install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install algernon

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S algernon

Arch Linux sync databases · algernon · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/algernon

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/algernon.json · source: api.github.com

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%

winget install --id xyproto.algernon -e

Windows Package Manager source index · xyproto.algernon · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

overview

Package summary

Pure Go web server with Lua, Markdown, HTTP/2 and template support

Project links

Commands and aliases

algernon
mdview

history

Project history and usage

Algernon is a self-contained Go web server and application server aimed at serving Markdown, Lua, templates, and modern web assets with little setup. In package-manager terms it sits in the small-binary web-server lane: install one executable, point it at a directory or script, and get a batteries-included local or production-ish server.

Project history

The public GitHub repository was created in March 2015 under xyproto/algernon. Its official README describes a web server with built-in support for HTTP/2, HTTP/3/QUIC, Lua, Teal, Markdown, Pongo2, Amber, Sass/SCSS, JSX/TypeScript, databases, plugins, users, and permissions.

The project grew around the idea that common web-serving and lightweight application tasks should not require a stack of background converters or service components. The README emphasizes that it is a small self-contained executable, with Go providing the portability base and embedded interpreters and renderers providing the dynamic behavior.

Adoption history

Algernon is packaged beyond Homebrew, with the README linking to Repology packaging status and the input facts listing Homebrew, Arch, Scoop, and WinGet package names. The GitHub repository had thousands of stars and over a hundred forks in the official GitHub API metadata checked for this batch, which is meaningful adoption for a niche web-server tool.

The project also publishes release artifacts and Docker images, which matters for a server tool because users often want either a package-manager install for local use or a container for deployment experiments.

How it is used

Typical use is to install the binary, run `algernon` against a directory or Lua script, and let special filenames such as `index.lua`, `index.md`, template files, or JSX/TSX files determine how content is served. The tutorial shows the smallest loop as writing a Lua handler and running `algernon hello.lua`.

Package users care about the low-friction behavior: Markdown preview, Lua-backed endpoints, local development with auto-refresh, HTTP/2 and QUIC support, and database fallback behavior are all available from the same installed command.

Why package nerds care

Algernon is a good example of the Go single-binary packaging style applied to web serving. It competes less with nginx or Caddy as infrastructure and more with ad hoc local servers, static-site preview tools, and small internal web apps where eliminating runtime dependencies is attractive.

Its formula is interesting because it packages a broad web runtime surface behind one executable, so distribution maintainers are shipping a surprisingly capable server without a language runtime dependency chain.

Timeline

2015: Public GitHub repository created.
2010s-2020s: Project expands from Lua, Markdown, and template serving into a broader Go web application server.
2026: Official repository metadata still shows active pushes and releases.

Related projects

Related tools include Caddy and nginx for web serving, Python's simple HTTP server for local file serving, and Lua-enabled web stacks for scriptable request handling.

Sources

security posture

No protected-tool coverage found yet

No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for algernon. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.

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.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`algernon`	cli	global executable
`mdview`	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 version1.17.10

manager updated2026-07-05

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv1.17.10

https://github.com/xyproto/algernon

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:algernon
Version	1.17.10
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/algernon
Homepage	https://algernon.roboticoverlords.org
Repository	https://github.com/xyproto/algernon
Upstream docs	https://algernon.roboticoverlords.org
License	BSD-3-Clause
Source archive	https://github.com/xyproto/algernon/archive/refs/tags/v1.17.10.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-07-05T03:37:18Z
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
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	algernon
Version Scheme	1
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.

pacman95%

algernon 1.17.9-1

Web server with Lua, Markdown, QUIC, Redis and PostgreSQL support

https://algernon.roboticoverlords.org/

sudo pacman -S algernon

License: BSD-3-Clause
Architecture: x86_64
5 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Algernon

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: algernon from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

Scoop95%

main/algernon

scoop install main/algernon

normalized package name match
Matched by: Algernon

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/algernon.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

winget95%

xyproto.algernon

winget install --id xyproto.algernon -e

normalized package name match
Matched by: Algernon

Windows Package Manager source index · cdn.winget.microsoft.com · Windows Package Manager source index: xyproto.algernon from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix

winget92%

c3er.mdview

winget install --id c3er.mdview -e

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Mdview

Windows Package Manager source index · cdn.winget.microsoft.com · Windows Package Manager source index: c3er.mdview from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix

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/algernon.yml

Used sources

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

Install algernon with Homebrew, pacman, scoop, winget