# Install gnu-units with Homebrew, winget, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, scoop, zypper GNU unit conversion tool. Version 2.27 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:gnu-units ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install gnu-units ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add units ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: units from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install units ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: units from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install units ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: units 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#units ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/un/units/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install units ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: units from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ### Windows - winget (92%): ```sh winget install --id GNU.Units -e ``` Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: GNU.Units from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install main/units ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/units.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:gnu-units - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.27 - **Source summary:** GNU unit conversion tool - **Homepage:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - units (cli) - units (alias) ## Dependencies - readline ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Caveats: All commands have been installed with the prefix "g". If you need to use these commands with their normal names, you can add a "gnubin" directory to your PATH from your bashrc like: PATH="$HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/gnu-units/libexec/gnubin:$PATH" - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.27 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.gnu.org/software/units/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage GNU Units is a command-line unit conversion program and scientific calculator. It converts between measurement systems, checks dimensional consistency, supports nonlinear conversions, and reads its knowledge from data files that users can extend. ### Project history The GNU FTP archive records Units releases from the 1.x line in 1997 through the 2.x line, while the manual describes edition 2.25 and the program model used by the modern package. Its evolution turned a unit converter into a calculator that understands products, quotients, powers, roots, temperature conversions, unit lists, physical constants, currency data, CPI data, Unicode, readline, and custom definitions. The project keeps unit definitions outside the executable. The GNU page and manual both stress that users can rely on the bundled data files or provide supplemental definitions, making the package partly a maintained measurement database and partly an interactive calculator. ### Adoption history GNU Units is broadly useful in engineering, science, cooking, astronomy, packaging, and everyday shell work because it gives unit-aware answers without opening a large computer algebra system. Its availability across Unix package managers and a Windows binary reflects that utility: the program is small, scriptable, and backed by a large curated unit database. ### How it is used Practitioners use units interactively at the You have and You want prompts, or non-interactively by passing source and destination expressions on the command line. They also use it to reduce a unit to its definition, search the database, verify conformability, calculate with constants, and add local definitions for domain-specific units. ### Why package nerds care Package nerds care about GNU Units because it turns messy measurement lore into a reproducible data file shipped by the operating system. It is one of those quiet command-line tools that prevents dimensional mistakes in scripts, documentation, package formulas, lab notebooks, and build-time calculations. ### Timeline - 1997: GNU FTP archive lists units 1.53. - 2012: GNU FTP archive lists units 2.00. - 2024: GNU FTP archive lists units 2.23 and 2.24. - 2026: GNU FTP archive lists units 2.27. ### Related projects - Related tools include bc, dc, physical-constants tables, currency data updaters, readline-enabled command interpreters, and unit support in scientific programming environments. ### 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:** gnu-units - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - winget - GNU.Units: normalized package name match | Windows Package Manager source index: GNU.Units from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix - Debian apt - units - 2.24-1+deb13u1: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: units from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | converts between different systems of units | https://www.gnu.org/software/units/ - Nix - units: installed executable or alias match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/un/units/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - units - 2.23-1build2: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: units from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | converts between different systems of units | https://www.gnu.org/software/units/ - apk - units - 2.23-r0: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: units from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Units conversion and calculation program | https://www.gnu.org/software/units/ - apk - units-cur-update - 2.23-r0: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: units-cur-update from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Units conversion and calculation program (currency database updater) | https://www.gnu.org/software/units/ - apk - units-doc - 2.23-r0: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: units-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Units conversion and calculation program (documentation) | https://www.gnu.org/software/units/ - dnf - units - 2.27-2.fc45: installed executable or alias match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: units from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | A utility for converting amounts from one unit to another | https://www.gnu.org/software/units/units.html - zypper - units - 2.27-1.2: installed executable or alias match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: units from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Conversion Utility | https://www.gnu.org/software/units/ - Scoop - main/units: installed executable or alias match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/units.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Scientific computing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/scientific-computing-tools/) - Matched scientific computing metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [rink](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rink/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: calculator, cli, science, unit-conversion. - [calc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/calc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: calculator, cli, science. - [glpk](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/glpk/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, gnu, science. - [gnuastro](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnuastro/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, gnu, science. - [libqalculate](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libqalculate/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: calculator, cli, science. - [numbat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/numbat/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: calculator, cli, science. - [spigot](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/spigot/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: calculator, cli, science. - [udunits](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/udunits/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, science, unit-conversion. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/gnu-units.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/gnu-units.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