macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install nanolocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install nanoMacPorts ports tree · editors/nano/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install nano with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget, zypper
Free (GNU) replacement for the Pico text editor. Version 9.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-23.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add nanoAlpine Linux edge package indexes · nano · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install nanoDebian stable package indexes · nano · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install default-editorFedora Rawhide package metadata · default-editor · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#nanonixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/na/nano/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S nanoArch Linux sync databases · nano · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install nanoopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · nano · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Chocolateyverified · 92%
choco install nanoChocolatey community package catalog · nano · source: community.chocolatey.org
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install main/nanoScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/nano.json · source: api.github.com
Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id GNU.Nano -eWindows Package Manager source index · GNU.Nano · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com
overview
Package summary
Free (GNU) replacement for the Pico text editor
Project links
Commands and aliases
- nano
- rnano
history
Project history and usage
GNU nano is the small, friendly terminal text editor that began as a free replacement for Pico and became a default-ish editor across Unix-like systems.
Project history
nano began in late 1999 when Chris Allegretta created TIP to provide a free software replacement for Pico, the editor bundled with the University of Washington's Pine mail client. The old nano FAQ says Debian's free-software standards kept Pine/Pico binaries out, leaving users who liked Pico's interface without a fully free package.
The name changed from TIP to nano on 2000-01-10 to avoid conflict with the existing Unix `tip` utility, and nano joined the GNU Project in February 2001. The project kept Pico's approachable modeless interface while adding capabilities that accumulated over time: regular-expression search, syntax highlighting, `.nanorc`, multiple buffers, UTF-8, undo/redo, line numbers, soft wrapping, file locking, and more.
Adoption history
nano's adoption story is practical rather than flashy: it became the editor many distributions could ship when they wanted a Pico-like, GPL-compatible terminal editor for beginners and recovery shells. Its interface exposed common commands at the bottom of the screen, which made it friendlier than modal editors for quick edits to config files.
Homebrew's formula page consulted on 2026-07-01 listed nano 9.1 and 39,145 installs over the prior 365 days, far above the other packages in this batch. That Mac/Linuxbrew usage reflects its role as a familiar terminal editor even on systems that already ship another editor.
How it is used
The manual describes the normal invocation as `nano [FILE]`, with optional line/column positioning, search-on-open, stdin editing via `nano -`, and configuration through nanorc files. Users edit directly because nano is modeless; control and meta key combinations handle save, exit, search, replace, cut, paste, help, and other commands.
Package nerds install nano for quick config edits, container images, remote shells, rescue environments, and scripts or docs that need an editor nearly anyone can operate. The restricted `rnano` binary is useful when an environment wants to limit file access and shell escapes.
Why package nerds care
nano is significant because it solves the packaging and UX problem Pico could not: a small, libre, approachable terminal editor with few dependencies. It is the editor people install when 'just open the file and save it' matters more than an editor culture war.
Timeline
- Late 1999: Chris Allegretta creates TIP as a free Pico replacement.
- 2000-01-10: TIP is renamed nano.
- 2001-02: nano becomes part of the GNU Project.
- 2007: nano switches to GPL-3.0-or-later licensing in the 2.0.7 era.
- 2026-06-23: nano homepage lists latest version 9.1.
- 2026-07-01: Homebrew Formulae page listed 39,145 installs over the prior 365 days.
Related projects
- Pico
- Pine
- GNU Project
- ncurses
Sources
security posture
Risk level: yellow
generalized runtime or code generation signal.
Risk classifier
yellow risk · medium confidence · runtime
Why
- generalized runtime or code generation signal
Signals
- text:repl
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
- 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.
local files
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
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
/etc/nanorc~/.nanorc$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/nano/nanorc~/.config/nano/nanorc
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
nano | cli | global executable | |
rnano | cli | global 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 version9.1
manager updated2026-06-23
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.nano-editor.org/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:nano |
|---|---|
| Version | 9.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/nano |
| Homepage | https://www.nano-editor.org/ |
| Repository | https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/nano.git |
| Upstream docs | https://www.nano-editor.org/dist/latest/nano.html |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://www.nano-editor.org/dist/v9/nano-9.1.tar.xz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-23T08:31:13Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | gettext, ncurses |
| Build dependencies | pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
| Caveats | A sample configuration file is available at $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/share/doc/nano/sample.nanorc See `man nanorc` for more information. |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | nano |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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%
nano 8.4-1+deb13u1
small, friendly text editor inspired by Pico
sudo apt install nano- Section: editors
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
Debian apt95%
nano-tiny 8.4-1+deb13u1
small, friendly text editor inspired by Pico - tiny build
sudo apt install nano-tiny- Section: editors
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: nano
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
Nix95%
nano
nix profile install nixpkgs#nano- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
Ubuntu apt95%
nano 7.2-2build1
small, friendly text editor inspired by Pico
sudo apt install nano- Section: editors
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
Ubuntu apt95%
nano-tiny 7.2-2build1
small, friendly text editor inspired by Pico - tiny build
sudo apt install nano-tiny- Section: universe/editors
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: nano
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
apk95%
nano 9.0-r0
Enhanced clone of the Pico text editor
sudo apk add nano- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nano
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
apk95%
nano-doc 9.0-r0
Enhanced clone of the Pico text editor (documentation)
sudo apk add nano-doc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nano
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
apk95%
nano-syntax 9.0-r0
Syntax highlighting definitions for nano
sudo apk add nano-syntax- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nano
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
dnf95%
default-editor 9.0-2.fc45
Metapackage for DNF group
sudo dnf install default-editor- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: nano
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
dnf95%
nano 9.0-2.fc45
A small text editor
sudo dnf install nano- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nano
- 5 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
dnf95%
nano-default-editor 9.0-2.fc45
Sets GNU nano as the default editor
sudo dnf install nano-default-editor- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: nano
- 1 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
pacman95%
nano 9.0-1
Pico editor clone with enhancements
sudo pacman -S nano- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
pacman95%
orbiton-nano 2.74.3-1
Configuration-free text editor and IDE (Nano/Pico Mode)
https://roboticoverlords.org/orbiton/
sudo pacman -S orbiton-nano- License: BSD-3-Clause
- Architecture: x86_64
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
zypper95%
nano 9.0-2.1
Pico editor clone with enhancements
sudo zypper install nano- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Productivity/Text/Editors
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nano
- 4 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
zypper95%
nano-lang 9.0-2.1
Translations for package nano
sudo zypper install nano-lang- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: System/Localization
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: nano
- 1 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
MacPorts95%
nano
sudo port install nano- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nano
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.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment