install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install elvish

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install elvish

MacPorts ports tree · shells/elvish/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add elvish

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · elvish · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install elvish

Debian stable package indexes · elvish · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install elvish

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · elvish · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#elvish

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S elvish

Arch Linux sync databases · elvish · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/elvish

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/elvish.json · source: api.github.com

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%

winget install --id elves.elvish -e

Windows Package Manager source index · elves.elvish · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

overview

Package summary

Friendly and expressive shell

Project links

Commands and aliases

elvish

history

Project history and usage

Elvish is a Unix-style interactive shell and scripting language with structured values, lexical scoping, and built-in interactive features. The project describes itself as both a powerful scripting language and a shell, distributed as a statically linked binary for Linux, BSDs, macOS, and Windows.

Project history

Elvish has developed as a pre-1.0 shell that accepts breaking changes while remaining usable for scripting and interactive work. Its release notes show a long-running sequence from older 0.x releases to 0.21.0 in 2024, with the project explicitly warning users that compatibility can still change before 1.0.

Adoption history

Adoption has been strongest among shell users interested in a more structured alternative to traditional POSIX-family shells. The official README points to packaging status, package/tool lists, and multiple community chat channels, while the input package facts show it packaged across Homebrew, Debian, Fedora, Arch, Nix, MacPorts, Scoop, winget, and other systems.

How it is used

Elvish is used either as a login-style interactive shell or as a scripting language. Users customize interactive startup with rc.elv under the XDG config directory, keep libraries under elvish/lib search paths, and write scripts that can use Elvish's value channels, maps, functions, exceptions, and pipelines.

Why package nerds care

Elvish is interesting in package-manager terms because it is a single shell binary with cross-platform packaging but a non-POSIX language model. Installing it from a package manager is often the first experiment: users can try a modern shell without replacing system sh, then choose whether to adopt its rc.elv and library conventions.

Timeline

2021: Elvish 0.17.0 release notes are published.
2022: Elvish 0.18.0 release notes are published.
2023: Elvish 0.19.1 release notes are published.
2024: Elvish 0.20.x and 0.21.0 release notes are published.

Related projects

Elvish belongs to the family of alternative shells such as fish, nushell, and xonsh, but its official documentation emphasizes its own typed value model, lexical scoping, and interactive shell features rather than POSIX compatibility.

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:shell

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 10 platform targets.
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.

local files

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

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: ~/.config/elvish/rc.elv~/.config/elvish/lib/*.elv

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`elvish`	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 version0.21.0

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv0.21.0

https://github.com/elves/elvish

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:elvish
Version	0.21.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/elvish
Homepage	https://elv.sh/
Repository	https://github.com/elves/elvish
Upstream docs	https://elv.sh/learn
License	BSD-2-Clause
Source archive	https://github.com/elves/elvish/archive/refs/tags/v0.21.0.tar.gz
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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	elvish
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head 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.

Debian apt95%

elvish 0.21.0-2+b7

Powerful scripting language & versatile interactive shell

https://elv.sh

sudo apt install elvish

Section: shells
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: elvish
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Elvish

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: elvish from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

elvish

nix profile install nixpkgs#elvish

normalized package name match
Matched by: Elvish

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

Ubuntu apt95%

elvish 0.20.1-1build1

Expressive programming language and versatile interactive shell

https://elv.sh

sudo apt install elvish

Section: universe/shells
Architecture: amd64
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Elvish

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: elvish from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

apk95%

elvish 0.21.0-r16

Friendly and expressive Unix shell

https://elv.sh/

sudo apk add elvish

License: BSD-2-Clause
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: elvish
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Elvish

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: elvish from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

dnf95%

elvish 0.21.0-12.fc44

Powerful scripting language & Versatile interactive shell

https://github.com/elves/elvish

sudo dnf install elvish

License: EPL-1.0 AND BSD-2-Clause AND BSD-3-Clause
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: elvish
3 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Elvish

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: elvish from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

pacman95%

elvish 0.21.0-1

Versatile interactive shell & powerful scripting language in one

https://elv.sh

sudo pacman -S elvish

License: BSD
Architecture: x86_64
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Elvish

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: elvish from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

MacPorts95%

elvish

sudo port install elvish

normalized package name match
Matched by: Elvish

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: shells/elvish/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Scoop95%

main/elvish

scoop install main/elvish

normalized package name match
Matched by: Elvish

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/elvish.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

winget95%

elves.elvish

winget install --id elves.elvish -e

normalized package name match
Matched by: Elvish

Windows Package Manager source index · cdn.winget.microsoft.com · Windows Package Manager source index: elves.elvish from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix

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/elvish.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install elvish with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Windows

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

Risk level: yellow

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

Recommended review

Configuration and credential file locations

Configuration files

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Related tools

Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources