macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install aspelllocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install aspellMacPorts ports tree · textproc/aspell/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install aspell with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, zypper
Spell checker with better logic than ispell. Version 0.60.8.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add aspellAlpine Linux edge package indexes · aspell · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install aspellDebian stable package indexes · aspell · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install aspellFedora Rawhide package metadata · aspell · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#aspellnixpkgs package indexes · aspell · source: raw.githubusercontent.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S aspellArch Linux sync databases · aspell · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install aspellopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · aspell · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install main/aspellScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/aspell.json · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Spell checker with better logic than ispell
Project links
Commands and aliases
- aspell
- aspell-import
- precat
- preunzip
- prezip
- prezip-bin
- pspell-config
- run-with-aspell
- word-list-compress
history
Project history and usage
GNU Aspell is a GNU spell checker by Kevin Atkinson, designed as a replacement for Ispell and usable either as a library or as an independent command-line spell checker. Its manual emphasizes better replacement suggestions, UTF-8 document checking without special dictionaries, locale awareness, multiple dictionaries, and safer handling of personal dictionaries across concurrent processes.
Project history
The official manual identifies Aspell as a spell checker intended to eventually replace Ispell. Savannah lists GNU Aspell as official GNU software, names Kevin Atkinson as group admin, and records the project registration date as 23 November 2001.
Aspell's project history is also a history of Unix spell-checker interfaces. The manual documents command-line use, an Ispell compatibility mode, integration with applications such as Emacs, XEmacs, Vim, Pine, and Enchant-based applications, plus C API and pipe-based interfaces for programs that embed or drive spell checking.
The manual copyright range runs from 2000 to 2026 and the generated manual title identifies version 0.60.8.2, showing a mature maintenance line rather than a rapid-release CLI.
Adoption history
The Homebrew input records Aspell across apk, Homebrew, Debian, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, Scoop, Ubuntu, and zypper. That is broad cross-platform packaging for a traditional Unix text utility, helped by its GNU status and its use as a backend for editors and other applications.
Aspell's adoption came from both interactive command-line use and library/backend use. The manual's comparison to Ispell and Hunspell positions it as part of the lineage of spell-checking engines available to editors, mail clients, and text-processing tools.
How it is used
Users can run `aspell` directly for spell-checking files, use it as an Ispell replacement, call it through a pipe protocol, or link to its C API. Companion utilities in the package handle dictionary import, compressed word lists, and prezip/preunzip workflows.
Configuration can come from command-line options, global and personal configuration files, or the `ASPELL_CONF` environment variable. The manual says the personal file is normally `.aspell.conf` in `HOME`, while the global file is normally `aspell.conf` under an `etc` directory such as `/usr/etc` or `/usr/local/etc`.
Why package nerds care
Aspell is classic package-manager territory: a small CLI, a library, dictionaries and word-list tooling, editor integrations, and a global/personal configuration story. It often matters less as a visible app than as the spell-checking engine another package expects.
Its continued packaging across Unix-like systems and Windows package managers makes it a useful compatibility target for scripts and editor setups that predate newer spell-checking backends.
Timeline
- 2000: Manual copyright range begins, indicating early Aspell documentation and development.
- 2001-11-23: Savannah records GNU Aspell project registration.
- 0.60 series: Manual documents UTF-8 handling, multiple dictionaries, personal dictionary behavior, Ispell compatibility, C API, pipe mode, and application integrations.
- 2026: Manual title and copyright range show GNU Aspell 0.60.8.2 documentation maintained through 2026.
Related projects
- Aspell is directly compared with Ispell and Hunspell in its manual.
- The manual documents use with Enchant-based applications, Emacs, XEmacs, Vim, and Pine.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:compress
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
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
~/.aspell.conf/usr/local/etc/aspell.conf/usr/etc/aspell.conf
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
aspell | cli | global executable | |
aspell-import | cli | global executable | |
precat | cli | global executable | |
preunzip | cli | global executable | |
prezip | cli | global executable | |
prezip-bin | cli | global executable | |
pspell-config | cli | global executable | |
run-with-aspell | cli | global executable | |
word-list-compress | 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 version0.60.8.2
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.http://aspell.net/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:aspell |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.60.8.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/aspell |
| Homepage | http://aspell.net/ |
| Repository | https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/aspell.git |
| Upstream docs | http://aspell.net/man-html/Introduction.html |
| License | LGPL-2.1-only |
| Source archive | https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnu/aspell/aspell-0.60.8.2.tar.gz |
| Uses from macOS | ncurses |
| 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 | aspell |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
aspell 0.60.8.1-4
GNU Aspell spell-checker
sudo apt install aspell- Section: text
- Architecture: amd64
- 6 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 5 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
Debian apt95%
aspell-doc 0.60.8.1-4
Documentation for GNU Aspell spell-checker
sudo apt install aspell-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: aspell
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
Debian apt95%
libaspell-dev 0.60.8.1-4
Development files for applications with GNU Aspell support
sudo apt install libaspell-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: aspell
- 1 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
Debian apt95%
libaspell15 0.60.8.1-4
GNU Aspell spell-checker runtime library
sudo apt install libaspell15- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: aspell
- 2 dependencies
- 4 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
Debian apt95%
libpspell-dev 0.60.8.1-4
Development files for applications with pspell support
sudo apt install libpspell-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: aspell
- 2 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
Nix95%
aspell
nix profile install nixpkgs#aspell- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
Ubuntu apt95%
aspell 0.60.8.1-1build1
GNU Aspell spell-checker
sudo apt install aspell- Section: text
- Architecture: amd64
- 6 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 5 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
Ubuntu apt95%
aspell-doc 0.60.8.1-1build1
Documentation for GNU Aspell spell-checker
sudo apt install aspell-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: aspell
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
Ubuntu apt95%
libaspell-dev 0.60.8.1-1build1
Development files for applications with GNU Aspell support
sudo apt install libaspell-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: aspell
- 1 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
Ubuntu apt95%
libaspell15 0.60.8.1-1build1
GNU Aspell spell-checker runtime library
sudo apt install libaspell15- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: aspell
- 2 dependencies
- 4 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
Ubuntu apt95%
libpspell-dev 0.60.8.1-1build1
Development files for applications with pspell support
sudo apt install libpspell-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: aspell
- 2 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
apk95%
aspell 0.60.8.2-r0
A spell checker designed to eventually replace Ispell
sudo apk add aspell- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: aspell
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
apk95%
aspell-compat 0.60.8.2-r0
aspell compatibility scripts for ispell and unix spell
sudo apk add aspell-compat- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: aspell
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
apk95%
aspell-dev 0.60.8.2-r0
A spell checker designed to eventually replace Ispell (development files)
sudo apk add aspell-dev- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: aspell
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
apk95%
aspell-doc 0.60.8.2-r0
A spell checker designed to eventually replace Ispell (documentation)
sudo apk add aspell-doc- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: aspell
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
apk95%
aspell-lang 0.60.8.2-r0
Languages for package aspell
sudo apk add aspell-lang- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: aspell
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Aspell
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.
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