macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install jrnllocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install jrnlMacPorts ports tree · office/jrnl/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install jrnl with Homebrew, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Command-line note taker. Version 4.3 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install jrnlFedora Rawhide package metadata · jrnl · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#jrnlnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/jr/jrnl/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S jrnlArch Linux sync databases · jrnl · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install jrnlopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · jrnl · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Command-line note taker
Project links
Commands and aliases
- jrnl
history
Project history and usage
jrnl is a long-running command-line journal and note-taking application. It emphasizes natural-language entry, plain-text storage, search, tagging, multiple journals, and optional AES encryption.
Project history
The README copyright header identifies jrnl contributors from 2012 through 2023, and PyPI records a jrnl 0.3.0 upload on 2012-05-24. The project later moved under the jrnl-org GitHub organization, with maintainers and contributors called out in the README and funding routed through Open Collective.
Adoption history
jrnl has unusually broad distribution for a personal productivity CLI. The input batch records Homebrew, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, and openSUSE packaging, while PyPI is the Python registry source. Homebrew analytics for the formula showed 1,482 installs over the 365-day window reported by the formula API on 2026-07-01.
How it is used
A jrnl entry can be written directly on the command line with natural-language dates such as 'yesterday', or composed interactively or through an external editor. The project site emphasizes human-friendly input, future-proof plain-text journals, AES encryption, syncing with external tools, multiple journals, and exports such as JSON.
Why package nerds care
jrnl is a classic example of a Unix-style personal data tool: the core data remains readable text, while the CLI adds indexing, parsing, encryption, search, and export. Its longevity since 2012 and packaging across Python and OS package managers make it more culturally established than most small note-taking CLIs.
Timeline
- 2012: PyPI recorded jrnl 0.3.0 on 2012-05-24.
- 2013: PyPI recorded jrnl 1.0.0 on 2013-03-04.
- 2023: The changelog recorded jrnl 4.0 on 2023-05-20 with breaking changes around Python support and encryption internals.
- 2024: The changelog recorded jrnl 4.2 on 2024-11-17, including a calendar heatmap display format and Python 3.13 support.
- 2026: The changelog recorded jrnl 4.3 on 2026-02-24 with Python 3.14 support and project build modernization.
Related projects
- jrnl is related to plain-text journaling, todo.txt-style personal data workflows, editor-driven note taking, encrypted local journals, and Python packaging through PyPI and pipx.
Sources
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 3 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.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
~/.config/jrnl/jrnl.yaml$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/jrnl/jrnl.yaml- Windows
%USERPROFILE%\.config\jrnl\jrnl.yaml
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
jrnl | cli | global 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 version4.3
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://jrnl.sh/en/stable/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:jrnl |
|---|---|
| Version | 4.3 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/jrnl |
| Homepage | https://jrnl.sh/en/stable/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/jrnl-org/jrnl |
| Upstream docs | https://jrnl.sh/en/stable |
| License | GPL-3.0-only |
| Source archive | https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/06/50/c1925fbf8472667b6cee6c211645fdc82a550d120ebe50536645252e4e64/jrnl-4.3.tar.gz |
| Dependencies | cryptography, libyaml, python@3.14 |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | jrnl |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 1 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Nix95%
jrnl
nix profile install nixpkgs#jrnl- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Jrnl
dnf95%
jrnl 4.3-4.fc45
Collect your thoughts and notes without leaving the command line
sudo dnf install jrnl- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: jrnl
- 3 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Jrnl
pacman95%
jrnl 4.3-1
Collect your thoughts and notes without leaving the command line
sudo pacman -S jrnl- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: any
- 10 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Jrnl
zypper95%
jrnl 4.2.1-1.3
Collect your thoughts and notes without leaving the command line
sudo zypper install jrnl- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: jrnl
- 11 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Jrnl
MacPorts95%
jrnl
sudo port install jrnl- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Jrnl
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.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment