# Install hwatch with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix

Modern alternative to the watch command. Version 0.4.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-04-29.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:hwatch
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install hwatch
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install hwatch
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/hwatch/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- apk (92%):

```sh
sudo apk add hwatch
```

  Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: hwatch from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#hwatch
```

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

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:hwatch
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Package manager page:** <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/hwatch>
- **Version:** 0.4.2
- **Source summary:** Modern alternative to the watch command
- **Homepage:** <https://github.com/blacknon/hwatch>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/blacknon/hwatch>
- **Upstream docs:** <https://github.com/blacknon/hwatch#readme>
- **License:** MIT
- **Source archive:** <https://github.com/blacknon/hwatch/archive/refs/tags/0.4.2.tar.gz>
- **Last updated:** 2026-04-29T13:05:49Z
- **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00

## Executables

- hwatch (cli)
- hwatch (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: 0.4.2
- Package-manager updated: 2026-04-29
- Local data: ok
- Upstream repository: https://github.com/blacknon/hwatch
- Upstream latest detected: 0.4.2 (current)
## Project history and usage

hwatch is a modern replacement for the Unix `watch` command. It repeatedly runs a command, keeps output history, shows diffs, can log results as JSON, and can trigger hooks when output changes.

### Project history

The GitHub repository was created in February 2018, and the README describes hwatch as an alternative watch command developed starting in 2018. The release list shows a v0.1.0 tag in July 2018, followed by 0.1.x releases through 2019 and later 0.2/0.3 releases in 2022.

### Adoption history

The README lists installation paths through Homebrew, MacPorts, AUR, Nix, conda-forge, mise/asdf, Cargo, GitHub release archives, and distro packaging work such as Alpine and Debian-style assets. That spread matches a small terminal utility whose adoption depends on being easy to install on many developer machines.

### How it is used

hwatch is used where plain `watch` is too stateless: monitoring command output, scrolling previous results, viewing line or word diffs, writing JSONL logs, running an after-command on change, or using batch output in scripts.

### Why package nerds care

Its package-nerd value is the familiar Unix-watch workflow with persistence and diff awareness. It is a small tool, but it fills a practical gap for people who inspect build output, service state, queue depths, or logs from a terminal.

### Timeline

- 2018: Repository created and v0.1.0 release published.
- 2019: 0.1.x releases continued the early CLI line.
- 2022: 0.2.x and 0.3.x releases appeared.
- 2026: README packaging notes listed multiple package-manager and release-asset paths.

### Related projects

- hwatch is directly related to the traditional Unix `watch` command, terminal diff viewers, JSONL logging workflows, Rust/Cargo packaging, and shell hook automation.

### Sources

- Project README, GitHub release metadata, GitHub repository metadata, and Homebrew package metadata were used.


## 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:** hwatch
- **Version Scheme:** 0
- **Revision:** 0
- **Head Version:** HEAD
- **Bottle Stable Root URL:** <https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core>
- **Deprecated:** no
- **Disabled:** no
- **Keg Only:** no
- **URL Keys:** head, stable

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Nix - hwatch: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/hw/hwatch/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- apk - hwatch - 0.3.11-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: hwatch from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A modern alternative to the watch command | https://github.com/blacknon/hwatch
- apk - hwatch-doc - 0.3.11-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: hwatch-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A modern alternative to the watch command (documentation) | https://github.com/blacknon/hwatch
- apk - hwatch-fish-completion - 0.3.11-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: hwatch-fish-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Fish completions for hwatch | https://github.com/blacknon/hwatch
- apk - hwatch-zsh-completion - 0.3.11-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: hwatch-zsh-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Zsh completions for hwatch | https://github.com/blacknon/hwatch
- MacPorts - hwatch: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/hwatch/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## 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.
- [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata.
- [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider.
- [rust](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rust/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [pv](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pv/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, monitoring, system, terminal.
- [gtop](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gtop/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, monitoring, system, terminal.
- [tmux-mem-cpu-load](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tmux-mem-cpu-load/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, monitoring, system, terminal.
- [viddy](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/viddy/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, monitoring, system, terminal, watch.
- [gotop](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gotop/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, monitoring, system, terminal.
- [htop](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/htop/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, monitoring, system, terminal.
- [abduco](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/abduco/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, terminal.
- [ansiweather](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ansiweather/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, monitoring, system, terminal.

## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/hwatch.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/hwatch.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