# Install msdfgen with Homebrew, MacPorts Multi-channel signed distance field generator. Version 1.13 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-02. Also installable with macports: sudo port install msdfgen. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:msdfgen ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install msdfgen ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install msdfgen ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: graphics/msdfgen/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:msdfgen - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.13 - **Source summary:** Multi-channel signed distance field generator - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-02T15:53:33+02:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-25T07:20:51+00:00 ## Executables - msdfgen (cli) - msdfgen (alias) ## Dependencies - freetype - libpng - tinyxml2 ## Build dependencies - cmake ## 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: 2026-07-25 - Package-manager version: 1.13 - Package-manager updated: 2026-07-02 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/Chlumsky/msdfgen - Upstream latest detected: v1.13 (current) ## Project history and usage msdfgen is a utility and library for generating signed distance fields from vector shapes and font glyphs, with its main focus on multi-channel signed distance fields for real-time graphics. ### Project history The official GitHub repository was created in 2016 and the changelog lists version 1.0 as the initial public release on 2016-04-28. The project later added CMake support, expanded SVG and font handling, introduced MTSDF mode, and kept refining error correction, geometry preprocessing, and build options. ### Adoption history The README positions msdfgen both as a standalone console program and as a C++ library. It also points users toward msdf-atlas-gen when generating complete font atlases, which reflects its adoption in graphics and text-rendering pipelines rather than as an end-user media tool. ### How it is used Typical package-manager usage is running msdfgen with a mode, input, and options to generate SDF, PSDF, MSDF, or MTSDF textures from fonts, SVG files, shape descriptions, or standard input. The library API exposes the same core generation routines for embedding in renderers and tools. ### Why package nerds care msdfgen matters in packaging because it bridges graphics research and practical asset generation: a small CLI plus C++ library, optional image/font/SVG dependencies, and current releases that track real-world build-system needs. ### Timeline - 2016: Repository created and version 1.0 published. - 2017: CMake build script added. - 2020: MTSDF mode added. - 2023: Standalone executable can be built in a limited dependency-free form. - 2025: Version 1.13 released. ### Related projects - msdf-atlas-gen is the official companion project recommended by the README for generating full font atlases. ### Sources - - - - source_facts.description - source_facts.repo ## Security Notes No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for msdfgen. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL. ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** msdfgen - **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 - MacPorts - msdfgen: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: graphics/msdfgen/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [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. - [freetype](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/freetype/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libpng](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libpng/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [cmake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cmake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [msdf-atlas-gen](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/msdf-atlas-gen/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [shaderc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/shaderc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, graphics. - [t1lib](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/t1lib/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, graphics. - [pixlet](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pixlet/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, graphics. - [glbinding@2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/glbinding-2/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, graphics. - [glslviewer](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/glslviewer/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, graphics. - [molten-vk](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/molten-vk/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, graphics. - [notcurses](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/notcurses/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, graphics. - [seexpr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/seexpr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, graphics. - [harfbuzz](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/harfbuzz/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, freetype, libpng. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/msdfgen.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/msdfgen.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - 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