# Install frotz with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman Infocom-style interactive fiction player. Version 2.55 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-18. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:frotz ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install frotz ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install frotz ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: games/frotz/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add frotz ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: frotz from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install frotz ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: frotz from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install frotz ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: frotz from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#frotz ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/fr/frotz/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S frotz-ncurses ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: frotz-ncurses from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:frotz - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.55 - **Source summary:** Infocom-style interactive fiction player - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-18T02:28:58-04:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - dfrotz (cli) - frotz (cli) - sfrotz (cli) - dfrotz (alias) - frotz (alias) - sfrotz (alias) ## Dependencies - freetype - jpeg-turbo - libao - libmodplug - libpng - libsamplerate - libsndfile - libvorbis - ncurses - sdl2-compat - sdl2_mixer ## Build dependencies - pkgconf ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.55 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-18 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://661.org/proj/if/frotz/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage Frotz is an interpreter for Infocom and other Z-machine interactive fiction games. The current Unix Frotz README describes it as compliant with the Z-Machine Standard 1.1 and able to play Z-code games through curses, dumb-terminal, and SDL interfaces. ### Project history Frotz was originally written by Stefan Jokisch in 1995-1997 and later ported to Unix by Galen Hazelwood. The reference code and Unix port are currently maintained by David Griffith in the GitLab repository. The broader platform history comes from Infocom's Z-machine: Infocom built an imaginary machine for its interactive fiction games, the format was reverse-engineered in the early to mid-1990s, and Inform enabled new Z-code games after Infocom's commercial era. ### Adoption history Frotz became a standard way to play Infocom-style interactive fiction on Unix-like systems and other platforms. The README lists support for common Unix flavors including macOS, DOS and FreeDOS, TOPS20 on PDP-10 systems, and portability to other operating systems and hardware. The project points users to the Interactive Fiction Archive for releases and game material, tying Frotz to the long-running freeware and preservation infrastructure around Z-code games. ### How it is used The main commands include `frotz`, `dfrotz`, and `sfrotz`. Users run Frotz with a Z-code or Blorb file, then interact with the story through natural-language commands such as movement, inventory, save, restore, transcript, and look commands. The Unix line includes config files, user-configurable error checking, sound support through libao, SDL graphics, and multiple front ends for different terminal or graphical needs. ### Why package nerds care Frotz is package-nerd significant because it is the canonical small interpreter package for a preserved game platform. It packages decades of interactive-fiction compatibility into a few command-line front ends, and it is useful on old, unusual, and modern systems alike. It is also a neat packaging artifact because the program is not the game content: package managers ship the interpreter, while users bring Z-code or Blorb story files from archives, personal collections, or newly authored Inform games. ### Timeline - Late 1970s-1980s: Infocom develops interactive fiction games for the Z-machine. - Early to mid-1990s: The Z-machine is reverse-engineered and Inform enables new Z-code games. - 1995-1997: Stefan Jokisch writes the original Frotz. - 2019: Frotz 2.50 modernizes the Unix line with UTF-8 input/output, sound, Blorb handling, portability fixes, and safer code changes. - 2025: Frotz 2.55 is released with bug fixes, manual updates, Z-machine save-restore prompt support, and related enhancements. ### Related projects - Related projects and artifacts include Infocom, Zork, the Z-machine standards, Inform, Blorb, Quetzal save files, the Interactive Fiction Archive, and other Z-machine interpreters. - Frotz's platform ports and interfaces relate it to curses, SDL, libao, DOS, TOPS20, and Unix terminal packaging. ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## 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 - Unix: ~/.frotzrc ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** frotz - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - frotz - 2.55+dfsg-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: frotz from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | interpreter of Z-code story-files | https://davidgriffith.gitlab.io/frotz/ - Debian apt - sdlfrotz - 2.55+dfsg-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: sdlfrotz from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | interpreter of Z-code story-files (SDL version) | https://davidgriffith.gitlab.io/frotz/ - Nix - frotz: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/fr/frotz/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - frotz - 2.54+dfsg-3build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: frotz from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | interpreter of Z-code story-files | https://davidgriffith.gitlab.io/frotz/ - Ubuntu apt - sdlfrotz - 2.54+dfsg-3build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: sdlfrotz from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | interpreter of Z-code story-files (SDL version) | https://davidgriffith.gitlab.io/frotz/ - apk - frotz - 2.55-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: frotz from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Portable Z-Machine Interpreter | https://davidgriffith.gitlab.io/frotz/ - apk - frotz-doc - 2.55-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: frotz-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Portable Z-Machine Interpreter (documentation) | https://davidgriffith.gitlab.io/frotz/ - dnf - frotz - 2.55-3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: frotz from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Interactive fiction interpreter for Z-Machine (Infocom) games | https://gitlab.com/DavidGriffith/frotz/ - dnf - frotz-gui - 2.55-3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: frotz-gui from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | SDL GUI for frotz interactive fiction interpreter | https://gitlab.com/DavidGriffith/frotz/ - pacman - frotz-ncurses - 2.55-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: frotz-ncurses from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | ncurses-based Z-machine interpreter for interactive fiction games | https://gitlab.com/DavidGriffith/frotz - MacPorts - frotz: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: games/frotz/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Nix - sfrotz: installed executable or alias match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/sf/sfrotz/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman - frotz-dumb - 2.55-1: installed executable or alias match | Arch Linux sync databases: frotz-dumb from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Z-machine interpreter for interactive fiction games, for dumb terminals or scripting | https://gitlab.com/DavidGriffith/frotz - pacman - frotz-sdl - 2.55-1: installed executable or alias match | Arch Linux sync databases: frotz-sdl from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Graphical Z-machine interpreter for interactive fiction games | https://gitlab.com/DavidGriffith/frotz ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter 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. - [freetype](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/freetype/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [jpeg-turbo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jpeg-turbo/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libpng](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libpng/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libsndfile](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libsndfile/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [fizmo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fizmo/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, interactive-fiction, interpreter, z-machine. - [glulxe](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/glulxe/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, interactive-fiction, interpreter, z-machine. - [dmagnetic](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dmagnetic/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, interactive-fiction, interpreter. - [git-if](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/git-if/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, interactive-fiction, interpreter. - [dungeon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dungeon/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, interactive-fiction. - [qtads](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/qtads/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, interactive-fiction. - [zork](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/zork/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, interactive-fiction. - [instead](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/instead/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, interactive-fiction, interpreter. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/frotz.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/frotz.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - 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