Install clojurescript with Homebrew

Project links

• Homepage
• Upstream docs
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

• cljsc

Project history

The official GitHub repository was created in July 2011. The ClojureScript rationale describes the project as replacing direct JavaScript authoring with Clojure while adopting Google Closure Library and Closure Compiler strategy for production-quality libraries and whole-program optimization.

The official differences page frames ClojureScript as sharing Clojure's identity model, immutable persistent collections, protocols, and REPL-driven development, with JavaScript-specific host interop and compilation constraints.

Adoption history

ClojureScript adoption followed the rise of browser and JavaScript-hosted applications. Official docs include quick-start workflows for browser REPLs, Node.js execution, cljs.main, deps.edn dependencies, and standalone JAR use on Windows.

The official news archive shows continuing release activity from at least 2017 through 2026, including posts on node_modules integration, code splitting, command-line support, JavaScript tool integration, and 1.12.x releases. The supplied input lists Homebrew distribution for the cljsc executable package.

How it is used

The official quick start shows a deps.edn dependency on org.clojure/clojurescript and use of clj -M --main cljs.main to compile a namespace and start a REPL. It also documents running on Node.js and using a standalone cljs.jar on Windows.

The official reference documentation covers compiler options, REPL options, dependencies, foreign dependency packaging, advanced compilation, bootstrapping, Google Closure Library, source maps, JavaScript module support, JavaScript APIs, and async functions.

Why package nerds care

ClojureScript is package-nerd significant because it sits at the junction of Maven-style Clojure dependencies, JavaScript module interop, and Closure Compiler advanced optimization. Its package is not just a runtime but a compiler toolchain.

For package managers, the interesting bit is that a small CLI entry point such as cljsc represents a much larger cross-ecosystem compiler stack: Clojure, JVM tooling, cljs.main, Closure libraries, Closure Compiler, JavaScript modules, browser REPLs, and Node.js targets.

Timeline

• 2011: Official GitHub repository created.
• 2017: Official ClojureScript news archive starts with posts on releases, code splitting, and node_modules integration.
• 2018: Official news announced ClojureScript command-line support.
• 2020: Official news discussed JavaScript tool integration and bundle targets.
• 2025: Official quick start used org.clojure/clojurescript 1.12.145 as the tutorial dependency.
• 2026: Official news announced ClojureScript 1.12.145 on May 7, 2026.

Related projects

• Related projects include Clojure, cljs.main, Google Closure Library, Google Closure Compiler, Node.js, ClojureScript browser REPLs, and JavaScript module ecosystems. clojure-lsp also treats ClojureScript as a first-class analysis target.

Sources

• https://clojurescript.org/about/rationale
• https://clojurescript.org/about/differences
• https://clojurescript.org/about/closure
• https://clojurescript.org/reference/documentation
• https://clojurescript.org/guides/quick-start
• https://clojurescript.org/news
• https://github.com/clojure/clojurescript/blob/master/changes.md