macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install liblouislocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install liblouisMacPorts ports tree · textproc/liblouis/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install liblouis with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Open-source braille translator and back-translator. Version 3.38.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-01.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add liblouisAlpine Linux edge package indexes · liblouis · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install liblouis-binDebian stable package indexes · liblouis-bin · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install liblouisFedora Rawhide package metadata · liblouis · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#liblouisnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/liblouis/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S liblouisArch Linux sync databases · liblouis · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install liblouis-dataopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · liblouis-data · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Open-source braille translator and back-translator
Project links
Commands and aliases
- lou_allround
- lou_checkhyphens
- lou_checktable
- lou_debug
- lou_tableinfo
- lou_trace
- lou_translate
history
Project history and usage
Liblouis is an open source braille translator and back-translator named for Louis Braille. It provides a C library, translation tables for many languages and braille codes, and command-line tools for checking, debugging, and testing braille translation tables.
Project history
The Liblouis README says the project began in 2002 through ViewPlus, which wanted high-quality braille support as an open source effort and supported John Boyer with a monthly stipend so he could work with sighted assistants. The project was based on translation routines from the BRLTTY Linux screen reader but grew beyond those routines into a standalone shared library and Windows DLL.
Liblouis supports computer and literary braille, contracted and uncontracted translation, hyphenation, math braille, and a rule- or dictionary-based table system. Its manual is aimed both at people writing translation tables and programmers embedding the library.
Adoption history
The README documents use in the NVDA and Orca open source screen readers and in commercial assistive technology from ViewPlus. Software Freedom Conservancy's March 17, 2025 announcement described liblouis as embedded in assistive technologies including screen readers, braille displays, Android devices, and iPhone devices.
A May 6, 2014 maintainership-succession announcement says John Boyer and ViewPlus initiated the Liblouis project twelve years earlier, and that Boyer built a community around it before passing maintainership to younger volunteers.
How it is used
Users commonly interact with Liblouis through programs such as lou_checktable, lou_debug, lou_translate, lou_trace, and lou_allround, or by linking the library from screen readers, embossing software, document converters, and mobile accessibility stacks. Table authors write text files with opcodes, includes, display rules, hyphenation support, and metadata.
Why package nerds care
Liblouis is significant because it turns braille translation into portable, inspectable data files plus a C ABI. For packagers, the table data, CLI validation tools, and library are inseparable: shipping the package means shipping both accessibility infrastructure and the tools to keep language-specific braille rules correct.
Timeline
- 2002: ViewPlus and John Boyer began Liblouis.
- 2012: GitHub repository created on July 21, 2012.
- 2014: Maintainership succession announced on May 6, 2014.
- 2025: Liblouis joined Software Freedom Conservancy on March 17, 2025.
- 2026: Repository metadata recorded active development on July 1, 2026.
Related projects
- BRLTTY provided the translation-routine foundation for Liblouis.
- NVDA and Orca are documented downstream screen-reader users.
- liblouisutdml and BrailleBlaster are adjacent braille formatting and transcription projects associated with the broader Liblouis ecosystem.
Sources
- https://api.github.com/repos/liblouis/liblouis
- https://github.com/liblouis/liblouis
- https://liblouis.io/2014/05/06/maintainership-succession.html
- https://liblouis.io/documentation/liblouis
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/liblouis/liblouis/master/README
- https://sfconservancy.org/news/2025/mar/17/liblouis-joins-software-freedom-conservancy/
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 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
lou_allround | cli | global executable | |
lou_checkhyphens | cli | global executable | |
lou_checktable | cli | global executable | |
lou_debug | cli | global executable | |
lou_tableinfo | cli | global executable | |
lou_trace | cli | global executable | |
lou_translate | 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 version3.38.0
manager updated2026-06-01
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/liblouis/liblouis
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/liblouis/liblouisnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:liblouis |
|---|---|
| Version | 3.38.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/liblouis |
| Homepage | https://liblouis.io |
| Repository | https://github.com/liblouis/liblouis |
| Upstream docs | https://liblouis.io/ |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/liblouis/liblouis/releases/download/v3.38.0/liblouis-3.38.0.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-01T17:25:04Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | python@3.14 |
| Build dependencies | help2man, pkgconf |
| Uses from macOS | m4 |
| 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 | liblouis |
| 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%
liblouis-bin 3.33.0-1
Braille translation library - utilities
sudo apt install liblouis-bin- Section: text
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblouis
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
Debian apt95%
liblouis-data 3.33.0-1
Braille translation library - data
sudo apt install liblouis-data- Section: text
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: liblouis
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
Debian apt95%
liblouis-dev 3.33.0-1
Braille translation library - static libs and headers
sudo apt install liblouis-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblouis
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
Debian apt95%
liblouis20 3.33.0-1
Braille translation library - shared libs
sudo apt install liblouis20- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblouis
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
Debian apt95%
python3-louis 3.33.0-1
Python bindings for liblouis
sudo apt install python3-louis- Section: python
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: liblouis
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
Nix95%
liblouis
nix profile install nixpkgs#liblouis- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
Ubuntu apt95%
liblouis-bin 3.29.0-1build1
Braille translation library - utilities
sudo apt install liblouis-bin- Section: universe/text
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblouis
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
Ubuntu apt95%
liblouis-data 3.29.0-1build1
Braille translation library - data
sudo apt install liblouis-data- Section: text
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: liblouis
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
Ubuntu apt95%
liblouis-dev 3.29.0-1build1
Braille translation library - static libs and headers
sudo apt install liblouis-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblouis
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
Ubuntu apt95%
liblouis20 3.29.0-1build1
Braille translation library - shared libs
sudo apt install liblouis20- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblouis
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
Ubuntu apt95%
python3-louis 3.29.0-1build1
Python bindings for liblouis
sudo apt install python3-louis- Section: python
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: liblouis
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
apk95%
liblouis 3.38.0-r0
Braille translator and back-translator
sudo apk add liblouis- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: liblouis
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
apk95%
liblouis-bin 3.38.0-r0
Braille translator and back-translator (tools)
sudo apk add liblouis-bin- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: liblouis
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
apk95%
liblouis-dev 3.38.0-r0
Braille translator and back-translator (development files)
sudo apk add liblouis-dev- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: liblouis
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
apk95%
liblouis-doc 3.38.0-r0
Braille translator and back-translator (documentation)
sudo apk add liblouis-doc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: liblouis
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
apk95%
liblouis-static 3.38.0-r0
Braille translator and back-translator (static library)
sudo apk add liblouis-static- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: liblouis
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblouis
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
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment