macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install enchantlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install enchantMacPorts ports tree · textproc/enchant/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install enchant with Homebrew, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper, apt
Spellchecker wrapping library. Version 2.8.19 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-07.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install enchantFedora Rawhide package metadata · enchant · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#enchantnixpkgs package indexes · enchant · source: raw.githubusercontent.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S enchantArch Linux sync databases · enchant · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install enchant-2-backend-aspellopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · enchant-2-backend-aspell · source: download.opensuse.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install enchant-2Debian stable package indexes · enchant-2 · source: deb.debian.org
overview
Package summary
Spellchecker wrapping library
Project links
Commands and aliases
- enchant-2
- enchant-lsmod-2
history
Project history and usage
Enchant is a provider-neutral spell-checking library and command-line program. Its purpose is to let applications use Hunspell, Nuspell, Aspell, Hspell, Voikko, AppleSpell, Zemberek, and other providers through one consistent interface.
Project history
Enchant began in the AbiWord ecosystem; the project homepage credits Dom Lachowicz and says older versions remain available from the AbiSource website. The NEWS file shows a long 1.x history, including 1.6.0 in 2010, followed by 2.0.0 in 2017.
In 2025, release 2.8.3 marked Enchant's move from the defunct AbiWord project to direct maintenance by Reuben Thomas. The same release also rewrote the two command-line utilities in Vala and noted that Enchant's core had moved to Vala while providers remained a mix of C, C++, and Objective-C++.
Adoption history
Enchant became valuable because desktop and editor software need spell checking without hard-coding one spelling engine. The project homepage lists GNU Emacs as of version 27.1, AbiWord, LyX, and Gtk/GNOME applications through gspell and GtkSpell as users.
The backend list also explains why distributions package it carefully: language-specific and platform-specific spell checkers can coexist behind one API, so a package manager can wire applications to available dictionaries and providers without each application growing its own compatibility layer.
How it is used
Application developers link against libenchant through C or C++ bindings, while users and scripts can call `enchant-2` for Ispell-compatible non-interactive spell checking. `enchant-lsmod-2` reports available providers and dictionaries.
Configuration is documented through the `enchant(5)` man page, which controls provider selection by language and personal word lists. That makes Enchant both a developer library and a small user-facing CLI package.
Why package nerds care
Enchant is package-nerd glue: it does not win by having the best dictionary itself, but by keeping spell-checking consumers decoupled from provider churn. It is the kind of library that makes desktop text stacks less brittle across Linux, BSD, macOS, and language-specific dictionary packages.
Its current NEWS also shows the maintenance burden typical of ecosystem glue packages: recent releases fix provider crashes, command-line compatibility, personal word list behavior, relocatability, and editor-facing quirks rather than flashy features.
Timeline
- Early releases: Enchant originated under the AbiWord/AbiSource umbrella.
- 2010: Enchant 1.6.0 released.
- 2017: Enchant 2.0.0 released.
- 2025: Enchant 2.8.3 moved maintenance from defunct AbiWord affiliation to Reuben Thomas.
- 2026: Enchant 2.8.x releases continued active maintenance for CLI and provider behavior.
Related projects
- Hunspell, Nuspell, GNU Aspell, Hspell, Voikko, AppleSpell, and Zemberek are documented spell-checking backends.
- AbiWord, GNU Emacs, LyX, gspell, and GtkSpell are listed users or integration paths.
- Python, Rust, Go, Common Lisp, C, C++, and Vala bindings or language connections are documented on the project homepage.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
library-like package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- library-like package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:library-like
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 3 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
enchant-2 | cli | global executable | |
enchant-lsmod-2 | 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 version2.8.19
manager updated2026-07-07
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/rrthomas/enchant
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/rrthomas/enchantnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:enchant |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.8.19 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/enchant |
| Homepage | https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/rrthomas/enchant |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/rrthomas/enchant#readme |
| License | LGPL-2.1-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/rrthomas/enchant/releases/download/v2.8.19/enchant-2.8.19.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-07-07T12:53:27Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | aspell, gettext, glib |
| Build dependencies | groff, pkgconf |
| 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 | enchant |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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%
enchant
nix profile install nixpkgs#enchant- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
dnf95%
enchant 1.6.0-41.fc44
An Enchanting Spell Checking Library
sudo dnf install enchant- License: LicenseRef-Callaway-LGPLv2+
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: enchant
- 8 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
dnf95%
enchant-devel 1.6.0-41.fc44
Support files necessary to compile applications with libenchant.
sudo dnf install enchant-devel- License: LicenseRef-Callaway-LGPLv2+
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: enchant
- 5 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
dnf95%
enchant-voikko 1.6.0-41.fc44
Integration with voikko for libenchant
sudo dnf install enchant-voikko- License: LicenseRef-Callaway-LGPLv2+
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant
- 7 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
pacman95%
enchant 2.8.15-2
A wrapper library for generic spell checking
https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/
sudo pacman -S enchant- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 4 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 5 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
zypper95%
enchant-2-backend-aspell 2.8.15-1.2
Aspell backend for the Enchant spell checking library
https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/
sudo zypper install enchant-2-backend-aspell- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant
- 4 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
zypper95%
enchant-2-backend-hunspell 2.8.15-1.2
Hunspell backend for the Enchant spell checking library
https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/
sudo zypper install enchant-2-backend-hunspell- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant
- 6 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
zypper95%
enchant-2-backend-nuspell 2.8.15-1.2
Nuspell backend for the Enchant spell checking library
https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/
sudo zypper install enchant-2-backend-nuspell- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant
- 7 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
zypper95%
enchant-2-backend-voikko 2.8.15-1.2
Voikko backend for the Enchant spell checking library
https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/
sudo zypper install enchant-2-backend-voikko- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant
- 4 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
zypper95%
enchant-2-backend-voikko-32bit 2.8.15-1.2
Voikko backend for the Enchant spell checking library
https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/
sudo zypper install enchant-2-backend-voikko-32bit- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant
- 5 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
zypper95%
enchant-data 2.8.15-1.2
Data files for libenchant
https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/
sudo zypper install enchant-data- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
zypper95%
enchant-devel 2.8.15-1.2
Development files for the Enchant spell checking library
https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/
sudo zypper install enchant-devel- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant
- 5 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
zypper95%
enchant-tools 2.8.15-1.2
Command line tools for the Enchant spell checking library
https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/
sudo zypper install enchant-tools- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant
- 4 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
zypper95%
libenchant-2-2 2.8.15-1.2
Generic Spell Checking Library
https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/
sudo zypper install libenchant-2-2- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant
- 7 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
zypper95%
libenchant-2-2-32bit 2.8.15-1.2
Generic Spell Checking Library
https://rrthomas.github.io/enchant/
sudo zypper install libenchant-2-2-32bit- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant
- 5 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
zypper95%
libenchant1 1.6.1-8.6
Generic Spell Checking Library
https://abiword.github.io/enchant/
sudo zypper install libenchant1- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: System/Libraries
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: enchant-1
- 5 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Enchant
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.
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