Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install md4c with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

C Markdown parser. Fast. SAX-like interface. Version 0.5.3 via Homebrew; verified 2026-04-20.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install md4c

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install md4c

MacPorts ports tree · devel/md4c/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add md4c

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · md4c · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libmd4c-dev

Debian stable package indexes · libmd4c-dev · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install md4c

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · md4c · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#md4c

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/md/md4c/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S md4c

Arch Linux sync databases · md4c · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libmd4c0

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libmd4c0 · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

C Markdown parser. Fast. SAX-like interface

Commands and aliases

  • md2html

history

Project history and usage

MD4C is a Markdown parser implementation in C. The upstream README expands the name as Markdown for C and presents the project as a CommonMark-oriented, embeddable parser with a SAX-like callback API and an optional HTML renderer.

Project history

The GitHub repository was created on 2016-10-03, and the project has continued as a small C library centered on a compact parser surface: the README emphasizes that the parser is implemented in one source file and one header file, with no dependencies beyond the standard C library.

MD4C's design grew around CommonMark compatibility, extension flags, and predictable performance. The upstream documentation says it targets CommonMark 0.31, supports common extensions such as tables, task lists, footnotes, strikethrough, math spans, wikilinks, and admonitions, and exposes both parser callbacks and a separate Markdown-to-HTML API.

Adoption history

The package-manager metadata supplied for this batch shows MD4C packaged across Homebrew, Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora, Alpine, Arch, MacPorts, Nix, and openSUSE. That breadth fits its role as a small C dependency that distributions can ship both as a library and as the `md2html` command.

The upstream repository tags include a long 0.x release series through release-0.5.3, indicating a project that has remained versioned and maintained after its initial public repository appeared in 2016.

How it is used

Library users include `md4c.h` and call `md_parse()` with callbacks for block, span, and text events. Applications that only need HTML can link the HTML renderer and call `md_html()`, receiving chunks of generated HTML through a callback.

The command-line packaging commonly exposes `md2html`, making MD4C useful both as a library dependency and as a quick Unix-style Markdown-to-HTML converter.

Why package nerds care

Package maintainers care about MD4C because it is a small, dependency-light C implementation of a common document parsing problem. The README explicitly contrasts it with DOM-style parsers and emphasizes embedding, compactness, portability, and resistance to pathological parsing inputs.

Its package appeal is also practical: it gives C and C++ projects a permissively licensed CommonMark parser without vendoring a larger Markdown stack or depending on a language runtime.

Timeline

  • 2016-10-03: Official GitHub repository created.
  • 0.2.x-0.5.x: Upstream release tags show a continuing versioned 0.x series.
  • 2026: Upstream README states compliance with CommonMark 0.31.

Related projects

  • CommonMark defines the Markdown specification target named by the MD4C README.
  • The MD4C README compares its callback-oriented model with DOM-style Markdown parsers and documents an optional `md4c-html` renderer.

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

  • narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

  • metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
  • 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

CommandKindExposureNote
md2htmlcliglobal 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 version0.5.3
manager updated2026-04-20
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/mity/md4c

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:md4c
Version0.5.3
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/md4c
Homepagehttps://github.com/mity/md4c
Repositoryhttps://github.com/mity/md4c
Upstream docshttps://github.com/mity/md4c#readme
LicenseMIT
Source archivehttps://github.com/mity/md4c/archive/refs/tags/release-0.5.3.tar.gz
Last updated2026-04-20T18:43:41Z
Pulseupdated
Build dependenciescmake
Bottleavailable (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namemd4c
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • stable

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%

libmd4c-dev 0.5.2-2+b1

Markdown for C - development files

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apt install libmd4c-dev
  • Section: libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libmd4c-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libmd4c-html0 0.5.2-2+b1

Markdown for C HTML-renderer

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apt install libmd4c-html0
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libmd4c-html0 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libmd4c-html0-dev 0.5.2-2+b1

Markdown for C HTML-renderer - development files

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apt install libmd4c-html0-dev
  • Section: libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libmd4c-html0-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libmd4c0 0.5.2-2+b1

Markdown for C

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apt install libmd4c0
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libmd4c0 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

md2html 0.5.2-2+b1

Markdown to HTML converter

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apt install md2html
  • Section: text
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: md2html from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

md4c

nix profile install nixpkgs#md4c
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/md/md4c/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

libmd4c-dev 0.4.8-1build1

Markdown for C - development files

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apt install libmd4c-dev
  • Section: universe/libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libmd4c-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libmd4c-html0 0.4.8-1build1

Markdown for C HTML-renderer

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apt install libmd4c-html0
  • Section: universe/libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libmd4c-html0 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libmd4c-html0-dev 0.4.8-1build1

Markdown for C HTML-renderer - development files

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apt install libmd4c-html0-dev
  • Section: universe/libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libmd4c-html0-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libmd4c0 0.4.8-1build1

Markdown for C

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apt install libmd4c0
  • Section: universe/libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libmd4c0 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

md4c 0.5.3-r0

Fast Markdown parser written in C

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apk add md4c
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: md4c from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

md4c-dev 0.5.3-r0

Fast Markdown parser written in C (development files)

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apk add md4c-dev
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: md4c-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

md4c-doc 0.5.3-r0

Fast Markdown parser written in C (documentation)

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apk add md4c-doc
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: md4c-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

md4c-libs 0.5.3-r0

Fast Markdown parser written in C (libraries)

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo apk add md4c-libs
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: md4c-libs from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

md4c 0.5.1-5.fc44

Markdown for C

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo dnf install md4c
  • License: MIT
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: i686
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 2 dependencies
  • 3 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: md4c from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
dnf95%

md4c-devel 0.5.1-5.fc44

Development files for md4c

https://github.com/mity/md4c

sudo dnf install md4c-devel
  • License: MIT
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: i686
  • Source Package: md4c
  • 5 dependencies
  • 3 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Md4c
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: md4c-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Related tools

  • cmakeBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • qt@5Popular package that depends on this formula.
  • qtbasePopular package that depends on this formula.
  • tracyPopular package that depends on this formula.

Same workflow

  • comrakShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, commonmark, developer-tools, markdown, markup.
  • peg-markdownShares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, markdown, markup.
  • cmarkShares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, commonmark, developer-tools, markdown.
  • cmark-gfmShares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, commonmark, developer-tools, markdown.
  • hoedownShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, markdown, markup, parser.
  • htmlcxxShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, library, markup, parser.

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.

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