# Install ncdc with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix

NCurses direct connect. Version 1.25 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:ncdc
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install ncdc
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install ncdc
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: net/ncdc/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install ncdc
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: ncdc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

- dnf (92%):

```sh
sudo dnf install ncdc
```

  Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ncdc 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#ncdc
```

  Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/nc/ncdc/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:ncdc
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Package manager page:** <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ncdc>
- **Version:** 1.25
- **Source summary:** NCurses direct connect
- **Homepage:** <https://dev.yorhel.nl/ncdc>
- **Repository:** <https://g.blicky.net/ncdc.git>
- **Upstream docs:** <https://dev.yorhel.nl/ncdc>
- **License:** MIT
- **Source archive:** <https://dev.yorhel.nl/download/ncdc-1.25.tar.gz>
- **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00

## Executables

- ncdc (cli)
- ncdc (alias)

## Dependencies

- gettext
- glib
- gnutls
- ncurses
- sqlite

## Build dependencies

- pkgconf

## Uses from macOS

- bzip2

## 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: 1.25
- Local data: ok
- Upstream repository: https://dev.yorhel.nl/ncdc
- info: No package-manager update timestamp was available.
- info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.
## Project history and usage

ncdc is Yorhel's terminal Direct Connect client: a C, ncurses, SQLite-backed client for ADC and NMDC hubs. Its upstream page describes it as lightweight, MIT-licensed, written in C, and in passive maintenance rather than active feature development.

### Project history

The public release history starts with 1.0 on 2011-09-16, after 0.x releases earlier that month. Early releases quickly filled in serious Direct Connect client features: TLS in 0.9, multi-source downloading in 1.3, SQLite storage in 1.6, a socket/GnuTLS network backend in 1.10, IPv6 in 1.15, segmented downloads in 1.18, and later GeoIP/libloc-related updates through 1.25 on 2025-03-04.

### Adoption history

ncdc remained a niche but real package-manager tool. The upstream page links packages or ports for Arch/AUR, Debian, Fedora, FreeBSD, Guix, Gentoo, Homebrew, OpenSUSE, Ubuntu, Void, and others. The Homebrew formula API response consulted for this July 2026 batch reported 20 install-on-request events in 30 days and 280 in 365 days, which fits a specialized Direct Connect client rather than a broad daily utility.

### How it is used

Package nerd usage is classic TUI hub work: start `ncdc`, set nick/description/connection, share directories, optionally configure active mode, then `/open` a saved ADC or NMDC hub. The manual emphasizes slash commands, tab completion, persistent hub records, multiple tabs, hub chat, user lists, searching, file-list browsing, queued downloads, and bandwidth throttling.

### Why package nerds care

ncdc matters mainly as a maintained terminal-native Direct Connect client with modern-ish protocol coverage. It is not a mainstream network tool, but it is exactly the kind of package that keeps old P2P and private hub ecosystems usable from headless machines, shells, and minimal Unix desktops.

### Timeline

- 2011-09-16: ncdc 1.0 released with manual pages and client-to-client TLS support on NMDC.
- 2011-12-07: 1.6 switched storage to SQLite3.
- 2012-05-03: 1.10 rewrote the network backend around sockets and made GnuTLS required.
- 2013-03-02: 1.15 added IPv6 support.
- 2025-03-04: 1.25 added libloc-backed IP-to-country lookup support.

### Related projects

- Direct Connect, ADC, NMDC, ncurses, GnuTLS, SQLite

### Sources

- <https://dev.yorhel.nl/ncdc>
- <https://dev.yorhel.nl/ncdc/changes>
- <https://dev.yorhel.nl/ncdc/man>
- <https://formulae.brew.sh/api/formula/ncdc.json>


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals


## 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: $NCDC_DIR/db.sqlite3, ~/.ncdc/db.sqlite3

## Credential files

- Unix: $NCDC_DIR/db.sqlite3, $NCDC_DIR/cert/client.key, ~/.ncdc/db.sqlite3, ~/.ncdc/cert/client.key
## Source Database Details

- **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API
- **Tap:** homebrew/core
- **Full Name:** ncdc
- **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:** head, stable

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Debian apt - ncdc - 1.23.1-1+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: ncdc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | file sharing program using Direct Connect protocols | https://dev.yorhel.nl/ncdc
- Nix - ncdc: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/nc/ncdc/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Ubuntu apt - ncdc - 1.23.1-1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ncdc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | file sharing program using Direct Connect protocols | https://dev.yorhel.nl/ncdc
- dnf - ncdc - 1.24.1-3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ncdc from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Modern and lightweight direct connect client | http://dev.yorhel.nl/ncdc
- MacPorts - ncdc: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: net/ncdc/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## Related links

- [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.
- [gnutls](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnutls/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [ncurses](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ncurses/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [sqlite](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sqlite/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [gtk-gnutella](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gtk-gnutella/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking.
- [nicotine-plus](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nicotine-plus/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking.
- [rqbit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rqbit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking.
- [samba](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/samba/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking.
- [superseedr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/superseedr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking.
- [btpd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/btpd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking.
- [copyparty](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/copyparty/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking.
- [dufs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dufs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking.
- [phodav](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/phodav/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, file, file-sharing, gettext, glib.

## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/ncdc.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/ncdc.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