install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install ncmpcpp

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install ncmpcpp

MacPorts ports tree · audio/ncmpcpp/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add ncmpcpp

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · ncmpcpp · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install ncmpcpp

Debian stable package indexes · ncmpcpp · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install ncmpcpp

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · ncmpcpp · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#ncmpcpp

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/nc/ncmpcpp/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S ncmpcpp

Arch Linux sync databases · ncmpcpp · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install ncmpcpp

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · ncmpcpp · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Ncurses-based client for the Music Player Daemon

Project links

Commands and aliases

ncmpcpp

history

Project history and usage

ncmpcpp, NCurses Music Player Client Plus Plus, is a featureful ncurses client for Music Player Daemon inspired by ncmpc. Its upstream README says the project is in maintenance mode, feature-complete for maintainer Andrzej Rybczak, with serious bugs and dependency breakage still in scope.

Project history

The release notes on the upstream site show rapid 0.1-0.5 growth during 2008-2010: media library, lyrics, playlist editor, tag editor, local browser, Last.fm artist info, visualizer, alternative UI, libmpdclient2, idle support, and many configuration options. The 0.6 beta series in 2014 redesigned keybindings, added readline support, removed polling mode, and required MPD >= 0.16; the 0.7 line in 2015-2016 added richer visualizer modes, 256-color/background customization, multiple config files, action chains, and compatibility with newer MPD.

Adoption history

ncmpcpp became one of the iconic MPD terminal clients because it adds the features many MPD users want beyond a minimal queue browser: library views, tag editing, lyrics, visualizer support, and deep theming. The GitHub page observed for this batch showed about 2.5k stars and 237 forks. The Homebrew formula API response consulted for this July 2026 batch reported 45 install-on-request events in 30 days and 1,602 in 365 days.

How it is used

Package nerds use ncmpcpp as the full-screen MPD cockpit: keyboard-driven queue control, database browsing, media-library navigation, playlist editing, tag cleanup with TagLib, lyrics fetching, optional FFTW-backed visualizer output, and heavily customized config/bindings under `~/.ncmpcpp` or XDG config paths. It is especially associated with riced terminal desktops where MPD handles playback and ncmpcpp provides the visible music UI.

Why package nerds care

ncmpcpp is significant because it became the expressive counterpart to ncmpc. In MPD setups, it is the client people screenshot, theme, and wire into terminal-based desktops, while still speaking the same MPD model: a persistent daemon with replaceable clients.

Timeline

2008-08-07: 0.1.1 appeared in the release notes with example config and customization improvements.
2008-09-20: 0.2.3 added the complex tag editor and Last.fm artist info.
2009-09-09: 0.4 added visualizer modes and an alternative UI.
2014-09-03: 0.6_beta1 redesigned keybindings and required MPD >= 0.16.
2021-01-24: 0.9.2 fixed regressions around external commands and password prompts.
2024-10-24: 0.10.1 fixed libc++ compilation and an empty-playlist reverse crash.

Related projects

Music Player Daemon, ncmpc, libmpdclient, TagLib, FFTW, Last.fm

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 7 runtime dependencies.
Build metadata lists 4 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/ncmpcpp/config~/.ncmpcpp/config

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`ncmpcpp`	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 version0.10.1

manager updated2026-06-25

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detected0.10.1

https://github.com/ncmpcpp/ncmpcpp

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:ncmpcpp
Version	0.10.1
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ncmpcpp
Homepage	https://rybczak.net/ncmpcpp/
Repository	https://github.com/ncmpcpp/ncmpcpp
Upstream docs	https://rybczak.net/ncmpcpp
License	GPL-2.0-or-later
Source archive	https://github.com/ncmpcpp/ncmpcpp/archive/refs/tags/0.10.1.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-25T13:37:56+02:00
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	boost, fftw, icu4c@78, libmpdclient, ncurses, readline, taglib
Build dependencies	autoconf, automake, libtool, pkgconf
Uses from macOS	curl
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	ncmpcpp
Version Scheme	0
Revision	7
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

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%

ncmpcpp 0.9.2-2.2+b1

ncurses-based client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD)

https://github.com/ncmpcpp/ncmpcpp

sudo apt install ncmpcpp

Section: sound
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: ncmpcpp
14 dependencies
2 provides
2 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ncmpcpp

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

Nix95%

ncmpcpp

nix profile install nixpkgs#ncmpcpp

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ncmpcpp

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

Ubuntu apt95%

ncmpcpp 0.9.2-2build9

ncurses-based client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD)

https://ncmpcpp.rybczak.net

sudo apt install ncmpcpp

Section: universe/sound
Architecture: amd64
15 dependencies
2 provides
2 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ncmpcpp

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ncmpcpp from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

apk95%

ncmpcpp 0.10.1-r4

Ncurses based MPD client inspired by ncmpc

http://rybczak.net/ncmpcpp

sudo apk add ncmpcpp

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: ncmpcpp
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ncmpcpp

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ncmpcpp from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

ncmpcpp-doc 0.10.1-r4

Ncurses based MPD client inspired by ncmpc (documentation)

http://rybczak.net/ncmpcpp

sudo apk add ncmpcpp-doc

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: ncmpcpp
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ncmpcpp

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ncmpcpp-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

dnf95%

ncmpcpp 0.10.1-10.fc45

Featureful ncurses based MPD client inspired by ncmpc

http://ncmpcpp.rybczak.net/

sudo dnf install ncmpcpp

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: ncmpcpp
19 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ncmpcpp

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ncmpcpp from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

pacman95%

ncmpcpp 0.10.1-8

Featureful ncurses based MPD client inspired by ncmpc

https://github.com/ncmpcpp/ncmpcpp

sudo pacman -S ncmpcpp

License: GPL-2.0-only
Architecture: x86_64
22 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ncmpcpp

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: ncmpcpp from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

zypper95%

ncmpcpp 0.10.1-1.7

Music Player Daemon Client

https://rybczak.net/ncmpcpp

sudo zypper install ncmpcpp

License: GPL-2.0-only
Category: Productivity/Multimedia/Sound/Players
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: ncmpcpp
19 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ncmpcpp

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: ncmpcpp from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

ncmpcpp

sudo port install ncmpcpp

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ncmpcpp

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: audio/ncmpcpp/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

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.

combined/ncmpcpp.yml

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

Install ncmpcpp with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

Risk level: blue

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

Recommended review

Configuration and credential file locations

Configuration files

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Related tools

Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources