brew

Install fricas with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop

Advanced computer algebra system. Version 1.3.13 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-05.

Install command Security notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install fricas

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install fricas

MacPorts ports tree · math/fricas/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install elpa-fricas

Debian stable package indexes · elpa-fricas · source: deb.debian.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#fricas

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S fricas

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

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install extras/fricas

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

overview

Package summary

Advanced computer algebra system

Project links

Commands and aliases

efricas
fricas

history

Project history and usage

FriCAS is an advanced computer algebra system and a 2007 fork of Axiom. It continues the Scratchpad/Axiom line of symbolic mathematics systems, pairing a large mathematical library with the SPAD language and interactive command-line use.

Project history

The official FriCAS history traces the system to IBM laboratories around 1965, when J. Griesmer began work on a computer algebra system. The project was named Scratchpad in 1970, and a new Scratchpad II architecture began in 1976. Around 1982, the SPAD language took shape in a form close to the current one.

In 1992 IBM sold the system to NAG, which renamed it Axiom and marketed it. NAG later stopped development, withdrew Axiom from the market in 2001, and released the sources under an open source license. Tim Daly received the sources in 2002 and started the open-source Axiom project.

FriCAS was created in 2007 when Waldek Hebisch forked Axiom after a disagreement about development strategy. The official history records that FriCAS then made several releases with incremental improvements, while Axiom and OpenAxiom continued as related branches of the same lineage.

Adoption history

FriCAS adoption is rooted in the long-running Axiom/Scratchpad user base rather than a single modern launch. The current official site provides the homepage, GitHub repository, mailing list, API documentation, book, examples, installation guide, and citation information, indicating a research and mathematical-computing community workflow.

The project continues to publish releases from the GitHub repository, with visible release tags in the 1.3 series from 2021 through 2026.

How it is used

The package exposes command-line entry points such as `fricas` and `efricas`. Users run interactive algebra sessions, use FriCAS domains and packages, write or inspect SPAD code, consult the FriCAS book, and use the generated API documentation for mathematical functionality.

Why package nerds care

FriCAS is package-nerd significant because it is a living descendant of a major historical computer algebra system, with roots before most modern package ecosystems. Packaging it means preserving a large Lisp/SPAD mathematical environment whose source history crosses IBM research, commercial Axiom, open-source Axiom, and later forks.

It is also a useful contrast to newer CAS packages: instead of a small CLI wrapper, it carries a deep algebra library, language runtime assumptions, documentation corpus, and compatibility concerns from decades of symbolic-computation work.

Timeline

1965: IBM work begins on a computer algebra system that becomes the Scratchpad line.
1970: The project is named Scratchpad.
1976: Scratchpad II begins with a new architecture.
1982: The SPAD language takes shape close to its current form.
1992: IBM sells the system to NAG, which renames it Axiom.
2001: Axiom is withdrawn from the market and released publicly under an open source license.
2002: Tim Daly starts the open-source Axiom project from NAG's sources.
2007: Waldek Hebisch forks Axiom to create FriCAS.
2021-2026: FriCAS publishes 1.3.x releases from the GitHub project.

Related projects

Closely related projects include Scratchpad, Scratchpad II, Axiom, and OpenAxiom.
Related technical surfaces include the SPAD language, Codemist Common Lisp in the Axiom history, the FriCAS book, generated API documentation, and the FriCAS mailing list.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Installs with 10 runtime 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
`efricas`	cli	global executable
`fricas`	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 version1.3.13

manager updated2026-06-05

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detected1.3.13

https://github.com/fricas/fricas

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:fricas
Version	1.3.13
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/fricas
Homepage	https://fricas.github.io
Repository	https://github.com/fricas/fricas
Upstream docs	https://fricas.github.io/
License	BSD-3-Clause
Source archive	https://github.com/fricas/fricas/archive/refs/tags/1.3.13.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-05T01:32:56Z
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	gmp, libice, libsm, libx11, libxau, libxdmcp, libxpm, libxt, sbcl, zstd
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	fricas
Version Scheme	0
Revision	4
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%

elpa-fricas 1.3.11-3

General purpose computer algebra system: emacs support