# Install alexjs with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper Catch insensitive, inconsiderate writing. Version 11.0.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:alexjs ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install alexjs ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install alex ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/alex/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add alex ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: alex from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install alex ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: alex from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install alex ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: alex from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#alex ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: alex from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S alex ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: alex from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install alex ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: alex from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:alexjs - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 11.0.1 - **Source summary:** Catch insensitive, inconsiderate writing - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - alex (cli) - alex (alias) ## Dependencies - node ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 11.0.1 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/get-alex/alex - Upstream latest detected: 11.0.1 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage alex is a command-line and JavaScript API tool for catching insensitive or inconsiderate writing. It belongs to the text-linting ecosystem around unified, retext, and markdown tooling, but its subject matter is inclusive language rather than syntax style. ### Project history The official website and README describe alex as a tool that flags gender-favoring, polarizing, race-related, ableist, profane, or otherwise unequal phrasing and suggests alternatives. It reads plain text, Markdown, MDX, and HTML, and exposes both a CLI and JavaScript APIs. The README records preliminary work in 2015, Titus Wormer as author, and an origin story crediting a raised problem and Sindre Sorhus's inspiration. The alexjs.com page carries a 2015 publication date and presents an online demo, CLI examples, and integrations. Technically, alex composes existing natural-language processing packages: the README points users to `retext-equality` and `retext-profanities` for the rules and uses VFile messages as the API result shape. That places it squarely inside the unified/retext package family. ### Adoption history alex's official README lists integrations for Sublime, Gulp, Slack, Ember, Probot, GitHub Actions, Vim, browser extensions, Contentful, Figma, and VS Code. The official site also lists earlier editor and workflow integrations. The supplied package facts show unusually broad distribution for a Node writing tool: Homebrew as `alexjs`, and distro packages as `alex` in apk, Debian, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, Ubuntu, and openSUSE. That breadth reflects a CLI useful in documentation repos, CI checks, and editorial workflows. ### How it is used Typical CLI usage is `alex example.md` or `alex .`, with warnings reported by source position, rule id, and suggested wording. The README also documents Markdown comments for inline disables and enables. Configuration can live in `.alexrc`, `.alexrc.yml`, `.alexrc.yaml`, `.alexrc.js`, or an `alex` field in `package.json`; directory scanning can be controlled with `.alexignore`. API users call functions such as `markdown`, `mdx`, `html`, or `text` and inspect returned VFile messages. ### Why package nerds care alex is package-nerd significant because it helped make inclusive-language checking feel like linting: install a CLI, add a dotfile, wire it into CI, and treat prose issues like structured diagnostics. It also shows why package naming matters. The upstream project and executable are `alex`, while Homebrew packages it as `alexjs`, likely to avoid name ambiguity in a global formula namespace. ### Timeline - 2015: Preliminary work and publication date recorded by official README and alexjs.com metadata. - 2015: Launch attracted social and press attention according to the README origin story. - 2015 onward: Editor, build-tool, chat, GitHub, and browser integrations accumulated around the CLI. - Current README: alex supports plain text, Markdown, MDX, and HTML inputs with CLI and JavaScript APIs. ### Related projects - The official README names retext-equality and retext-profanities as rule sources and VFile as the diagnostics container. - alex sits near prose linters, markdown tooling, and editor/CI lint integrations rather than conventional grammar checkers. ### Sources - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## 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 - Unix: .alexrc, .alexrc.yml, .alexrc.yaml, .alexrc.js, package.json#alex, .alexignore ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** alexjs - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - MacPorts - alex: installed executable or alias match | MacPorts ports tree: devel/alex/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Debian apt - alex - 3.4.0.1-1+b1: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: alex from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | lexical analyser generator for Haskell | http://www.haskell.org/alex/ - Nix - alex: installed executable or alias match | nixpkgs package indexes: alex from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - Ubuntu apt - alex - 3.3.0.0-1: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: alex from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | lexical analyser generator for Haskell | http://www.haskell.org/alex/ - apk - alex - 3.5.4.0-r1: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: alex from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Lexical analyser generator for Haskell | https://www.haskell.org/alex/ - apk - alex-doc - 3.5.4.0-r1: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: alex-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Lexical analyser generator for Haskell (documentation) | https://www.haskell.org/alex/ - dnf - alex - 3.5.4.0-1.fc44: installed executable or alias match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: alex from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Tool for generating lexical analysers in Haskell | https://hackage.haskell.org/package/alex - pacman - alex - 3.5.3.0-1: installed executable or alias match | Arch Linux sync databases: alex from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Lexical analyser generator for Haskell | https://hackage.haskell.org/package/alex - zypper - alex - 3.5.4.0-1.5: installed executable or alias match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: alex from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Alex is a tool for generating lexical analysers in Haskell | https://hackage.haskell.org/package/alex ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [node](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/node/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [diction](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/diction/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [wordgrinder](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/wordgrinder/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [hayagriva](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hayagriva/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [ispell](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ispell/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [languagetool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/languagetool/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [pandemics](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pandemics/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [redpen](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/redpen/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [style-check](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/style-check/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [alex](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/npm/alex/) - Executable or command metadata overlaps with this package. Shared terms: alex, catch, cli, inconsiderate, insensitive. - [write-good](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/npm/write-good/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, productivity, writing. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/alexjs.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/alexjs.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph