# 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 ```sh sudo av install brew:liblouis ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install liblouis ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install liblouis ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: textproc/liblouis/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add liblouis ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: liblouis from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install liblouis-bin ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: liblouis-bin from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install liblouis ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: liblouis 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#liblouis ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/li/liblouis/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S liblouis ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: liblouis from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install liblouis-data ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: liblouis-data from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:liblouis - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 3.38.0 - **Source summary:** Open-source braille translator and back-translator - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-01T17:25:04Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - lou_allround (cli) - lou_checkhyphens (cli) - lou_checktable (cli) - lou_debug (cli) - lou_tableinfo (cli) - lou_trace (cli) - lou_translate (cli) - lou_allround (alias) - lou_checkhyphens (alias) - lou_checktable (alias) - lou_debug (alias) - lou_tableinfo (alias) - lou_trace (alias) - lou_translate (alias) ## Dependencies - python@3.14 ## Build dependencies - help2man - pkgconf ## Uses from macOS - m4 ## 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: 3.38.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-01 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/liblouis/liblouis - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## 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 - - - - - - ## Security Notes library-like package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - library-like package without higher-risk signals ## 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:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - liblouis-bin - 3.33.0-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: liblouis-bin from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Braille translation library - utilities | http://liblouis.org/ - Debian apt - liblouis-data - 3.33.0-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: liblouis-data from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Braille translation library - data | http://liblouis.org/ - Debian apt - liblouis-dev - 3.33.0-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: liblouis-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Braille translation library - static libs and headers | http://liblouis.org/ - Debian apt - liblouis20 - 3.33.0-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: liblouis20 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Braille translation library - shared libs | http://liblouis.org/ - Debian apt - python3-louis - 3.33.0-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: python3-louis from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Python bindings for liblouis | http://liblouis.org/ - Nix - liblouis: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/li/liblouis/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - liblouis-bin - 3.29.0-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: liblouis-bin from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Braille translation library - utilities | http://liblouis.org/ - Ubuntu apt - liblouis-data - 3.29.0-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: liblouis-data from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Braille translation library - data | http://liblouis.org/ - Ubuntu apt - liblouis-dev - 3.29.0-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: liblouis-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Braille translation library - static libs and headers | http://liblouis.org/ - Ubuntu apt - liblouis20 - 3.29.0-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: liblouis20 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Braille translation library - shared libs | http://liblouis.org/ - Ubuntu apt - python3-louis - 3.29.0-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: python3-louis from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Python bindings for liblouis | http://liblouis.org/ - apk - liblouis - 3.38.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: liblouis from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Braille translator and back-translator | https://liblouis.io/ - apk - liblouis-bin - 3.38.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: liblouis-bin from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Braille translator and back-translator (tools) | https://liblouis.io/ - apk - liblouis-dev - 3.38.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: liblouis-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Braille translator and back-translator (development files) | https://liblouis.io/ - apk - liblouis-doc - 3.38.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: liblouis-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Braille translator and back-translator (documentation) | https://liblouis.io/ - apk - liblouis-static - 3.38.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: liblouis-static from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Braille translator and back-translator (static library) | https://liblouis.io/ ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Productivity CLI packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/productivity-cli-packages/) - Matched curated productivity category metadata from av.db. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [python@3.14](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/python-3-14/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [help2man](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/help2man/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [edbrowse](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/edbrowse/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: accessibility, cli, productivity. - [cbonsai](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cbonsai/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, productivity. - [fanyi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fanyi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, translation. - [getxbook](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/getxbook/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, productivity. - [gtranslator](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gtranslator/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, translation. - [joe](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/joe/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, productivity. - [libcdr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libcdr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, library, productivity. - [libchewing](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libchewing/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, library, productivity. - [asciidoc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/asciidoc/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, productivity, python, python-3-14, source. - [translate-shell](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/translate-shell/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, productivity, translate, translation, translator. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/liblouis.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/liblouis.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