# Install kona with Homebrew, Nix, winget Open-source implementation of the K programming language. Version 20211225 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:kona ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install kona ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#kona ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ko/kona/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Windows - winget (92%): ```sh winget install --id Tencent.WeSing -e ``` Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: Tencent.WeSing from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:kona - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 20211225 - **Source summary:** Open-source implementation of the K programming language - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** ISC - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - k (cli) - k (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 20211225 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/kevinlawler/kona - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage Kona is an open-source implementation of the k3 programming language, one member of the K family associated with Arthur Whitney and Kx Systems. It gives Unix package managers a buildable, inspectable implementation of a historically proprietary array language lineage. ### Project history The repository was created on 2010-08-25. Its README explains that Kona targets k3, describes K as a synthesis of APL and Lisp, and says Kona is unaffiliated with Kx. The README also places k3 in the lineage of k1, k2, k3, k4, q, KDB, and KDB+. ### Adoption history Kona's audience is smaller than mainstream language runtimes but unusually durable: array-language enthusiasts, performance-oriented programmers, and people studying the K/KDB+ ecosystem use it as a source-available route into a language family that otherwise has limited public implementation material. ### How it is used The Homebrew package installs the `k` executable, making the interpreter accessible from a shell. The project is mainly used interactively and for studying K idioms rather than as a broad application platform. ### Why package nerds care Kona is package-nerd significant because it preserves access to an older K dialect in source form. It also exposes the famously terse C implementation style associated with the K tradition, which makes it a cultural artifact as much as a language runtime. ### Timeline - 2010-08-25: GitHub repository created. - 2014-09-24: Win.3.06-32 release published. - 2014-08-24: W3.08-64 tag created. ### Related projects - Kona is related to APL, Lisp, K, k3, k4, q, KDB, KDB+, Kx Systems, and other open K-family implementations documented by the K community. ### Sources - - - - - - ## Security Notes generalized runtime or code generation signal. - **Geiger risk:** yellow / medium - generalized runtime or code generation signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** kona - **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 - Nix - kona: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ko/kona/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - winget - Tencent.WeSing: installed executable or alias match | Windows Package Manager source index: Tencent.WeSing from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix - winget - Tencent.WeSingLiveAssistant: installed executable or alias match | Windows Package Manager source index: Tencent.WeSingLiveAssistant from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [latino](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/latino/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, open-source, programming-language. - [algol68g](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/algol68g/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [gnu-apl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnu-apl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [gravity](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gravity/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [lua](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lua/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [mosml](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mosml/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [newlisp](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/newlisp/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [one-ml](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/one-ml/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [three-body](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/three-body/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, interpreter, language, language-runtime, programming. - [brainfuck](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/brainfuck/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, interpreter, language, language-runtime, programming. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/kona.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/kona.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - 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