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brew

Install gspell with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

Flexible API to implement spellchecking in GTK+ applications. Version 1.14.4 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-26.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install gspell

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install gspell

MacPorts ports tree · gnome/gspell/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add gspell

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · gspell · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install gir1.2-gspell-1

Debian stable package indexes · gir1.2-gspell-1 · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install gspell

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

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#gspell

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S gspell

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install gspell

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

overview

Package summary

Flexible API to implement spellchecking in GTK+ applications

Commands and aliases

  • gspell-app1

history

Project history and usage

gspell is a GNOME spell-checking library for GTK applications. It provides a GObject-based API, inline spell checking for GtkEntry and GtkTextView, a GtkTextView spell-check dialog, language choosers, and support for the no-spell-check tag used by GtkSourceView and libgedit-gtksourceview.

Project history

The first gspell release was 0.1.0 on 2015-09-30. Its NEWS file says that the code came from the gedit spell plugin rather than being written from scratch.

The project quickly moved toward library polish: 0.1.2 created a GNOME Bugzilla product and online API reference naming, 0.2.2 relicensed the code from GPLv2+ to LGPLv2.1+, and 1.0.0 on 2016-03-20 declared the API stable with backward-compatible 1.x stable versions.

Later releases followed GNOME's even/odd minor-version scheme. The 1.5 development cycle added gspell-app1 and documented no-spell-check tag support; 1.7 adopted Enchant 2; 1.8.1 recorded the move to GNOME GitLab; and the 1.13 development cycle removed Autotools and added Meson.

Adoption history

gspell's adoption is tied to GTK 3 application development and GNOME text editing components. The README explicitly says the 1.x versions target GTK 3, and the API is designed for applications that want spelling support without embedding a full editor.

For packagers, the project's own notes recommend hunspell over aspell on GNU/Linux because Enchant prefers hunspell and aspell does not work well with gspell. That makes dictionary packaging part of the practical gspell story.

How it is used

Application developers use gspell to add spell-checking widgets and behavior to GTK interfaces. It wraps lower-level spelling services through Enchant and exposes GTK-friendly components such as checkers, language choosers, and inline checking for text widgets.

The small gspell-app1 program, introduced during the 1.5 development cycle, gives packagers and developers a convenient command to exercise the library.

Why package nerds care

gspell is interesting because it extracted spell-checking behavior from an application plugin into a reusable GNOME library. That is exactly the kind of small desktop-stack component distributions package so multiple apps can share one implementation.

Its dependency notes matter in packaging practice: GLib, GTK 3, Enchant, ICU, hunspell dictionaries, GIR packages, and GTK documentation all affect whether downstream applications get spell-checking that works cleanly.

Timeline

  • 2015: First 0.1.0 release, based on code from the gedit spell plugin.
  • 2015: 0.2.2 relicensed gspell from GPLv2+ to LGPLv2.1+.
  • 2016: 1.0.0 declared the API stable for the 1.x line.
  • 2017: 1.5.2 added gspell-app, later renamed gspell-app1.
  • 2017: 1.7.1 switched to Enchant 2.
  • 2018: 1.8.1 recorded the move to GNOME GitLab.
  • 2024: 1.13.1 added Meson and removed Autotools.

Related projects

  • gedit is the source lineage for the first gspell code.
  • GtkSpell is named by the README as the basis for an enhanced GtkTextView inline spell checker.
  • GtkSourceView and libgedit-gtksourceview are related through the no-spell-check tag support.
  • Enchant, hunspell, and ICU are practical spelling and language dependencies.

