install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install chaiscript

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install chai

MacPorts ports tree · devel/chai/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install chai

Debian stable package indexes · chai · source: deb.debian.org

overview

Package summary

Easy to use embedded scripting language for C++

Project links

Commands and aliases

chai

history

Project history and usage

ChaiScript is an embedded scripting language designed for C++ applications. Its package identity is closer to a language runtime and embeddable library than to a standalone command, though package managers commonly expose a chai executable as well.

Project history

The public GitHub repository dates to January 2011. The README describes ChaiScript as a language designed from the ground up to target C++ and modern C++ development, with a header-only integration style and type-safe bindings between C++ and scripts.

GitHub releases show mature 4.x and 5.x releases by 2014, a 6.0.0 release in 2017, and 6.1.0 in 2018. The README states that building ChaiScript requires a C++17 compiler.

Adoption history

ChaiScript is packaged in Homebrew as chaiscript and appears in the input package facts for Debian, Ubuntu, MacPorts, and vcpkg-oriented usage. The README specifically documents vcpkg installation, which is important for C++ developers consuming it as a library dependency.

How it is used

Typical usage is to add the ChaiScript include directory, include chaiscript/chaiscript.hpp, instantiate chaiscript::ChaiScript, then evaluate script strings or files. Host applications register C++ functions with the engine so scripts can call into native code.

Why package nerds care

ChaiScript is package-nerd interesting because it is a C++-native embeddable language distributed across general-purpose package managers and C++ dependency managers. It represents the small but persistent category of scripting runtimes packaged primarily so native applications can embed them.

Timeline

2011: GitHub repository created.
2014: 4.x and 5.x releases published on GitHub.
2017: 6.0.0 release published.
2018: 6.1.0 release published and used by the Homebrew stable formula.
2026: Repository metadata still shows the project as unarchived.

Related projects

The README compares ChaiScript's surface language to ECMAScript-style scripting.
vcpkg is an officially documented installation route for consuming ChaiScript from C++ projects.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: yellow

generalized runtime or code generation signal.

Risk classifier

yellow risk · medium confidence · runtime

Why

generalized runtime or code generation signal

Signals

text:scripting language

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 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
`chai`	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 version6.1.0

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv6.1.0

https://github.com/ChaiScript/ChaiScript

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:chaiscript
Version	6.1.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/chaiscript
Homepage	https://chaiscript.com/
Repository	https://github.com/ChaiScript/ChaiScript
Upstream docs	https://chaiscript.com/docs.html
License	BSD-3-Clause
Source archive	https://github.com/ChaiScript/ChaiScript/archive/refs/tags/v6.1.0.tar.gz
Build dependencies	cmake
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	chaiscript
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	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.

MacPorts94%

chai

sudo port install chai

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Chai

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: devel/chai/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Debian apt92%

chai 4.3.7~ds1+~cs9.7.21-1

assertion library for Node.js

https://chaijs.com

sudo apt install chai

Section: web
Architecture: all
Source Package: node-chai
7 dependencies
5 provides
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Chai

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: chai from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Ubuntu apt92%

chai 4.3.7~ds1+~cs9.7.21-1

assertion library for Node.js

https://chaijs.com

sudo apt install chai

Section: universe/web
Architecture: all
Source Package: node-chai
7 dependencies
5 provides
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Chai

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: chai from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

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/chaiscript.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 chaiscript with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts