xtask setup-dotfiles` for the default dotfiles, and then use the editor's built-in `:help` command. The tool is aimed at users who want a small hackable editor with external-program integration.

Why package nerds care

`ad` is interesting to package maintainers as a compact Rust editor with nontrivial runtime data files. Packaging is less about a single binary and more about whether default dotfiles and helper directories are installed or generated cleanly.

Timeline

2023: GitHub repository `sminez/ad` was created.
2023: README documented `ad` as an Acme, Sam, vi, and Kakoune-inspired adaptable editor.
2026: Repository metadata shows active development and Homebrew/Nix package availability is present in the supplied facts.

Related projects

The README explicitly cites vi, Neovim, Kakoune, Acme, Sam, Plan 9, Tree-sitter, LSP, and the author's extracted `structex` crate as influences or related components.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: ~/.ad/config.toml

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`ad`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version0.4.0

manager updated2026-05-26

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detected0.4.0

https://github.com/sminez/ad

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:ad
Version	0.4.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ad
Homepage	https://github.com/sminez/ad
Repository	https://github.com/sminez/ad
Upstream docs	https://github.com/sminez/ad#readme
License	MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/sminez/ad/archive/refs/tags/0.4.0.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-05-26T23:37:48-04:00
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	rust
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	ad
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

ad

nix profile install nixpkgs#ad

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ad

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ad/ad/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/ad.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install ad with Homebrew, Nix