macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install kakounelocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install kakouneMacPorts ports tree · editors/kakoune/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install kakoune with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Selection-based modal text editor. Version 2026.05.21 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-01.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add kakouneAlpine Linux edge package indexes · kakoune · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install kakouneDebian stable package indexes · kakoune · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install kakouneFedora Rawhide package metadata · kakoune · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#kakounenixpkgs package indexes · kakoune · source: raw.githubusercontent.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S kakouneArch Linux sync databases · kakoune · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install kakouneopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · kakoune · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Selection-based modal text editor
Project links
Commands and aliases
- kak
history
Project history and usage
Kakoune is a modal code editor inspired by Vi and Vim, built around a selection-first editing model and multiple selections as a central interaction primitive.
Project history
Kakoune's README describes it as an experiment for a better code editor and as a modal editor that keeps Vim-like keystroke efficiency while changing the editing grammar: users select text first and then apply actions. The repository issue history shows discussion of versioning in 2014, while GitHub releases began with a 2018 prerelease.
Adoption history
Kakoune developed a dedicated terminal-editor community because it explored a post-Vim design space without abandoning modal editing, shell integration, scripting, and small composable commands. Packaging across Homebrew, Linux distributions, MacPorts, Nix, and other systems made it easy for editor enthusiasts to try it alongside Vim, Neovim, and Helix.
How it is used
Users edit through selections, multiple selections, object selections, commands, hooks, and shell filters. Kakoune's client-server architecture lets multiple clients attach to one editing session, fitting terminal multiplexers and modern terminal panes.
Why package nerds care
Kakoune matters to package nerds because it is one of the canonical alternative modal editors: small enough to install as a normal CLI package, opinionated enough to influence later editor conversations, and different enough from Vim to justify its own ecosystem.
Timeline
- 2014-03-17: GitHub issue discussion recorded the absence of official releases at that point.
- 2018-04-09: Kakoune 20180409 prerelease published.
- 2019-12-10: Kakoune v2019.12.10 published.
- 2026-05-21: Kakoune 2026.05.21 published.
Related projects
- Related editors and influences include Vi, Vim, Neovim, Helix, Sam, Acme, terminal multiplexers, and Kakoune plugin/community packages.
Sources
security posture
No protected-tool coverage found yet
No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for kakoune. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
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
$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/kak/kakrc~/.config/kak/kakrc
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
kak | 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 version2026.05.21
manager updated2026-06-01
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/mawww/kakoune
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/mawww/kakounenone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:kakoune |
|---|---|
| Version | 2026.05.21 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/kakoune |
| Homepage | https://github.com/mawww/kakoune |
| Repository | https://github.com/mawww/kakoune |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/mawww/kakoune#readme |
| License | Unlicense |
| Source archive | https://github.com/mawww/kakoune/releases/download/v2026.05.21/kakoune-2026.05.21.tar.bz2 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-01T14:59:18Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| 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 | kakoune |
| 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 |
|
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%
kakoune 2024.05.18-2
Vim-inspired, selection-oriented code editor
sudo apt install kakoune- Section: editors
- Architecture: amd64
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kakoune
Nix95%
kakoune
nix profile install nixpkgs#kakoune- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kakoune
Ubuntu apt95%
kakoune 2022.10.31-2
Vim-inspired, selection-oriented code editor
sudo apt install kakoune- Section: universe/editors
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kakoune
apk95%
kakoune 2026.05.21-r1
Code editor heavily inspired by Vim, but with less keystrokes
sudo apk add kakoune- License: Unlicense
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: kakoune
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kakoune
apk95%
kakoune-doc 2026.05.21-r1
Code editor heavily inspired by Vim, but with less keystrokes (documentation)
sudo apk add kakoune-doc- License: Unlicense
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: kakoune
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kakoune
dnf95%
kakoune 2026.04.12-1.fc45
mawww's experiment for a better code editor
sudo dnf install kakoune- License: Unlicense
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: kakoune
- 4 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kakoune
pacman95%
kakoune 2026.05.21-1
Multiple-selection, UNIX-flavored modal editor
sudo pacman -S kakoune- License: custom:unlicense
- Architecture: x86_64
- 1 dependencies
- 13 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kakoune
zypper95%
kakoune 2026.05.21-1.1
A code editor heavily inspired by Vim
sudo zypper install kakoune- License: Unlicense
- Category: Productivity/Text/Editors
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: kakoune
- 3 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kakoune
MacPorts95%
kakoune
sudo port install kakoune- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kakoune
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