# 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 ```sh sudo av install brew:kakoune ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install kakoune ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install kakoune ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: editors/kakoune/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add kakoune ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: kakoune from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install kakoune ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: kakoune from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install kakoune ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: kakoune 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#kakoune ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: kakoune from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S kakoune ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: kakoune from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install kakoune ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: kakoune from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:kakoune - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2026.05.21 - **Source summary:** Selection-based modal text editor - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** Unlicense - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-01T14:59:18Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - kak (cli) - kak (alias) ## 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: 2026.05.21 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-01 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/mawww/kakoune - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## 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 Notes 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. ## 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: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/kak/kakrc, ~/.config/kak/kakrc ## 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:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - kakoune - 2024.05.18-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: kakoune from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Vim-inspired, selection-oriented code editor | http://kakoune.org/ - Nix - kakoune: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: kakoune from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - Ubuntu apt - kakoune - 2022.10.31-2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: kakoune from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Vim-inspired, selection-oriented code editor | http://kakoune.org/ - apk - kakoune - 2026.05.21-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: kakoune from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Code editor heavily inspired by Vim, but with less keystrokes | https://kakoune.org - apk - kakoune-doc - 2026.05.21-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: kakoune-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Code editor heavily inspired by Vim, but with less keystrokes (documentation) | https://kakoune.org - dnf - kakoune - 2026.04.12-1.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: kakoune from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | mawww's experiment for a better code editor | https://kakoune.org/ - pacman - kakoune - 2026.05.21-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: kakoune from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Multiple-selection, UNIX-flavored modal editor | https://kakoune.org/ - zypper - kakoune - 2026.05.21-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: kakoune from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | A code editor heavily inspired by Vim | https://kakoune.org/ - MacPorts - kakoune: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: editors/kakoune/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [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. - [msedit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/msedit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [ex-vi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ex-vi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [jed](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jed/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [micro](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/micro/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [nano](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nano/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [orbiton](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/orbiton/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [macvim](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/macvim/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [ed](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ed/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [mle](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mle/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: based, cli, developer, developer-tools, editor. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/kakoune.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/kakoune.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