# Install dex with Homebrew, apk, apt, Nix, pacman, zypper Dextrous text editor. Version 1.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install dex. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:dex ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install dex ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add dex ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dex from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install dex ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: dex from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#dex ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/de/dex/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S dex ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: dex from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install dex ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dex from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:dex - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.0 - **Source summary:** Dextrous text editor - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-only - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-25T07:20:51+00:00 ## Executables - dex (cli) - dex (alias) ## Uses from macOS - ncurses ## 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, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-25 - Package-manager version: 1.0 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/tihirvon/dex - Upstream latest detected: v1.0 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage dex is a small ncurses-based text editor aimed at flexible terminal editing rather than becoming a full IDE. ### Project history The README identifies dex as the Dextrous text editor and includes a 2010 copyright notice for Timo Hirvonen. ### Adoption history The input package facts show broad packaging across Homebrew, Nix, Debian, Ubuntu, Arch, Alpine, and openSUSE-style package managers. ### How it is used dex opens files in a terminal editor, supports customizable colors and bindings, ctags navigation, compiler-error parsing, command execution, filtering, filetype options, syntax files, and per-user rc files. ### Why package nerds care It is a compact C-and-ncurses editor with minimal dependencies, making it attractive for terminal-first systems and distribution packaging. ### Timeline - 2010: README copyright notice for the Dextrous text editor. - 2015: GitHub shows v1.0 as the latest release dated Apr 28, 2015. ### Related projects - ncurses editors, Exuberant Ctags, terminal programmer editors. ### Sources - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for dex. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL. ## 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: ~/.dex/rc, ~/.dex/syntax/* ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** dex - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Conflicts With:** dexidp - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - dex - 0.10.1-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: dex from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | generate and execute Application type .desktop files | https://github.com/jceb/dex - Nix - dex: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/de/dex/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - dex - 0.9.0-2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: dex from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | generate and execute Application type .desktop files | https://github.com/jceb/dex - apk - dex - 0.10.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dex from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | program to generate and execute DesktopEntry files of the Application type | https://github.com/jceb/dex - apk - dex-doc - 0.10.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dex-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | program to generate and execute DesktopEntry files of the Application type (documentation) | https://github.com/jceb/dex - pacman - dex - 0.10.1-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: dex from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Program to generate and execute DesktopEntry files of type Application | https://github.com/jceb/dex - zypper - dex - 0.9.0-1.15: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dex from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | DesktopEntry Execution | https://github.com/jceb/dex ## 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. - [mle](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mle/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editors, terminal, text-editor. - [pyvim](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pyvim/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editors, terminal, text-editor. - [ed](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ed/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editors, text-editor. - [bed](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bed/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editors. - [bitwise](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bitwise/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, ncurses, terminal. - [ctags](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ctags/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, ctags, developer-tools, editor-tools. - [dz6](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dz6/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editors. - [ex-vi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ex-vi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal, text-editor. - [micro](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/micro/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, editor, terminal. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/dex.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/dex.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - 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