# 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 ```sh sudo av install brew:ncmpc ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install ncmpc ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install ncmpc ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: audio/ncmpc/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add ncmpc ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ncmpc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install ncmpc ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: ncmpc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install ncmpc ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ncmpc 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#ncmpc ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/nc/ncmpc/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S ncmpc ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: ncmpc from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install extras/ncmpc ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/ncmpc.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Extras/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:ncmpc - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.52 - **Source summary:** Curses Music Player Daemon (MPD) client - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - ncmpc (cli) - ncmpc (alias) ## Dependencies - fmt - gettext - libmpdclient - pcre2 ## Build dependencies - boost - gettext - meson - ninja - pkgconf ## Uses from macOS - ncurses ## 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: 0.52 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## 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 Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## 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: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/ncmpc/config, ~/.config/ncmpc/config, $SYSCONFDIR/ncmpc/config ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** ncmpc - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 1 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - ncmpc - 0.52-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: ncmpc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | ncurses-based audio player | https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/ - Debian apt - ncmpc-lyrics - 0.52-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: ncmpc-lyrics from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | ncurses-based audio player (lyrics plugins) | https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/ - Nix - ncmpc: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/nc/ncmpc/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - ncmpc - 0.49-1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ncmpc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | ncurses-based audio player | https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/ - Ubuntu apt - ncmpc-lyrics - 0.49-1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ncmpc-lyrics from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | ncurses-based audio player (lyrics plugins) | https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/ - apk - ncmpc - 0.52-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ncmpc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Ncurses client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD) | https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc - apk - ncmpc-dbg - 0.52-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ncmpc-dbg from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Ncurses client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD) (debug symbols) | https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc - apk - ncmpc-doc - 0.52-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ncmpc-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Ncurses client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD) (documentation) | https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc - apk - ncmpc-lang - 0.52-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ncmpc-lang from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Languages for package ncmpc | https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc - dnf - ncmpc - 0.52-3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ncmpc from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | A curses client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD) | https://www.musicpd.org/ - pacman - ncmpc - 0.52-3: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: ncmpc from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Fully featured MPD client which runs in a terminal | https://www.musicpd.org/clients/ncmpc/ - MacPorts - ncmpc: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: audio/ncmpc/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Scoop - extras/ncmpc: normalized package name match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/ncmpc.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Extras/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [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. - [Media and graphics packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/media-graphics-tools/) - Matched media, image, audio, video, or graphics metadata. - [gettext](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gettext/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pcre2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pcre2/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [meson](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/meson/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ninja](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ninja/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ncmpcpp](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ncmpcpp/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: audio, cli, media, mpd, music-player-client. - [rmpc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rmpc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: audio, cli, media, mpd, music-player-client. - [mpc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mpc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: audio, cli, media, mpd, music-player-client. - [mpd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mpd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: audio, cli, media, mpd. - [mpdas](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mpdas/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: audio, cli, media, mpd. - [mpdscribble](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mpdscribble/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: audio, cli, media, mpd. - [abcde](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/abcde/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: audio, cli, media. - [adplay](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/adplay/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: audio, cli, media. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/ncmpc.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/ncmpc.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