# Install diction with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix GNU diction and style. Version 1.11 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:diction ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install diction ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install diction ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: textproc/diction/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install diction ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: diction from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install diction ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: diction from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#diction ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/di/diction/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:diction - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.11 - **Source summary:** GNU diction and style - **Homepage:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - diction (cli) - style (cli) - diction (alias) - style (alias) ## 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: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.11 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.gnu.org/software/diction/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage GNU diction packages two old Unix-style writing aids, diction and style, as free software. The tools scan prose for wordy or commonly misused phrases and report surface readability measures from the command line. ### Project history The GNU source release describes diction and style as free implementations of older standard Unix commands that disappeared from many modern systems after being unbundled. Its manual page says the historical diction command came from old Unix systems and the AT&T Documenter's Workbench, while GNU diction is a reimplementation that can be paired with deroff, dehtml, or detex. The 1.11 release tarball records support for Dutch, GPLv3 licensing, and autoconf 2.61. The GNU FTP archive shows public GNU releases from 0.7 in 1998 through 1.11 in 2007. ### Adoption history GNU diction's adoption story is modest and package-manager oriented: it keeps a small, classic prose-checking command available on systems where the original Unix tools are no longer bundled. Its value is strongest for users who like scriptable text filters rather than editor-integrated writing assistants. ### How it is used diction reads files or standard input and marks sentences containing phrases from its language databases; style reports readability and other surface characteristics. The manual documents pipelines with deroff for roff documents, and similar use with dehtml or detex for HTML and TeX. ### Why package nerds care The package is a small example of GNU preserving an old Unix userland niche: plain text in, diagnostics out, no service, no account, and no project-local configuration. ### Timeline - 1997: GNU diction copyright range begins in the 1.11 manual page. - 1998: diction 0.7 appears in the GNU FTP archive. - 2007: diction 1.11 is released with Dutch support and GPLv3 licensing. ### Related projects - AT&T DWB diction/style, deroff, dehtml, detex, and fmt are the closest historical and pipeline neighbors. ### 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:** diction - **Aliases:** style - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - diction - 1.14-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: diction from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Utilities to help with style and diction (English and German) | http://www.gnu.org/software/diction/diction.html - Nix - diction: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/di/diction/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - diction - 1.14-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: diction from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Utilities to help with style and diction (English and German) | http://www.gnu.org/software/diction/diction.html - dnf - diction - 1.14-13.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: diction from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Identifies diction and style errors | http://www.gnu.org/software/diction/diction.html - MacPorts - diction: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: textproc/diction/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Productivity CLI packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/productivity-cli-packages/) - Matched curated productivity category metadata from av.db. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [alexjs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/alexjs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [languagetool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/languagetool/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, style-checker, writing. - [wordgrinder](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/wordgrinder/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [hayagriva](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hayagriva/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [ispell](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ispell/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [pandemics](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pandemics/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [redpen](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/redpen/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [style-check](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/style-check/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [a2ps](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/a2ps/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, gnu, productivity. - [emacs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/emacs/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, gnu, productivity. - [gnu-typist](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnu-typist/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, gnu, productivity. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/diction.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/diction.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