# Install genact with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget Nonsense activity generator. Version 1.5.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-15. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:genact ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install genact ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install genact ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: games/genact/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add genact ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: genact from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#genact ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ge/genact/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S genact ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: genact from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install main/genact ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/genact.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - winget (92%): ```sh winget install --id svenstaro.genact -e ``` Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: svenstaro.genact from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:genact - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.5.1 - **Source summary:** Nonsense activity generator - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-15T10:20:17-04:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - genact (cli) - genact (alias) ## Build dependencies - rust ## 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: 1.5.1 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-15 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/svenstaro/genact - Upstream latest detected: v1.5.1 (current) ## Project history and usage genact is a playful terminal program that prints convincing fake activity, such as compilations, downloads, memory dumps, package builds, and other busy-looking modules. Its package history is mostly about a joke utility becoming a polished cross-platform Rust CLI with releases, shell completions, a WebAssembly version, and broad package-manager availability. ### Project history The repository began in 2011 as a small activity simulator and later accumulated modules that imitate common developer and system-administration tasks. Public tags began in 2018, and the project eventually reached 1.x releases with a Rust implementation, prebuilt binaries, Docker images, Cargo installation, and a browser version. The README states the premise directly: open a few instances and pretend something useful is happening. That framing made genact part of a small genre of terminal toys that are technically packaged like serious CLIs but culturally used for demos, screenshots, streams, and humor. ### Adoption history genact's adoption is visible through its many packaging paths: prebuilt Linux, macOS, and Windows binaries; FreeBSD packages; Homebrew; MacPorts; Scoop; Cargo; Docker; and a WebAssembly web build. That breadth is unusual for a joke utility and explains why it appears in package-manager indexes beyond the Rust ecosystem. ### How it is used Practitioners run `genact` to generate plausible terminal output during presentations, demos, videos, idle screens, or harmless pranks. The CLI can list modules, select specific modules, change speed, exit after time or module counts, and emit shell completions and a manpage. Its module list imitates familiar tooling such as Ansible, Cargo, Docker builds, kernel compiles, Terraform, web logs, package downloads, cryptomining, and boot logs, making it visually legible to developers even though no real work is performed. ### Why package nerds care genact is interesting to package nerds because it is a toy with real distribution hygiene: Rust crate, static release binaries, Docker image, Homebrew formula, WebAssembly target, shell completions, and a manpage. It is the sort of tiny package that proves whether a package manager's long tail is healthy. ### Timeline - 2011: Initial repository commits for activity simulation. - 2018: Early tagged releases begin with the 0.2 and 0.3 series. - 2022: The project reaches the 1.0 release series. - 2020s: Browser/WebAssembly usage and package-manager coverage broaden the ways to run it. ### Related projects - genact is related to Rust CLI tooling, terminal demo utilities, asciinema-style presentation workflows, and WebAssembly ports of command-line programs. ### 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:** genact - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - genact: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ge/genact/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - apk - genact - 1.5.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: genact from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A nonsense activity generator | https://github.com/svenstaro/genact - pacman - genact - 1.5.1-2: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: genact from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | A nonsense activity generator | https://github.com/svenstaro/genact - MacPorts - genact: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: games/genact/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Scoop - main/genact: normalized package name match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/genact.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - winget - svenstaro.genact: normalized package name match | Windows Package Manager source index: svenstaro.genact from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [rust](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rust/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [moor](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/moor/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, rust, terminal. - [starship](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/starship/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, rust, terminal. - [aha](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aha/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [amtterm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/amtterm/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [ansifilter](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ansifilter/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [ccat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ccat/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [clive](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/clive/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [colordiff](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/colordiff/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal. - [code-minimap](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/code-minimap/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, generator, rust. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/genact.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/genact.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