# Install bison with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, zypper Parser generator. Version 3.8.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-13. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:bison ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install bison ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install bison ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/bison/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add bison ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: bison from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install bison ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: bison from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install bison ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: bison 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#bison ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bi/bison/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S bison ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: bison from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install bison ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: bison from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install main/bison ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/bison.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:bison - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 3.8.2 - **Source summary:** Parser generator - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-13T01:03:19+02:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - bison (cli) - yacc (cli) - bison (alias) - yacc (alias) ## Uses from macOS - m4 ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 3.8.2 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-13 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage GNU Bison is GNU's parser generator: a source-compatible successor to the classic Unix yacc workflow that reads a grammar and produces parser code. In package-manager culture it is one of the canonical build-time tools that appears quietly in dependency graphs for compilers, shells, interpreters, database tools, and other software with real grammars. ### Project history Bison began as a GNU replacement for yacc, the parser generator associated with early Unix compiler construction. The GNU manual credits Robert Corbett's public-domain parser generator as the starting point and Richard Stallman with making it into Bison, with later development by GNU maintainers including Wilfred Hansen, Tom Tromey, Akim Demaille, Paul Eggert, and others. The project kept yacc compatibility as a central design goal while adding GNU extensions, better diagnostics, multiple parser skeletons, GLR parsing support, internationalized diagnostics, and support for modern C and C++ parser workflows. That combination made it both a historical compatibility tool and an actively maintained compiler-construction utility. ### Adoption history Bison was adopted because it let free software projects build yacc-style parsers without relying on proprietary Unix yacc implementations. Autoconf-era source packages commonly checked for bison or yacc, and many distributions install Bison as part of their developer-tool stack. The package metadata in this batch shows Bison available through Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, Alpine, MacPorts, Nix, Scoop, and openSUSE. That breadth reflects its role as infrastructure: many users never invoke bison directly, but their package builds do. ### How it is used Bison is usually run during a build or release process: a maintainer writes a grammar file, Bison generates parser source, and the generated code is compiled into the consuming program. It is also installed as yacc on some systems or used through a yacc-compatible wrapper for software that expects the historical command name. Its common neighbors are Flex or lex for tokenization, Autotools for build orchestration, and compilers such as GCC or Clang for the generated parser code. Packagers care about whether projects ship generated parsers in release tarballs or require Bison at build time. ### Why package nerds care Bison is package-nerd bedrock because it explains a surprisingly large class of build failures: wrong Bison version, missing yacc compatibility, regenerated parser files changing generated C, or release tarballs that assume maintainers have GNU parser tools installed. It is also a living link between early Unix language tooling and modern reproducible builds. A package can depend on it for one generated file, but that file may define the grammar of a shell, language, configuration format, or SQL dialect. ### Timeline - 1970s: yacc establishes the parser-generator workflow in Unix compiler tooling. - 1980s: GNU Bison is created as a free yacc-compatible parser generator based on Robert Corbett's public-domain work and GNU development. - 1990s-2000s: Bison becomes a routine dependency in Autotools-based free software builds. - 2000s-2010s: Bison adds modern parser features such as stronger diagnostics, C++ support, and GLR parsing. - 2020s: Bison remains packaged across Unix-like distributions and Homebrew as a core compiler-construction tool. ### Related projects - yacc is the historical Unix parser generator whose interface Bison intentionally follows. - Berkeley Yacc and byacc are alternative yacc-compatible parser generators. - Flex and lex are the usual scanner-generator companions to Bison grammars. - Autoconf and Automake often discover or invoke Bison in source-package build systems. ### Sources - - - - input.json source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** bison - **Aliases:** bison@3.8 - **Version Scheme:** 1 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** yes - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - bison - 2:3.8.2+dfsg-1+b2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: bison from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | YACC-compatible parser generator | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/ - Debian apt - bison++ - 1.21.11-5+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: bison++ from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Generate a parser in c or c++ from BNF notation - Debian apt - libbison-dev - 2:3.8.2+dfsg-1+b2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libbison-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | YACC-compatible parser generator - development library | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/ - Nix - bison: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bi/bison/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - bison - 2:3.8.2+dfsg-1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: bison from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | YACC-compatible parser generator | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/ - Ubuntu apt - bison++ - 1.21.11-5: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: bison++ from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Generate a parser in c or c++ from BNF notation - Ubuntu apt - libbison-dev - 2:3.8.2+dfsg-1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libbison-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | YACC-compatible parser generator - development library | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/ - apk - bison - 3.8.2-r3: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: bison from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | The GNU general-purpose parser generator | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/bison.html - apk - bison-doc - 3.8.2-r3: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: bison-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | The GNU general-purpose parser generator (documentation) | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/bison.html - dnf - bison - 3.8.2-15.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: bison from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | GNU general-purpose parser generator | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/ - dnf - bison-devel - 3.8.2-15.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: bison-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | -ly library for development using Bison-generated parsers | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/ - dnf - bison-runtime - 3.8.2-15.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: bison-runtime from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Runtime support files used by Bison-generated parsers | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/ - pacman - bison - 3.8.2-8: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: bison from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz | The GNU general-purpose parser generator | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/bison.html - zypper - bison - 3.8.2-3.12: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: bison from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | The GNU Parser Generator | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/bison.html - zypper - bison-32bit - 3.8.2-3.12: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: bison-32bit from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | The GNU Parser Generator | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/bison.html - zypper - bison-lang - 3.8.2-3.12: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: bison-lang from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Translations for package bison | https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/bison.html ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing 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. - [crosstool-ng](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/crosstool-ng/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [goyacc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/goyacc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, parser-generator, parser-generators, yacc. - [antlr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/antlr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, parser-generator, parser-generators. - [byacc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/byacc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler-tools, developer-tools, parser-generator, yacc. - [lemon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lemon/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, parser-generator, parser-generators. - [packcc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/packcc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, parser-generator, parser-generators. - [menhir](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/menhir/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler-tools, developer-tools, parser-generator. - [peg](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/peg/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler-tools, developer-tools, parser-generator. - [arm-linux-gnueabihf-binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/arm-linux-gnueabihf-binutils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, gnu. - [treecc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/treecc/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, compiler, compiler-tools, developer, developer-tools. - [gperf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gperf/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, generator, gnu. - [autoconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autoconf/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, gnu. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/bison.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/bison.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - 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