# Install mcabber with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper Console Jabber client. Version 1.1.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-11. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:mcabber ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install mcabber ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install mcabber ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: net/mcabber/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add mcabber ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mcabber from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install mcabber ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: mcabber from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install mcabber ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: mcabber 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#mcabber ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/mc/mcabber/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S mcabber ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: mcabber from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install mcabber ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: mcabber from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:mcabber - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.1.2 - **Source summary:** Console Jabber client - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-11T15:14:15-04:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - mcabber (cli) - mcabber (alias) ## Dependencies - gettext - glib - gpgme - libassuan - libgpg-error - libidn - libotr - loudmouth ## Build dependencies - pkgconf ## Uses from macOS - ncurses ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Caveats: A configuration file is necessary to start mcabber. The template is here: $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/mcabber/share/mcabber/mcabberrc.example And there is a Getting Started Guide you will need to setup Mcabber: https://wiki.mcabber.com/#index2h1 - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.1.2 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-11 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://mcabber.com/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage MCabber is a console XMPP/Jabber client with a long Unix terminal pedigree. It combines ncurses-style chat, roster management, command completion, history logging, multi-user chat, TLS, OpenPGP, OTR, and scripting hooks in a single terminal client. ### Project history The official homepage records the first public mcabber release on 2005-06-08 and describes the program as a small XMPP console client tested on GNU/Linux, BSD, Mac OS X, and Cygwin. It grew during the classic Jabber era, when terminal users wanted a persistent chat client that behaved more like Mutt, Irssi, or centericq than a desktop messenger. MCabber's 0.10.0 release in 2010 switched the client to the Loudmouth XMPP library and added dynamic modules. The 1.0.0 release in 2015 arrived on the project's tenth anniversary with Message Carbons, multi-language spellchecking, completion and scroll-lock improvements, and new SSL options when used with a recent Loudmouth. Maintenance after 1.0 focused on protocol and security details important to XMPP users: Message Carbons, PGP, OTR, SSL/TLS handling, XDG configuration support, and fixes for roster-push and CVE-related issues. In 2018 the maintainer added an official GitHub mirror while keeping the Mercurial repository as the project repository. ### Adoption history MCabber is available across many package managers listed in the input metadata, including Alpine, Homebrew, Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, and openSUSE. That breadth is notable for a terminal chat client: it survived because it served a durable niche of shell-first XMPP users. The upstream homepage also points users to known operating-system packages, reinforcing that distribution packaging has been part of the project's normal installation path rather than an afterthought. ### How it is used A typical MCabber setup stores connection and behavior settings in ~/.mcabber/mcabberrc. The official sample configuration shows JID, optional password or password_eval, server, TLS, certificate, fingerprint, and PGP options, which is why the config file can also be a credentials-bearing file. Users run mcabber as a long-lived terminal client for one-to-one XMPP chats, group chats, history logging, command-driven roster navigation, and integrations through external action triggers or modules. ### Why package nerds care MCabber matters to package nerds because it is a surviving example of the console-chat-client lineage in Unix packaging. It sits beside tools such as Irssi, WeeChat, Mutt, and Finch in the category of network clients whose user interface is primarily a terminal command language. Its packaging history also captures the old Jabber-to-XMPP ecosystem: Loudmouth as a client library, OTR and PGP integrations, XDG migration, and signed tarball releases from a long-running personal project site. ### Timeline - 2005: First public mcabber release. - 2010: mcabber 0.10.0 switched to Loudmouth and added dynamic modules. - 2015: mcabber 1.0.0 was released on the project's tenth anniversary. - 2016: mcabber 1.0.1 added Message Carbons, PGP, OTR, SSL, and XDG improvements. - 2017: mcabber 1.0.5 fixed CVE-2017-5589 and improved large-roster performance. - 2018: An official GitHub mirror was created. - 2020: mcabber 1.1.2 was released as a maintenance release. ### Related projects - Related projects include Loudmouth, Gajim, Profanity, Poezio, Finch, Pidgin, Irssi, WeeChat, and the broader XMPP/Jabber client ecosystem. ### Sources - - - - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Configuration and credential file locations These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval. ## Configuration files - Unix: ~/.mcabber/mcabberrc ## Credential files - Unix: ~/.mcabber/mcabberrc ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** mcabber - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 2 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - mcabber - 1.1.2-2+b2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: mcabber from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | small Jabber (XMPP) console client | https://mcabber.com/ - Nix - mcabber: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/mc/mcabber/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - mcabber - 1.1.2-2build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: mcabber from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | small Jabber (XMPP) console client | https://mcabber.com/ - apk - mcabber - 1.1.2-r6: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mcabber from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Small Jabber console client | https://mcabber.com - apk - mcabber-dev - 1.1.2-r6: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mcabber-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Small Jabber console client (development files) | https://mcabber.com - apk - mcabber-doc - 1.1.2-r6: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mcabber-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Small Jabber console client (documentation) | https://mcabber.com - dnf - mcabber - 1.1.3-0.11.20211025git87964c3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: mcabber from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Console Jabber instant messaging client | https://mcabber.com - dnf - mcabber-devel - 1.1.3-0.11.20211025git87964c3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: mcabber-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Development files for mcabber | https://mcabber.com - pacman - mcabber - 1.1.2-3: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: mcabber from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | A small Jabber console client, includes features: SSL, PGP, MUC, UTF8 | https://www.lilotux.net/~mikael/mcabber/ - zypper - mcabber - 1.1.2-3.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: mcabber from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Modular XMPP client on ncurses | https://mcabber.com/ - zypper - mcabber-devel - 1.1.2-3.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: mcabber-devel from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Headers for modular XMPP client on ncurses | https://mcabber.com/ - MacPorts - mcabber: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: net/mcabber/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [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. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [gettext](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gettext/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [glib](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/glib/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [gpgme](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gpgme/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libassuan](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libassuan/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libgpg-error](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libgpg-error/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libidn](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libidn/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libotr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libotr/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [profanity](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/profanity/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat-client, cli, messaging, ncurses, networking. - [ejabberd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ejabberd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, messaging, networking, xmpp. - [activemq](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/activemq/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, messaging, networking. - [center-im](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/center-im/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, messaging, networking. - [czmq](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/czmq/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, messaging, networking. - [emqx](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/emqx/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, messaging, networking. - [gtmess](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gtmess/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, messaging, networking. - [libpaho-mqtt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libpaho-mqtt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, messaging, networking. - [bitlbee](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bitlbee/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: chat, cli, error, gettext, glib. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/mcabber.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/mcabber.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - 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