macOS
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brew install bsdconvlocal Homebrew formula metadata
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Install bsdconv with Homebrew
Charset/encoding converter library. Version 11.6 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Charset/encoding converter library
Project links
Commands and aliases
- bsdconv
- bsdconv-completion
- bsdconv-man
- bsdconv-mktable
history
Project history and usage
bsdconv is a small charset and text-conversion library with a command-line frontend. It is niche, but it is unusually rich in conversion pipelines for East Asian encodings, Unicode normalization, transliteration, database migration, and custom module chains.
Project history
The upstream README describes bsdconv as a buildable C project with module manuals, generated tables, aliases, and a command-line syntax that chains `from`, `inter`, and `to` conversion modules. The official API reference is published from the project at buganini.github.io/bsdconv.
Its examples reveal the project's practical origin: Big5, UTF-8, GB2312/CP936, Chinese traditional/simplified conversion, HTML entities, width counting, fuzzy comparison, and recovery from mis-decoding are central use cases rather than afterthoughts.
Adoption history
The provided package facts show bsdconv packaged by Homebrew. Upstream also documents bindings or integrations for Python, Perl, PHP, Ruby, Go, Java, Haskell, Elasticsearch, PostgreSQL, and MySQL, which suggests use as a library component as much as a standalone CLI.
This is not a broad mainstream text tool like iconv or recode. Its adoption signal is strongest where CJK legacy encodings, database migration, and application-specific conversion pipelines matter.
How it is used
The `bsdconv` command composes conversion stages with colon-separated modules, for example converting Big5 to simplified Chinese UTF-8, normalizing line endings, emitting HTML entities, or creating fuzzy comparison keys.
The project also ships helper commands such as `bsdconv-man` and `bsdconv-mktable`, matching its module/table-oriented design.
Why package nerds care
bsdconv matters to package nerds because it sits in the awkward gap between iconv-style charset conversion and application-specific text cleanup. Packaging it keeps an old but practical conversion toolbox available without forcing users to vendor C libraries or language bindings.
Its significance is narrow: it is a survival tool for messy text migrations, especially where East Asian encodings and Unicode edge cases meet databases.
Timeline
- 2010s: Upstream documentation and slides present bsdconv as a modular charset conversion library and CLI.
- 2010s: Language bindings and database integrations appear around the core library.
- 2026: Provided package facts show bsdconv available as a Homebrew formula.
Related projects
- iconv is the standard comparison point for charset conversion.
- GNU recode is an older adjacent text conversion tool.
- The upstream bindings connect bsdconv to Python, Perl, PHP, Ruby, Go, Java, Haskell, Elasticsearch, PostgreSQL, and MySQL ecosystems.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
library-like package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- library-like package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:library-like
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
bsdconv | cli | global executable | |
bsdconv-completion | cli | global executable | |
bsdconv-man | cli | global executable | |
bsdconv-mktable | 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 version11.6
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected11.6
https://github.com/buganini/bsdconv
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:bsdconv |
|---|---|
| Version | 11.6 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/bsdconv |
| Homepage | https://github.com/buganini/bsdconv |
| Repository | https://github.com/buganini/bsdconv |
| Upstream docs | https://buganini.github.io/bsdconv |
| License | BSD-2-Clause |
| Source archive | https://github.com/buganini/bsdconv/archive/refs/tags/11.6.tar.gz |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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 | bsdconv |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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 package history
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment