install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install gnu-go

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install gnugo

MacPorts ports tree · games/gnugo/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install gnugo

Debian stable package indexes · gnugo · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install gnugo

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · gnugo · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#gnugo

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S gnugo

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install gnugo

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · gnugo · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Plays the game of Go

Project links

Commands and aliases

gnugo

history

Project history and usage

GNU Go is the GNU Project's free software program for playing the game of Go, distributed as a command-line engine with documented algorithms, protocol support, graphical-client integration, and developer-facing internals.

Project history

GNU Go developed in the late 1990s and 2000s as a free software answer to proprietary Computer Go programs. Its manual argues that before GNU Go, Go programs were commonly distributed only as binaries with secret algorithms, while GNU Go made its source and algorithms open for inspection, criticism, and improvement.

The manual names Daniel Bump, Gunnar Farneback, and Arend Bayer as maintainers for GNU Go 3.8, and lists a long chronological authorship chain beginning with Man Li and Wayne Iba. It also thanks Stuart Cracraft, Richard Stallman, and Man Lung Li for interest in making the program part of GNU.

Adoption history

The GNU Go home page states that GNU Go played thousands of games on NNGS and also appeared on LGS, WING, and KGS through volunteer clients. It describes GNU Go as a leading non-commercial Go program in tournaments it entered, reflecting its role as an accessible engine for both players and Computer Go developers.

Its adoption was helped by protocol and client support. The manual documents CGoban setup, lists free graphical clients such as Quarry, qGo, ccGo, RubyGo, Jago, FreeGoban, Mac GNU Go, and Gogui, and explains that GNU Go 3.0 introduced the Go Text Protocol while GMP remained widely used in tournaments.

How it is used

Practitioners use `gnugo` directly in ASCII mode, through graphical Go clients, as a GTP engine for programs and test harnesses, or as a source base for studying Computer Go algorithms. It reads and writes SGF, can load game records, generate moves for a side to play, set board size and komi, and expose developer traces for understanding move selection.

Why package nerds care

GNU Go is package-relevant because it is a classic free software game engine with stable command-line behavior and protocol support. It gave Unix-like distributions a non-commercial Go opponent, a testable GTP engine, and a documented Computer Go codebase long before neural-network Go engines reshaped the field.

Timeline

1999-2008: GNU Go manual copyright span records active FSF-era development.
GNU Go 3.0: Go Text Protocol introduced.
2009: GNU Go 3.8 released and manual generated.
2019: GNU Go web page update record remained tied to the 3.8 documentation set.

Related projects

CGoban and the Go Modem Protocol shaped early GUI and tournament use.
Go Text Protocol became an interprocess protocol for Go engines and clients.
SGF support connected GNU Go to the standard game-record format used by Go software.

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 13 platform targets.

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
`gnugo`	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 version3.8

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://www.gnu.org/software/gnugo/gnugo.html

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.gnu.org/software/gnugo/gnugo.htmlnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:gnu-go
Version	3.8
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/gnu-go
Homepage	https://www.gnu.org/software/gnugo/gnugo.html
Repository	https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gnugo.git
Upstream docs	https://www.gnu.org/software/gnugo/gnugo_toc.html
License	GPL-3.0-or-later AND LicenseRef-Homebrew-public-domain AND LicenseRef-Homebrew-cannot-represent
Source archive	https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnu/gnugo/gnugo-3.8.tar.gz
Bottle	available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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	gnu-go
Version Scheme	0
Revision	1
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.

MacPorts94%

gnugo

sudo port install gnugo

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Gnugo

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: games/gnugo/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Debian apt92%

gnugo 3.8-13

play the game of Go

http://www.gnu.org/software/gnugo/

sudo apt install gnugo

Section: games
Architecture: amd64
2 dependencies
3 optional deps
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Gnugo

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: gnugo from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix92%

gnugo

nix profile install nixpkgs#gnugo

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Gnugo

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/gn/gnugo/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Ubuntu apt92%

gnugo 3.8-11build2

play the game of Go

http://www.gnu.org/software/gnugo/

sudo apt install gnugo

Section: universe/games
Architecture: amd64
5 dependencies
3 optional deps
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Gnugo

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: gnugo from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

dnf92%

gnugo 3.8-38.fc44

Text based go program

http://www.gnu.org/software/gnugo/gnugo.html

sudo dnf install gnugo

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: gnugo
5 dependencies
1 provides
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Gnugo

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: gnugo from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

pacman92%

gnugo 3.8-8

Program that plays the game of Go

https://www.gnu.org/software/gnugo/

sudo pacman -S gnugo

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
2 dependencies
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Gnugo

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: gnugo from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

zypper92%

gnugo 1371149103.84a32e9c-3.8

Chinese Board Game "Go"

https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gnugo

sudo zypper install gnugo

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Category: Amusements/Games/Board/Other
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: gnugo
5 dependencies
1 provides
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Gnugo

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: gnugo from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

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.

combined/gnu-go.yml

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

Install gnu-go with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper