# Install chicken with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, pacman Compiler for the Scheme programming language. Version 5.4.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:chicken ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install chicken ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install chicken ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: lang/chicken/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add chicken ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: chicken from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install chicken-bin ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: chicken-bin from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install chicken ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: chicken from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S chicken ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: chicken from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:chicken - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 5.4.0 - **Source summary:** Compiler for the Scheme programming language - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** BSD-3-Clause - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - chicken (cli) - chicken-do (cli) - chicken-install (cli) - chicken-profile (cli) - chicken-status (cli) - chicken-uninstall (cli) - feathers (cli) - chicken (alias) - chicken-do (alias) - chicken-install (alias) - chicken-profile (alias) - chicken-status (alias) - chicken-uninstall (alias) - feathers (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: 5.4.0 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.call-cc.org/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage CHICKEN is a Scheme implementation centered on a compiler that translates Scheme to portable C, plus an interpreter, extension library ecosystem, manual, wiki, and package tooling. ### Project history The official getting-started manual says CHICKEN combines an optimizing compiler with a reasonably fast interpreter, generates portable C, supports tail recursion, continuations, lightweight threads, and a flexible interface to C libraries. The same manual records that CHICKEN was developed by Felix L. Winkelmann from 2000 through 2007, and that in early 2008 the community took over responsibility for development and maintenance while Winkelmann remained involved. ### Adoption history CHICKEN's adoption is tied to its practical build story: Scheme code becomes C, then a C compiler produces a standalone executable, making it easier to package and deploy than many pure interpreter workflows. The input package metadata lists Alpine, Homebrew, Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora, MacPorts, Arch, and openSUSE packages. Homebrew reported 28,712 trailing-365-day installs at research time. ### How it is used The official homepage demonstrates both interpreted use with `csi -s hello-world.scm` and compiled use with `csc hello-world.scm`, then running the resulting executable. The manual documents `$HOME/.csirc` as an initialization file loaded before the read-eval-print loop unless disabled, which is the relevant user-level config file. ### Why package nerds care CHICKEN is package-nerd-significant because it bridges Lisp/Scheme culture and Unix packaging: source goes to C, extensions are distributed as Eggs, and the runtime fits normal compiler/package-manager workflows. For package maintainers, CHICKEN's split between core compiler/interpreter tools and a large extension ecosystem makes it a classic language-runtime package rather than a single app. ### Timeline - 2000: Felix L. Winkelmann began the development period described by the official manual. - 2008: Community maintenance responsibility began, according to the official manual. - 2026: Homebrew tracked CHICKEN 5.4.0 from the official call-cc.org release archive. ### Related projects - Eggs are CHICKEN's contributed extension/library ecosystem and are linked directly from the official homepage. - CHICKEN sits in the Scheme implementation family alongside systems such as Chez Scheme and Chibi-Scheme, but its package identity is especially shaped by C output and the `csc`/`csi` workflow. ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes generalized runtime or code generation signal. - **Geiger risk:** yellow / medium - generalized runtime or code generation signal ## Configuration and credential file locations These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval. ## Configuration files - Unix: ~/.csirc ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** chicken - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Conflicts With:** mono - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - chicken-bin - 5.3.0-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: chicken-bin from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Practical and portable Scheme system - compiler | http://www.call-cc.org - Debian apt - libchicken-dev - 5.3.0-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libchicken-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Practical and portable Scheme system - development | http://www.call-cc.org - Debian apt - libchicken11t64 - 5.3.0-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libchicken11t64 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Practical and portable Scheme system - runtime | http://www.call-cc.org - Ubuntu apt - chicken-bin - 5.3.0-1.1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: chicken-bin from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Practical and portable Scheme system - compiler | http://www.call-cc.org - Ubuntu apt - libchicken-dev - 5.3.0-1.1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libchicken-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Practical and portable Scheme system - development | http://www.call-cc.org - Ubuntu apt - libchicken11t64 - 5.3.0-1.1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libchicken11t64 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Practical and portable Scheme system - runtime | http://www.call-cc.org - apk - chicken - 5.4.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: chicken from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | R5RS and R7RS compatible scheme compiler and interpreter | https://call-cc.org/ - apk - chicken-dev - 5.4.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: chicken-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | R5RS and R7RS compatible scheme compiler and interpreter (development files) | https://call-cc.org/ - apk - chicken-doc - 5.4.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: chicken-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | R5RS and R7RS compatible scheme compiler and interpreter (documentation) | https://call-cc.org/ - apk - chicken-feathers - 5.4.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: chicken-feathers from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A debugger for compiled chicken programs | https://call-cc.org/ - apk - chicken-libs - 5.4.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: chicken-libs from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | R5RS and R7RS compatible scheme compiler and interpreter (libraries) | https://call-cc.org/ - dnf - chicken - 5.4.0-5.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: chicken from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | A practical and portable Scheme system | http://call-cc.org - dnf - chicken-libs - 5.4.0-5.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: chicken-libs from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Chicken Scheme runtime library | http://call-cc.org - dnf - chicken-static - 5.4.0-5.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: chicken-static from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Static library for Chicken | http://call-cc.org - pacman - chicken - 5.4.0-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: chicken from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Feature rich R5RS Scheme compiler and interpreter | https://call-cc.org/ - MacPorts - chicken: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: lang/chicken/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow 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. - [mit-scheme](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mit-scheme/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, interpreter, language-runtime, runtime. - [bigloo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bigloo/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, language-runtime, runtime, scheme. - [chezscheme](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/chezscheme/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, language-runtime, runtime, scheme. - [gambit-scheme](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gambit-scheme/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, interpreter, language-runtime, scheme. - [gauche](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gauche/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, runtime, scheme. - [gerbil-scheme](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gerbil-scheme/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, interpreter, language-runtime, scheme. - [sagittarius-scheme](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sagittarius-scheme/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, language-runtime, runtime, scheme. - [scheme48](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/scheme48/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, runtime, scheme. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/chicken.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/chicken.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - 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