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.
  • Build metadata lists 5 build 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

CommandKindExposureNote
gspell-app1cliglobal 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 version1.14.4
manager updated2026-06-26
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:gspell
Version1.14.4
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/gspell
Homepagehttps://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell
Repositoryhttps://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell
Upstream docshttps://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell
LicenseLGPL-2.1-or-later
Source archivehttps://download.gnome.org/sources/gspell/1.14/gspell-1.14.4.tar.xz
Last updated2026-06-26T20:32:27Z
Pulseupdated
Dependenciesat-spi2-core, cairo, enchant, gdk-pixbuf, gettext, glib, gtk+3, harfbuzz, icu4c@78, pango
Build dependenciesgobject-introspection, meson, ninja, pkgconf, vala
Bottleavailable (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namegspell
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • 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%

gir1.2-gspell-1 1.14.0-2+b1

spell-checking library for GTK+ applications - GObject introspection

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install gir1.2-gspell-1
  • Section: introspection
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: gspell
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: gir1.2-gspell-1 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

gspell-1-tests 1.14.0-2+b1

spell-checking library for GTK+ applications - installed tests

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install gspell-1-tests
  • Section: misc
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: gspell
  • 6 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: gspell-1-tests from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libgspell-1-3 1.14.0-2+b1

spell-checking library for GTK+ applications

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install libgspell-1-3
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: gspell
  • 7 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libgspell-1-3 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libgspell-1-common 1.14.0-2

libgspell architecture-independent files

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install libgspell-1-common
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: all
  • Source Package: gspell
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libgspell-1-common from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libgspell-1-dev 1.14.0-2+b1

spell-checking library for GTK+ applications - development files

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install libgspell-1-dev
  • Section: libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: gspell
  • 5 dependencies
  • 1 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libgspell-1-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libgspell-1-doc 1.14.0-2

spell-checking library for GTK+ applications - documentation

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install libgspell-1-doc
  • Section: doc
  • Architecture: all
  • Source Package: gspell
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libgspell-1-doc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

gspell

nix profile install nixpkgs#gspell
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/gs/gspell/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

gir1.2-gspell-1 1.12.2-1build4

spell-checking library for GTK+ applications - GObject introspection

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install gir1.2-gspell-1
  • Section: introspection
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: gspell
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: gir1.2-gspell-1 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

gspell-1-tests 1.12.2-1build4

spell-checking library for GTK+ applications - installed tests

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install gspell-1-tests
  • Section: universe/misc
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: gspell
  • 13 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: gspell-1-tests from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libgspell-1-2 1.12.2-1build4

spell-checking library for GTK+ applications

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install libgspell-1-2
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: gspell
  • 14 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libgspell-1-2 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libgspell-1-common 1.12.2-1build4

libgspell architecture-independent files

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install libgspell-1-common
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: all
  • Source Package: gspell
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libgspell-1-common from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libgspell-1-dev 1.12.2-1build4

spell-checking library for GTK+ applications - development files

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install libgspell-1-dev
  • Section: universe/libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: gspell
  • 5 dependencies
  • 1 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libgspell-1-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libgspell-1-doc 1.12.2-1build4

spell-checking library for GTK+ applications - documentation

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apt install libgspell-1-doc
  • Section: doc
  • Architecture: all
  • Source Package: gspell
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libgspell-1-doc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

gspell 1.14.3-r0

Flexible API to add spell checking to a GTK+ application

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apk add gspell
  • License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: gspell
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: gspell from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

gspell-dbg 1.14.3-r0

Flexible API to add spell checking to a GTK+ application (debug symbols)

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apk add gspell-dbg
  • License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: gspell
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: gspell-dbg from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

gspell-dev 1.14.3-r0

Flexible API to add spell checking to a GTK+ application (development files)

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gspell

sudo apk add gspell-dev
  • License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: gspell
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Gspell
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: gspell-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

package graph

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

Related tools

  • cairoRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • enchantRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • gdk-pixbufRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • gettextRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • glibRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • gtk+3Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • harfbuzzRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • gobject-introspectionBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.

Same workflow

  • hunspellShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, library, spell-checking.
  • libadwaitaShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, gnome, gtk, library.
  • libdazzleShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, gnome, gtk, library.
  • libiconvShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, library, text.

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.

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