# Install chars with Homebrew, Nix Command-line tool to display information about unicode characters. Version 0.7.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:chars ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install chars ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#chars ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ch/chars/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:chars - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.7.0 - **Source summary:** Command-line tool to display information about unicode characters - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - chars (cli) - chars (alias) ## Build dependencies - rust ## 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, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.7.0 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/boinkor-net/chars - Upstream latest detected: v0.7.0 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage Cha(rs) is a command-line Unicode and ASCII character inspection tool. ### Project history The official README presents Cha(rs) as a Rust command-line tool for displaying names and codes for ASCII and Unicode characters or code points. It explicitly positions the project as inspired by classic ascii(1)-style lookup tools while extending the idea to Unicode and control-character edge cases. ### Adoption history The README documents installation from source with cargo install and points to operating-system packages including Arch Linux AUR, Homebrew, and Chocolatey. Homebrew packages version 0.7.0 and reports small but steady install counts. ### How it is used Typical usage is running chars with a literal character, a Unicode code point such as U+1F63C, or an ambiguous numeric code, then reading the printed encodings, width, quote form, and Unicode name. ### Why package nerds care Cha(rs) is package-nerd interesting because it turns Unicode database lookup into a tiny terminal utility distributed through Rust and OS package managers, filling the same quick-reference role that ascii(1) filled for older character sets. ### Timeline - 2026: Homebrew formula metadata lists chars 0.7.0 and packages Linux and macOS bottles. - 2026: Official repository README documents Cargo, Homebrew, AUR, Chocolatey, and source install paths. ### Related projects - ascii(1)-style character lookup tools are named as inspiration in the official README. - Rust Cargo is the source and crate installation path documented by the official README. ### Sources - - - ## 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:** chars - **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 - Nix - chars: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ch/chars/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## 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. - [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. - [rust](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rust/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [teip](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/teip/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal, text-processing. - [chalk-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/chalk-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [chatblade](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/chatblade/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [ddgr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ddgr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [figlet](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/figlet/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [fx](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fx/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [fzf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fzf/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [fzy](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fzy/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [uni](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/uni/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, command-line, developer, developer-tools, line. - [angle-grinder](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/angle-grinder/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, command-line, developer, developer-tools, line. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/chars.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/chars.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