# Install jrnl with Homebrew, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper Command-line note taker. Version 4.3 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:jrnl ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install jrnl ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install jrnl ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: office/jrnl/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install jrnl ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: jrnl from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#jrnl ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/jr/jrnl/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S jrnl ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: jrnl from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install jrnl ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: jrnl from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:jrnl - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 4.3 - **Source summary:** Command-line note taker - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-only - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - jrnl (cli) - jrnl (alias) ## Dependencies - cryptography - libyaml - python@3.14 ## 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: 4.3 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://jrnl.sh/en/stable/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## 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 Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## 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 - Unix: ~/.config/jrnl/jrnl.yaml, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/jrnl/jrnl.yaml - Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.config\jrnl\jrnl.yaml ## 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:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - jrnl: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/jr/jrnl/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - dnf - jrnl - 4.3-4.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: jrnl from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Collect your thoughts and notes without leaving the command line | https://jrnl.sh - pacman - jrnl - 4.3-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: jrnl from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Collect your thoughts and notes without leaving the command line | https://jrnl.sh/ - zypper - jrnl - 4.2.1-1.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: jrnl from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Collect your thoughts and notes without leaving the command line | https://jrnl.sh - MacPorts - jrnl: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: office/jrnl/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [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. - [Security and crypto packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/security-crypto-tools/) - Matched security, identity, cryptography, password, signing, or certificate metadata. - [Productivity CLI packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/productivity-cli-packages/) - Matched curated productivity category metadata from av.db. - [python@3.14](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/python-3-14/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [eureka](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/eureka/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [cherrytree](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cherrytree/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [dnote](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dnote/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [ekphos](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ekphos/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [evernote-backup](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/evernote-backup/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [joplin-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/joplin-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [jot](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jot/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [mdzk](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mdzk/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [buku](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/buku/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, command-line, cryptography, libyaml, line. - [gcalcli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gcalcli/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, command-line, cryptography, line, productivity. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/jrnl.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/jrnl.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - 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