# Install chroma with Homebrew, apt, Nix, scoop, winget General purpose syntax highlighter in pure Go. Version 2.27.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-17. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:chroma ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install chroma ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install chroma ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: chroma from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#chroma ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ch/chroma/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install main/chroma ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/chroma.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - winget (92%): ```sh winget install --id Ubisoft.Chroma -e ``` Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: Ubisoft.Chroma from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:chroma - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.27.0 - **Source summary:** General purpose syntax highlighter in pure Go - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-17T03:40:19Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - chroma (cli) - chroma (alias) ## Build dependencies - go ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.27.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-17 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/alecthomas/chroma - Upstream latest detected: v2.27.0 (current) ## Project history and usage Chroma is a pure-Go general-purpose syntax highlighter, usable both as a Go library and as the `chroma` command-line tool. ### Project history The GitHub repository was created in June 2017. The README describes Chroma as converting source code and structured text into highlighted HTML, ANSI-colored text, and other output, with lexers, formatters, and styles modeled heavily on Pygments. The project published v0.1.0 in September 2017, v2.0.0 in May 2022, and continued a fast v2 release line through 2026, with v3 alpha releases introducing Go iterator changes and a new module path. ### Adoption history Chroma's adoption is partly library-driven: it has Go package documentation, a playground, and a CLI, while static-site and documentation tooling can embed it to avoid a Python/Pygments runtime. Homebrew packages the CLI and reports stable version 2.27.0. The supplied package-manager facts list Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Nix, and Scoop packages, showing distribution beyond the Go module ecosystem. ### How it is used Library users select a lexer, formatter, and style, or use the `quick.Highlight` helper. CLI users can run `chroma` directly and inspect available lexers with `chroma --list`. ### Why package nerds care Chroma is package-nerd interesting because it made Pygments-style highlighting available as a native Go dependency and standalone binary. That matters for self-contained Go programs, static-site generators, and container images that want syntax highlighting without a Python toolchain. ### Timeline - 2017: Repository created and v0.1.0 release published. - 2022: v2.0.0 release published. - 2025: v2 line continues with frequent releases through v2.20.0. - 2026: v2.27.0 and v3.0.0-alpha releases published. ### Related projects - Pygments is the explicit design ancestor; the README says Chroma is based heavily on it and includes translators for Pygments lexers and styles. Related surfaces include Go package documentation, the Chroma playground, and the `pygments2chroma_xml.py` conversion script. ### 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:** chroma - **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 - chroma - 1.19-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: chroma from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Abstract puzzle game - graphical version | http://level7.org.uk/chroma/ - Debian apt - chroma-curses - 1.19-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: chroma-curses from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Abstract puzzle game - terminal version | http://level7.org.uk/chroma/ - Debian apt - chroma-data - 1.19-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: chroma-data from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Abstract puzzle game - data files | http://level7.org.uk/chroma/ - Nix - chroma: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ch/chroma/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - chroma - 1.19-1ubuntu1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: chroma from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Abstract puzzle game - graphical version | http://level7.org.uk/chroma/ - Ubuntu apt - chroma-curses - 1.19-1ubuntu1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: chroma-curses from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Abstract puzzle game - terminal version | http://level7.org.uk/chroma/ - Ubuntu apt - chroma-data - 1.19-1ubuntu1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: chroma-data from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Abstract puzzle game - data files | http://level7.org.uk/chroma/ - Scoop - main/chroma: normalized package name match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/chroma.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - winget - Ubisoft.Chroma: normalized package name match | Windows Package Manager source index: Ubisoft.Chroma 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. - [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. - [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ccat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ccat/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, go, syntax-highlighting. - [shiki](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/shiki/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, syntax-highlighting. - [highlight](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/highlight/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, syntax-highlighting. - [pygments](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pygments/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, syntax-highlighting. - [skylighting](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/skylighting/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, syntax-highlighting. - [source-highlight](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/source-highlight/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, syntax-highlighting. - [delve](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/delve/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, go. - [gabo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gabo/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, go. - [gat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gat/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, go, highlighting. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/chroma.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/chroma.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