install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install cling

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#cling

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/cl/cling/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

C++ interpreter

Project links

Commands and aliases

cling

history

Project history and usage

Cling is an interactive C++ interpreter built on Clang and LLVM. The official README describes it as a REPL that reuses Clang diagnostics, supports interactive C++ development, and can be used from the command line or as a Jupyter kernel.

Project history

Cling emerged from the ROOT high-energy physics ecosystem as the new interpreter for ROOT 6. The official README includes a peer-reviewed CHEP 2012 citation, 'Cling - The New Interactive Interpreter for ROOT 6', and the ROOT documentation presents Cling as ROOT's C++ interpreter.

Adoption history

Cling's adoption is strongest through ROOT rather than as an isolated package. In package-manager culture, standalone formulae such as Homebrew and Nix expose it to users who want an interactive C++ REPL without installing or centering an entire ROOT workflow.

How it is used

The README documents building Cling with the matching root-project LLVM branch, running cling with inline C++ snippets or an interactive prompt, using .help, and enabling a Jupyter kernel. The ROOT manual covers prompt commands and interactive C++ usage inside ROOT.

Why package nerds care

Cling is package-nerd significant because it turns a compiled language and a large compiler infrastructure into a packaged interactive runtime. It also illustrates the maintenance burden of packaging tools that track LLVM and Clang closely, which is why distribution recipes matter for users who just want a working C++ REPL.

Timeline

2012: CHEP publication describes Cling as the new interactive interpreter for ROOT 6.
2010s: Cling release tags progress from v0.4 through v1.x in the official repository tag list.
2020s: Official README documents standalone builds, LLVM/Clang integration, Jupyter support, and ROOT manual integration.
2026: Batch input lists Homebrew and Nix distribution.

Related projects

Cling is directly related to ROOT, Clang, LLVM, and Jupyter. It belongs near other interactive language runtimes and C++ exploration tools, but its official lineage is ROOT and LLVM/Clang rather than a general scripting-language implementation.

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:interpreter

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
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
`cling`	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 version1.3

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv1.3

https://github.com/root-project/cling

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:cling
Version	1.3
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/cling
Homepage	https://root.cern/cling/
Repository	https://github.com/root-project/cling
Upstream docs	https://root.cern/cling
License	(LGPL-2.1-only OR NCSA) AND (Apache-2.0 WITH LLVM-exception)
Source archive	https://github.com/root-project/cling/archive/refs/tags/v1.3.tar.gz
Dependencies	zstd
Build dependencies	cmake
Uses from macOS	libedit, libxml2, ncurses
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, 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	cling
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	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.

Nix95%

cling

nix profile install nixpkgs#cling

normalized package name match
Matched by: Cling

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cl/cling/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

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/cling.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 cling with Homebrew, Nix