# Install i686-elf-gcc with Homebrew GNU compiler collection for i686-elf. Version 16.1.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-04-30. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:i686-elf-gcc ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install i686-elf-gcc ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:i686-elf-gcc - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 16.1.0 - **Source summary:** GNU compiler collection for i686-elf - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later WITH GCC-exception-3.1 - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-04-30T16:29:31Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - i686-elf-c++ (cli) - i686-elf-cpp (cli) - i686-elf-g++ (cli) - i686-elf-gcc (cli) - i686-elf-gcc-16.1.0 (cli) - i686-elf-gcc-ar (cli) - i686-elf-gcc-nm (cli) - i686-elf-gcc-ranlib (cli) - i686-elf-gcov (cli) - i686-elf-gcov-dump (cli) - i686-elf-gcov-tool (cli) - i686-elf-lto-dump (cli) - i686-elf-c++ (alias) - i686-elf-cpp (alias) - i686-elf-g++ (alias) - i686-elf-gcc (alias) - i686-elf-gcc-16.1.0 (alias) - i686-elf-gcc-ar (alias) - i686-elf-gcc-nm (alias) - i686-elf-gcc-ranlib (alias) - i686-elf-gcov (alias) - i686-elf-gcov-dump (alias) - i686-elf-gcov-tool (alias) - i686-elf-lto-dump (alias) ## Dependencies - gmp - i686-elf-binutils - libmpc - mpfr - zstd ## 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: 16.1.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-04-30 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://gcc.gnu.org - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage i686-elf-gcc is Homebrew's target-prefixed build of the GNU Compiler Collection for i686-elf. It is a package-manager expression of a much older GCC pattern: build the compiler for a target that is not the host so kernels, freestanding programs, and boot-time code can be produced reproducibly. ### Project history GCC began as the GNU C compiler for the GNU operating system. GNU's January 1987 bulletin described a portable optimizing C compiler that supported the October 1986 ANSI C draft and was expected for release in the first quarter of 1987. The GCC project page describes GCC as the GNU Compiler Collection, with front ends for C, C++, Objective-C, Fortran, Ada, Go, D, Modula-2, COBOL, Rust, and Algol 68, plus runtime libraries. It also states that GCC strives to work on native and cross targets. A major governance and naming milestone came from the EGCS reunification. GCC's 2.95 page says GCC 2.95, released July 31, 1999, was the first GCC release after the April 1999 GCC/EGCS reunification, and that GCC had expanded from GNU C Compiler to GNU Compiler Collection. ### Adoption history GCC became central to free software because it was both a compiler and a portability layer for the GNU system, GNU/Linux, BSD-derived environments, embedded systems, and vendor Unix targets. Cross-target support made it especially important for low-level systems work. The i686-elf-gcc formula packages that cross-target tradition for Homebrew. Homebrew lists i686-elf-binutils as a dependency, matching the usual order in which a target assembler and linker support a target compiler. ### How it is used Users install i686-elf-gcc to compile C and C++ into i686-elf objects and binaries without targeting macOS or the host Linux ABI. The package ships prefixed drivers such as i686-elf-gcc, i686-elf-g++, i686-elf-cpp, and target-prefixed gcc-ar, gcc-nm, and gcc-ranlib helpers. In package-manager workflows it is usually paired with i686-elf-binutils and sometimes i686-elf-gdb or i686-elf-grub, forming a compact operating-system-development toolchain. ### Why package nerds care This package is a neat distillation of GCC's cross-compilation culture. The formula does not represent a fork of GCC; it represents a configured target, a dependency relationship with target Binutils, and a set of prefixed executables that are safe to put on a developer workstation. For package nerds, i686-elf-gcc is also a reminder that compiler packages are not only language runtimes. They encode ABI, target object format, linker expectations, and a naming convention that other build scripts can depend on. ### Timeline - 1987: GNU's bulletin described the GNU C compiler nearing release. - 1998: The EGCS steering committee formed to prevent any one group from controlling the compiler project. - 1999: The FSF appointed the GCC steering committee as official GNU maintainer for GCC. - 1999: GCC 2.95 shipped after the GCC/EGCS reunification and used the GNU Compiler Collection name. - 2026: Homebrew packaged i686-elf-gcc with i686-elf-binutils as a dependency for i686-elf cross compilation. ### Related projects - GNU Binutils supplies the target assembler and linker used by this cross compiler. - GDB, Newlib, libgcc, GRUB, QEMU, and LLVM/Clang are adjacent tools in cross-development and freestanding systems work. ### 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:** i686-elf-gcc - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Related links - [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. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [i686-elf-binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/i686-elf-binutils/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [zstd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/zstd/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [aarch64-elf-gcc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aarch64-elf-gcc/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [arm-none-eabi-gcc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/arm-none-eabi-gcc/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [m68k-elf-gcc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/m68k-elf-gcc/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [riscv64-elf-gcc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/riscv64-elf-gcc/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [x86_64-elf-gcc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/x86-64-elf-gcc/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [mingw-w64](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mingw-w64/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compilers, cross-compilation, developer-tools, gcc. - [arm-linux-gnueabihf-binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/arm-linux-gnueabihf-binutils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compilers, cross-compilation, developer-tools, gnu. - [arm-none-eabi-binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/arm-none-eabi-binutils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compilers, cross-compilation, developer-tools, gnu. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/i686-elf-gcc.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/i686-elf-gcc.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 - cross-ecosystem install command graph