# Install fortune with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, zypper Infamous electronic fortune-cookie generator. Version 9708 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-27. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:fortune ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install fortune ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install fortune ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: games/fortune/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add fortune ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: fortune from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#fortune ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/fo/fortune/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install fortune ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: fortune from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:fortune - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 9708 - **Source summary:** Infamous electronic fortune-cookie generator - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** BSD-4-Clause-UC - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-27T16:38:50-04:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - fortune (cli) - strfile (cli) - unstr (cli) - fortune (alias) - strfile (alias) - unstr (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: 9708 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-27 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/games/amusements/fortune/!INDEX.html - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage `fortune` is the Unix fortune-cookie command: a terminal program that prints a random quotation from local quote databases. The Homebrew package tracks fortune-mod, the Linux-oriented continuation of the older BSD fortune tradition. ### Project history The current upstream describes fortune-mod as a maintenance version of the Unix `fortune` command. Its README says fortune-mod was originally forked from NetBSD fortune and ported to Linux, then later maintained from a Git import of the 1.99.1 tarball sourced via a Mageia source RPM. The ibiblio Linux archive preserves a 1997 `fortune-mod-9708.tar.gz` package described as bug fixes and enhancements to NetBSD fortune, strfile, and unstr. The same archive shows surrounding quote collections for different languages and desktop uses, capturing the way fortune files spread as data packages as much as programs. ### Adoption history fortune-mod became the common `fortune` implementation on Linux distributions. The upstream README documents installation via Fedora, Arch, Alpine, Debian-derived systems, and source builds, and the supplied package facts show package entries across Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, Alpine, and openSUSE. ### How it is used The common use is deliberately small: run `fortune` to print a random quote. The package also includes tools such as `strfile` and `unstr` for building and inspecting the indexed `.dat` files used by fortune databases. ### Why package nerds care fortune is package-manager folklore: a tiny CLI whose real payload is a corpus of text files, traditionally split into normal, offensive, localized, and site-specific databases. It is useful to package historians because it connects BSD games, Linux distribution patches, data packaging, and terminal culture. ### Timeline - 1979: The original BSD `fortune` program predates modern scripting-language reimplementations, according to the upstream README. - 1997: ibiblio archived `fortune-mod-9708.tar.gz` for Linux fortune users. - 2016: The current `shlomif/fortune-mod` GitHub repository was created. - 2020: The upstream README credited Shlomi Fish with maintaining fortune-mod from version 2.0.0 onward. - 2026: GitHub Releases listed fortune-mod 3.26.0. ### Related projects - The package is related to BSD games, NetBSD fortune, localized fortune collections, Shlomi Fish's fortune cookie files, XML-Grammar-Fortune, and reimplementations in Perl, Python, Go, and Rust that the upstream README lists as alternatives. ### 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:** fortune - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - fortune: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/fo/fortune/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - apk - fortune - 0.1-r4: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: fortune from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Fortune cookie program ported from OpenBSD | https://github.com/ahills/fortune - apk - fortune-doc - 0.1-r4: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: fortune-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Fortune cookie program ported from OpenBSD (documentation) | https://github.com/ahills/fortune - zypper - fortune - 2.10.0-2.6: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: fortune from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Random Saying | ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/games/amusements/fortune/ - MacPorts - fortune: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: games/fortune/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. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Game and emulation packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/game-emulation-tools/) - Matched game or emulation metadata. - [asciiquarium](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/asciiquarium/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, terminal. - [tractorgen](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tractorgen/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, terminal. - [trader](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/trader/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, terminal. - [tty-solitaire](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tty-solitaire/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, terminal. - [c2048](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/c2048/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, terminal. - [moon-buggy](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/moon-buggy/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, terminal. - [nbsdgames](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nbsdgames/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, terminal. - [nsnake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nsnake/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, terminal. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/fortune.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/fortune.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