macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install ncmpclocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install ncmpcMacPorts ports tree · audio/ncmpc/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install ncmpc with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop
Curses Music Player Daemon (MPD) client. Version 0.52 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add ncmpcAlpine Linux edge package indexes · ncmpc · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install ncmpcDebian stable package indexes · ncmpc · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install ncmpcFedora Rawhide package metadata · ncmpc · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#ncmpcnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/nc/ncmpc/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S ncmpcArch Linux sync databases · ncmpc · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
Windows
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install extras/ncmpcScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/ncmpc.json · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Curses Music Player Daemon (MPD) client
Project links
Commands and aliases
- ncmpc
history
Project history and usage
ncmpc is the Music Player Daemon project's fully featured ncurses terminal client. The official client page emphasizes a keyboard-oriented, consistent interface to MPD without wasting resources.
Project history
The release history in NEWS reaches back to ncmpc 0.10.0 on 2004-04-12, with 0.10.1 adding user key bindings, a key configuration screen, resize fixes, seeking, crossfade toggling, and system-wide config files. The project evolved with MPD itself: libmpdclient 2.0 in 0.16, Unix socket and wide-character support in 0.12, Meson in 0.28, C++17 in 0.37, C++20 in 0.47, and recent 0.50-0.52 releases in 2024-2025 focused on UI fixes, newer build requirements, lyrics, and libmpdclient compatibility.
Adoption history
ncmpc is part of the core MPD client landscape rather than a standalone music ecosystem. MusicPD's client list names it as a console client and also describes ncmpcpp as tailored after ncmpc, showing ncmpc's role as the reference terminal client. The Homebrew formula API response consulted for this July 2026 batch reported only 9 install-on-request events in 30 days and 243 in 365 days, suggesting that macOS Homebrew demand is small even though the package remains important to MPD users.
How it is used
ncmpc is used after an MPD server is already running. Users connect from a terminal to browse the MPD database, search, manage the queue, edit playlists, control audio outputs, view lyrics, and customize key bindings and colors. Its value is that music playback lives in MPD while ncmpc can be opened, closed, or run remotely as a low-footprint controller.
Why package nerds care
ncmpc is the conservative MPD TUI: smaller and less flashy than ncmpcpp, but close to the MPD project and intentionally resource-light. It is the package you pick when you want the terminal client to be predictable, keyboard-first, and aligned with MPD protocol changes.
Timeline
- 2004-04-12: ncmpc 0.10.0 appears in NEWS.
- 2008-12-05: 0.12 added Unix socket support, wide characters, LIRC, and lyrics/browser improvements.
- 2009-12-25: 0.16 switched to libmpdclient 2.0.
- 2017-09-21: 0.28 switched the build to Meson.
- 2025-02-17: 0.52 fixed search, resize, cursor, and status bar issues.
Related projects
- Music Player Daemon, libmpdclient, mpc, ncmpcpp
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:client
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 4 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 5 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
$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/ncmpc/config~/.config/ncmpc/config$SYSCONFDIR/ncmpc/config
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
ncmpc | 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 version0.52
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:ncmpc |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.52 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ncmpc |
| Homepage | https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/MusicPlayerDaemon/ncmpc |
| Upstream docs | https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://www.musicpd.org/download/ncmpc/0/ncmpc-0.52.tar.xz |
| Dependencies | fmt, gettext, libmpdclient, pcre2 |
| Build dependencies | boost, gettext, meson, ninja, pkgconf |
| Uses from macOS | ncurses |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | ncmpc |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 1 |
| 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%
ncmpc 0.52-1
ncurses-based audio player
https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/
sudo apt install ncmpc- Section: sound
- Architecture: amd64
- 9 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
Debian apt95%
ncmpc-lyrics 0.52-1
ncurses-based audio player (lyrics plugins)
https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/
sudo apt install ncmpc-lyrics- Section: sound
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: ncmpc
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
Nix95%
ncmpc
nix profile install nixpkgs#ncmpc- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
Ubuntu apt95%
ncmpc 0.49-1build2
ncurses-based audio player
https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/
sudo apt install ncmpc- Section: universe/utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 8 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
Ubuntu apt95%
ncmpc-lyrics 0.49-1build2
ncurses-based audio player (lyrics plugins)
https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/
sudo apt install ncmpc-lyrics- Section: universe/sound
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: ncmpc
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
apk95%
ncmpc 0.52-r0
Ncurses client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD)
https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc
sudo apk add ncmpc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: ncmpc
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
apk95%
ncmpc-dbg 0.52-r0
Ncurses client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD) (debug symbols)
https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc
sudo apk add ncmpc-dbg- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: ncmpc
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
apk95%
ncmpc-doc 0.52-r0
Ncurses client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD) (documentation)
https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc
sudo apk add ncmpc-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: ncmpc
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
apk95%
ncmpc-lang 0.52-r0
Languages for package ncmpc
https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc
sudo apk add ncmpc-lang- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: ncmpc
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
dnf95%
ncmpc 0.52-3.fc44
A curses client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD)
sudo dnf install ncmpc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: ncmpc
- 12 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
pacman95%
ncmpc 0.52-3
Fully featured MPD client which runs in a terminal
https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/
sudo pacman -S ncmpc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 12 dependencies
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
MacPorts95%
ncmpc
sudo port install ncmpc- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
Scoop95%
extras/ncmpc
scoop install extras/ncmpc- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Ncmpc
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