# Install bootterm with Homebrew, apk, apt, Nix, scoop, winget Simple, reliable and powerful terminal to ease connection to serial ports. Version 0.5 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:bootterm ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install bootterm ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add bootterm ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: bootterm from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install bootterm ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: bootterm from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#bootterm ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bo/bootterm/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install extras/bt ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/bt.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Extras/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - winget (92%): ```sh winget install --id QwerProg.bt -e ``` Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: QwerProg.bt from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:bootterm - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.5 - **Source summary:** Simple, reliable and powerful terminal to ease connection to serial ports - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - bt (cli) - bt (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.5 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/wtarreau/bootterm - Upstream latest detected: v0.5 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage BootTerm is a small serial-terminal CLI focused on the awkward moment when USB serial ports appear, disappear, and change names during board boot and flashing. It is a niche but polished tool for embedded developers working with SBCs, USB UART adapters, and bootloader consoles. ### Project history The README describes BootTerm as a simple, reliable terminal designed for ephemeral serial ports, especially USB-based ports on single-board computers. Its feature set grew around automatic port detection, waiting for new or any port, non-standard baud rates, break sequences, RTS/DTR toggling, captures, timestamps, and a single `bt` binary with no unusual dependencies. The official GitHub tags show v0.1 through v0.5, with release metadata for v0.2 in December 2020, v0.3 and v0.4 in early 2021, and v0.5 in April 2024. Release names mention macOS support, ttyACM detection, timestamps, CRLF handling, and escape-mode refinements. ### Adoption history Adoption is mostly among embedded Linux and board bring-up users rather than the general terminal-emulator audience. Package-manager metadata in the input shows availability through Alpine, Debian, Homebrew, Nix, Scoop, and winget, which is broad for a deliberately tiny serial-port utility. ### How it is used The common workflow is `bt` with no argument to connect to the most recently registered serial device, `bt -l` to list candidates, `bt -n` to wait for a newly attached USB serial device, and baud or control-pin options for board reset and bootloader interactions. ### Why package nerds care BootTerm matters to package nerds because it is a focused replacement for heavier terminal programs in one specific packaging niche: reproducible board bring-up scripts and USB serial workflows. Its single-binary, libc-only style makes it easy for distributions to ship and for cross-platform embedded users to trust. ### Timeline - 2020: v0.2 release adds refined detection, filtering, and macOS support. - 2021: v0.3 and v0.4 releases improve timestamps, ttyACM detection, CRLF, and escape handling. - 2024: v0.5 published on GitHub. ### Related projects - Related tools include classic serial terminals such as minicom, screen, picocom, and tio, plus flashing scripts that need to wait for and identify USB serial devices. ### 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 ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** bootterm - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - bootterm - 0.5-1+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: bootterm from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | simple terminal to ease connections with SBCs | https://github.com/wtarreau/bootterm - Nix - bootterm: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bo/bootterm/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - apk - bootterm - 0.5-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: bootterm from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Simple, reliable and powerful terminal designed to ease connection to ephemeral serial ports | https://github.com/wtarreau/bootterm - apk - bootterm-dbg - 0.5-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: bootterm-dbg from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Simple, reliable and powerful terminal designed to ease connection to ephemeral serial ports (debug symbols) | https://github.com/wtarreau/bootterm - Scoop - extras/bt: installed executable or alias match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/bt.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Extras/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - winget - QwerProg.bt: installed executable or alias match | Windows Package Manager source index: QwerProg.bt from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [bootloadhid](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bootloadhid/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: bootloader, cli, embedded, system. - [u-boot-tools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/u-boot-tools/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: bootloader, cli, embedded, system. - [dfu-programmer](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dfu-programmer/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, embedded, system. - [dfu-util](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dfu-util/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, embedded, system. - [flip-link](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/flip-link/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, embedded, system. - [genext2fs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/genext2fs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, embedded, system. - [i686-elf-grub](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/i686-elf-grub/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: bootloader, cli, system. - [limine](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/limine/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: bootloader, cli, system. - [picocom](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/picocom/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, embedded, serial, system, terminal. - [conman](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/conman/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, serial, system, terminal. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/bootterm.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/bootterm.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