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brew install libdrawtextlocal Homebrew formula metadata
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Install libdrawtext with Homebrew
Library for anti-aliased text rendering in OpenGL. Version 0.6 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Library for anti-aliased text rendering in OpenGL
Project links
Commands and aliases
- font2glyphmap
history
Project history and usage
libdrawtext is John Tsiombikas's small C library for fast anti-aliased text rendering in OpenGL, with FreeType-backed glyph rasterization and an included `font2glyphmap` tool for pre-rendered glyph maps.
Project history
The README describes libdrawtext as an OpenGL text-rendering helper that can also render into plain RGBA pixel buffers starting with version 0.3. Its copyright range begins in 2011, and the public tags show release_0.1 in August 2012, followed by release_0.2 and 0.2.1 in April 2014, release_0.3 in March 2016, release_0.4 in July 2016, v0.5 in February 2019, and v0.6 in February 2023.
The 0.6 release notes are maintenance-oriented: glyph metric changes, GL backend fixes, Android/OpenGL ES compatibility adjustments, GCC 10 compatibility, and build fixes. That pattern fits a compact library maintained for embedding rather than a broad end-user application.
Adoption history
Evidence for broad ecosystem adoption is thin, but the Homebrew package and GitHub repository show enough activity for developers who want a lightweight OpenGL text library without pulling in a full UI or game engine stack. Its appeal is strongest for demos, visualization programs, and small graphics tools that need text overlays.
How it is used
The README points users to example programs and the heavily commented `drawtext.h` header. It supports Unix and MinGW builds through `./configure`, `make`, and `make install`, with FreeType and OpenGL both described as optional depending on whether glyphmaps or pixel-buffer rendering are used.
Why package nerds care
libdrawtext is a classic small-library package: narrow scope, optional dependencies, C ABI, and a helper binary. For package maintainers, the interesting part is keeping a minimal OpenGL-era text utility available without dragging in larger graphics frameworks.
Timeline
- 2011: Copyright range begins for libdrawtext.
- 2012: release_0.1 tag published.
- 2014: release_0.2 and release_0.2.1 tags published.
- 2016: release_0.3 added RGBA pixel-buffer rendering; release_0.4 followed.
- 2019: v0.5 release published.
- 2023: v0.6 release published with GL, glyph metric, Android, GCC, and build fixes.
Related projects
- The README names FreeType as the glyph-rasterization dependency and OpenGL as the main rendering backend. The included `font2glyphmap` utility and example programs are the closest related project surfaces inside the repository.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
library-like package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- library-like package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:library-like
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 12 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
font2glyphmap | 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 version0.6
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv0.6
https://github.com/jtsiomb/libdrawtext
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:libdrawtext |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.6 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/libdrawtext |
| Homepage | http://nuclear.mutantstargoat.com/sw/libdrawtext/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/jtsiomb/libdrawtext |
| Upstream docs | http://nuclear.mutantstargoat.com/sw/libdrawtext |
| License | LGPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/jtsiomb/libdrawtext/archive/refs/tags/v0.6.tar.gz |
| Dependencies | freetype |
| Build dependencies | pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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 | libdrawtext |
| 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 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 package history
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment