macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install fomalocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install foma with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, zypper
Finite-state compiler and C library. Version 0.10.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add fomaAlpine Linux edge package indexes · foma · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install fomaDebian stable package indexes · foma · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install fomaFedora Rawhide package metadata · foma · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#fomanixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/fo/foma/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install fomaopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · foma · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Finite-state compiler and C library
Project links
Commands and aliases
- cgflookup
- flookup
- foma
history
Project history and usage
foma is a finite-state compiler, programming language, command-line toolset, and C library for constructing finite-state automata and transducers, especially for natural language processing tasks such as morphological analysis.
Project history
The project was originally hosted on Google Code as `code.google.com/p/foma`, where its archive describes it as a finite-state compiler and C library. The archived project page records a 2015 Apache 2.0 license change and a 0.9.18 release, and the current GitHub repository identifies itself as an export from that Google Code project.
foma deliberately followed the Xerox xfst style: the archived project description says its interface is similar to xfst and that many xfst grammars compile without changes. This made it useful to linguists and NLP engineers who wanted an open implementation of familiar finite-state workflows.
Adoption history
The Google Code archive advertised pre-built binaries for Windows, Linux, and OS X and linked tutorial material from LREC 2010 and FSMNLP 2012, showing use in academic finite-state morphology and spelling-correction communities before the project moved fully to modern source hosting.
The current repository is lean but still maintained as buildable source, with CMake instructions and a WebAssembly build path that exposes a browser demo for testing foma regular expressions.
How it is used
Users run `foma` to compile finite-state descriptions, use `flookup` to apply compiled automata with lookup strategies, and link against the C API when finite-state operations need to be embedded in other tools.
Why package nerds care
foma matters to package maintainers because it is a compact, mostly C-based implementation of a specialized NLP workflow that otherwise often depends on proprietary or research-only tooling. Its xfst compatibility, lexc-oriented usage, command-line utilities, and C library make it a small but culturally important finite-state package.
Timeline
- 2009: The foma project citation describes `Foma: a finite-state compiler and library`.
- 2011: The Google Code archive records creation of the `foma` project.
- 2015: The archived project news records foma 0.9.18 and a license change to Apache 2.0.
- 2020s: The GitHub README documents CMake builds and a WebAssembly demo for browser-based regular-expression testing.
Related projects
- The project explicitly relates itself to Xerox xfst and lexc syntax, and supports import and export with Xerox, AT&T, and OpenFST-style tooling.
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.
- Build metadata lists 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
cgflookup | cli | global executable | |
flookup | cli | global executable | |
foma | 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 version0.10.0
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv0.10.0
https://github.com/mhulden/foma
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:foma |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.10.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/foma |
| Homepage | https://github.com/mhulden/foma |
| Repository | https://github.com/mhulden/foma |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/mhulden/foma#readme |
| License | Apache-2.0 |
| Source archive | https://github.com/mhulden/foma/archive/refs/tags/v0.10.0.tar.gz |
| Build dependencies | bison, cmake, 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 | foma |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 1 |
| Conflicts With |
|
| 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.
Debian apt95%
foma 1:0.10.0+s311.20240712-1
Tools for constructing various finite-state automata
sudo apt install foma- Section: science
- Architecture: amd64
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
Debian apt95%
libfoma-dev 1:0.10.0+s311.20240712-1
Foma development files
sudo apt install libfoma-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: foma
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
Debian apt95%
libfoma0t64 1:0.10.0+s311.20240712-1
Foma runtime libraries
sudo apt install libfoma0t64- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: foma
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
Nix95%
foma
nix profile install nixpkgs#foma- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
Ubuntu apt95%
foma 1:0.10.0+s311-1.2build2
Tools for constructing various finite-state automata
sudo apt install foma- Section: universe/science
- Architecture: amd64
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
Ubuntu apt95%
foma-bin 1:0.10.0+s311-1.2build2
Transitional package for foma
sudo apt install foma-bin- Section: universe/science
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: foma
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
Ubuntu apt95%
libfoma-dev 1:0.10.0+s311-1.2build2
Foma development files
sudo apt install libfoma-dev- Section: universe/libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: foma
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
Ubuntu apt95%
libfoma0-dev 1:0.10.0+s311-1.2build2
Transitional package for libfoma-dev
sudo apt install libfoma0-dev- Section: universe/libdevel
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: foma
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
Ubuntu apt95%
libfoma0t64 1:0.10.0+s311-1.2build2
Foma runtime libraries
sudo apt install libfoma0t64- Section: universe/libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: foma
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
apk95%
foma 0.10.0_git20240712-r0
Finite-state compiler and C library
sudo apk add foma- License: Apache-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: foma
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
apk95%
foma-dev 0.10.0_git20240712-r0
Finite-state compiler and C library (development files)
sudo apk add foma-dev- License: Apache-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: foma
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
apk95%
libfoma 0.10.0_git20240712-r0
Finite-state compiler and C library (libraries)
sudo apk add libfoma- License: Apache-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: foma
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
dnf95%
foma 0.10.0-0.15.20210601gitdfe1ccb.fc44
Xerox-compatible finite-state compiler
https://github.com/mhulden/foma
sudo dnf install foma- License: Apache-2.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: foma
- 5 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
dnf95%
libfoma 0.10.0-0.15.20210601gitdfe1ccb.fc44
The foma C library
https://github.com/mhulden/foma
sudo dnf install libfoma- License: Apache-2.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: foma
- 3 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
dnf95%
libfoma-devel 0.10.0-0.15.20210601gitdfe1ccb.fc44
Development files for libfoma
https://github.com/mhulden/foma
sudo dnf install libfoma-devel- License: Apache-2.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: foma
- 4 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
zypper95%
foma 0.10.0+git22-1.6
Finite-state compiler and C library
sudo zypper install foma- License: Apache-2.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: foma
- 3 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Foma
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