# Install makensis with Homebrew System to create Windows installers. Version 3.12 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-25. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:makensis ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install makensis ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:makensis - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 3.12 - **Source summary:** System to create Windows installers - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** Zlib - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-25T13:37:54+02:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - makensis (cli) - makensis (alias) ## Build dependencies - mingw-w64 - scons ## 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: 3.12 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-25 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://nsis.sourceforge.net/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage NSIS, exposed in Homebrew through the `makensis` compiler executable, is the Nullsoft Scriptable Install System: a small, script-driven open source system for producing Windows installers. Its official documentation emphasizes compact output, flexible scripting, and internet distribution, which is why it became a recurring tool in cross-platform release pipelines even though the target artifact is a Windows installer. ### Project history NSIS grew out of Nullsoft's installer work and reached public release as NSIS v1.0f on July 31, 2000, according to the official release notes. The project later moved through SourceForge-hosted development and kept its own scripting language, plug-in model, compression backends, and Windows-focused installer conventions. The 3.0 release in July 2016 was a major modernization point: the official notes describe it as adding optional Unicode support, Windows 10 support, and a long list of compatibility and feature work while keeping support for the same Windows family. Subsequent releases continued the practical package-maintainer work of keeping installers small, signed, localizable, and compatible with modern Windows behavior. ### Adoption history NSIS became popular with open source and shareware projects because it produced a single redistributable `.exe` installer from text scripts and bundled files. For Unix-like package managers, `makensis` matters because maintainers can build Windows release artifacts from CI or developer machines without installing the full Windows GUI workflow. The official wiki and download pages show a long-running project with current releases, archived NSIS 1 and 2 releases, documentation, examples, and a plug-in ecosystem. That long tail made NSIS scripts a package-maintainer artifact in their own right: projects often carry `.nsi` files next to source code, and build systems invoke `makensis` as a release step. ### How it is used `makensis` compiles `.nsi` installer scripts. The scripting reference describes `.nsi` files as text files containing commands, comments, variables, sections, pages, and installer behavior; build systems typically pass the script to `makensis` and publish the generated Windows installer. ### Why package nerds care Package nerds care about `makensis` because it is a bridge between source packaging and Windows distribution: the same project can publish tarballs, native packages, and a Windows installer from checked-in release recipes. It also explains why a Windows installer compiler appears in Unix package managers such as Homebrew. ### Timeline - 2000: NSIS v1.0f is first publicly released. - 2016: NSIS 3.0 is released with optional Unicode support and Windows 10 support. - 2020: NSIS 3.06.1 marks the project's 20th anniversary. - 2026: The official download page lists NSIS 3.12 as a current release. ### Related projects - Related installer systems include Inno Setup, WiX Toolset, Windows Installer/MSI tooling, and cross-platform packaging flows that invoke `makensis` from release automation. ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** makensis - **Aliases:** nsis - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Related links - [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. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [mingw-w64](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mingw-w64/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [scons](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/scons/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ant](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ant/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: build-tool, cli, developer-tools. - [aqtinstall](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aqtinstall/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, installer. - [bazel](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bazel/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: build-tool, cli, developer-tools. - [boot-clj](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/boot-clj/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: build-tool, cli, developer-tools. - [cabal-install](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cabal-install/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: build-tool, cli, developer-tools. - [cargo-make](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cargo-make/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: build-tool, cli, developer-tools. - [cariddi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cariddi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: build-tool, cli, developer-tools. - [d2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/d2/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, scripting-language. - [docutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/docutils/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, system. - [empty](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/empty/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, scripting. - [sloccount](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sloccount/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, language. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/makensis.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/makensis.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 - cross-ecosystem install command graph