Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install jflex with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper

Lexical analyzer generator for Java, written in Java. Version 1.9.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install jflex

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install jflex

MacPorts ports tree · devel/jflex/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install jflex

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

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install jflex

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

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#jflex

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install cup-maven-plugin

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · cup-maven-plugin · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Lexical analyzer generator for Java, written in Java

Commands and aliases

  • jflex

history

Project history and usage

JFlex is a lexical analyzer generator for Java, written in Java. The official manual describes it as a rewrite of JLex, with no shared code with Vern Paxson's C/C++ flex, and the README describes generated lexers as deterministic finite automata that form the first front-end step in many compilers.

Project history

JFlex 1.0 was publicly released in May 1998. The project history says it was built with Sun's JDK 1.1, JFlex itself through bootstrapping, and the CUP parser generator.

The project accumulated the usual compiler-tooling milestones over time: SourceForge-era releases, Ant integration, CUP and BYacc/J interoperability, Unicode work, Maven build changes, and a license change from GPL to BSD in the 1.5.0 release. JFlex 1.6.1 moved development, wiki, and issue tracking to GitHub in 2015.

The 1.9.x line continued the post-GitHub release history, with the manual identifying version 1.9.1 as a 2023 manual and release pages tying JFlex and the JFlex Maven plugin to Maven Central-oriented workflows.

Adoption history

JFlex's adoption comes from the durable place of lex-style scanner generators in compiler courses, programming language tools, and Java build systems. The manual includes sections for porting from JLex and lex/flex and for working with CUP, CUP2, BYacc/J, and Jay, which documents its role in the Java parser-generator ecosystem.

Package metadata in the input shows JFlex packaged by Homebrew, Debian, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Ubuntu, and related distributions. That breadth reflects a tool old enough to be infrastructure: users may encounter it as a command-line utility, a Maven plugin, or a build dependency hidden inside language tooling.

How it is used

A JFlex user writes a `.flex` lexical specification containing regular expressions and actions. JFlex generates Java source for a scanner that reads input, matches the regular expressions, and emits actions or tokens; projects commonly wire the generated scanner into CUP-family parsers or build tools such as Maven, Ant, and Bazel.

Why package nerds care

JFlex is package-nerd significant because it preserves a classic Unix compiler-tool idea in the Java ecosystem. It is simultaneously a small CLI, a Maven-era build component, and a compatibility bridge for JLex and lex/flex users who need generated Java scanners with Unicode and deterministic-automata performance.

Timeline

  • 1998: JFlex 1.0 public release.
  • 2000: JFlex 1.3 release moved part of the project to SourceForge.
  • 2014: JFlex 1.5.0 changed license from GPL to BSD and changed the build from Ant to Maven.
  • 2014: JFlex 1.6.0 added Unicode 7.0 support.
  • 2015: JFlex 1.6.1 moved development, wiki, and issue tracking to GitHub.
  • 2023: JFlex 1.9.1 released.

Related projects

  • JFlex is directly related to JLex, lex, flex, CUP, CUP2, BYacc/J, Jay, Maven, Ant, and Bazel. Its repository also includes JFlex Maven plugin and Unicode plugin components.

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 1 platform targets.
  • Installs with 1 runtime 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
jflexcliglobal 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 version1.9.1
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/jflex-de/jflex

  • infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
  • infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/jflex-de/jflexnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:jflex
Version1.9.1
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/jflex
Homepagehttps://jflex.de/
Repositoryhttps://github.com/jflex-de/jflex
Upstream docshttps://jflex.de/manual.html
LicenseBSD-3-Clause
Source archivehttps://github.com/jflex-de/jflex/releases/download/v1.9.1/jflex-1.9.1.tar.gz
Dependenciesopenjdk
Bottleavailable (on all)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namejflex
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%

jflex 1.7.0-3

lexical analyzer generator for Java

http://www.jflex.de/

sudo apt install jflex
  • Section: java
  • Architecture: all
  • 3 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Jflex
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: jflex from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

jflex

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

jflex 1.7.0-3

lexical analyzer generator for Java

http://www.jflex.de/

sudo apt install jflex
  • Section: universe/devel
  • Architecture: all
  • 3 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Jflex
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: jflex from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
dnf95%

jflex 1.7.0-50.fc44

Fast Scanner Generator

https://jflex.de/

sudo dnf install jflex
  • License: BSD-3-Clause
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: noarch
  • Source Package: jflex
  • 5 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Jflex
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: jflex from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
zypper95%

cup-maven-plugin 1.9.1-1.4

CUP Maven plugin

https://www.jflex.de/

sudo zypper install cup-maven-plugin
  • License: BSD-3-Clause
  • Category: Development/Libraries/Java
  • Architecture: noarch
  • Source Package: jflex
  • 3 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Jflex
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: cup-maven-plugin from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
zypper95%

jflex 1.9.1-1.4

Lexical Analyzer Generator for Java

https://www.jflex.de/

sudo zypper install jflex
  • License: BSD-3-Clause
  • Category: Development/Libraries/Java
  • Architecture: noarch
  • Source Package: jflex
  • 6 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Jflex
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: jflex from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
zypper95%

jflex-javadoc 1.9.1-1.4

API documentation for jflex

https://www.jflex.de/

sudo zypper install jflex-javadoc
  • License: BSD-3-Clause
  • Category: Development/Libraries/Java
  • Architecture: noarch
  • Source Package: jflex
  • 1 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Jflex
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: jflex-javadoc from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
zypper95%

jflex-maven-plugin 1.9.1-1.4

JFlex Maven Plugin

https://www.jflex.de/

sudo zypper install jflex-maven-plugin
  • License: BSD-3-Clause
  • Category: Development/Libraries/Java
  • Architecture: noarch
  • Source Package: jflex
  • 3 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Jflex
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: jflex-maven-plugin from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
MacPorts95%

jflex

sudo port install jflex
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Jflex
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: devel/jflex/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

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

Related tools

  • openjdkRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.

Same workflow

  • quexShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, lexer-generator, lexical-analysis.
  • re2cShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler-tools, developer-tools, lexer-generator.
  • flexShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler-tools, developer-tools, lexer-generator.
  • kimwitu++Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, compiler-tools, developer-tools.
  • bscShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, developer-tools.
  • cc65Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, developer-tools.

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