install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install ne

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install ne

MacPorts ports tree · editors/ne/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install ne

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

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install ne

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#ne

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

overview

Package summary

Text editor based on the POSIX standard

Project links

Commands and aliases

ne

history

Project history and usage

ne, the nice editor, is Sebastiano Vigna's small POSIX terminal editor for users who want something easier than vi and lighter than emacs. The project emphasizes portability, low resource use, configurable menus and keybindings, syntax highlighting, UTF-8 support, regular expressions, autocomplete, and large-file support.

Project history

The ne README says it was originally developed on the Amiga, inspired by Martin Taillefer's TurboText, and later moved to Linux. Todd Lewis joined development with features written for the University of North Carolina, and Daniele Filaretti helped with syntax highlighting.

Sebastiano Vigna's software page says ne had a measure of success among UN*X users who disliked vi or emacs, which matches the editor's niche: conventional shortcuts and menus, but still a terminal-native Unix program.

Adoption history

ne is widely packaged for an editor of its size. The upstream README links Fedora, Debian, Ubuntu, OpenBSD, MacPorts, Homebrew, and Haiku ports. Debian describes it as easy for beginners and powerful enough for advanced users, with UTF-8, multi-column character support, syntax highlighting, and configurable menus and keybindings.

On July 1, 2026, GitHub showed 568 stars and 36 forks for vigna/ne. Homebrew Formulae listed stable 3.3.4 and 149 installs in its 365-day analytics window.

How it is used

Users install `ne` as a low-friction terminal editor for remote sessions, rescue environments, small systems, and people who do not want modal vi. The appeal is that common operations use familiar control-key shortcuts while advanced users can customize menus, keys, macros, syntax rules, and extension-specific preferences.

Its package metadata is especially helpful because it exposes real config locations such as `~/.ne/.keys`, `~/.ne/.menus`, `~/.ne/.extensions`, `~/.ne/.default#ap`, and `~/.ne/syntax/`.

Why package nerds care

ne is not a dominant editor, but it is a durable counterexample to the idea that terminal editing means either vi or emacs. For package indexes, it belongs in the small-editor lineage with Joe, nano, micro, and other tools that trade ecosystem gravity for immediate usability.

Timeline

{'date': '1993', 'event': 'Commonly reported first release year for ne; upstream describes its origin on Amiga before the move to Linux.'}
{'date': '2015-04-17', 'event': 'vigna/ne repository creation date reported by the GitHub API.'}
{'date': '2025-02-06', 'event': 'Version 3.3.4 date reported by package metadata sources.'}
{'date': '2026-07-01', 'event': 'Homebrew Formulae listed stable 3.3.4 and 149 installs in the 365-day analytics window.'}

Related projects

TurboText
Joe editor
vi
emacs
nano
micro

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 8 platform targets.
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: ~/.ne/.keys~/.ne/.menus~/.ne/.extensions~/.ne/.default#ap~/.ne/syntax/

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`ne`	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 version3.3.4

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detected3.3.4

https://github.com/vigna/ne

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:ne
Version	3.3.4
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ne
Homepage	https://ne.di.unimi.it/
Repository	https://github.com/vigna/ne
Upstream docs	https://github.com/vigna/ne#readme
License	GPL-3.0-only
Source archive	https://github.com/vigna/ne/archive/refs/tags/3.3.4.tar.gz
Build dependencies	texinfo
Uses from macOS	ncurses
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, 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	ne
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

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%

ne 3.3.3-1

easy-to-use and powerful text editor

https://ne.di.unimi.it/

sudo apt install ne

Section: editors
Architecture: amd64
2 dependencies
1 provides
1 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ne

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

Debian apt95%

ne-doc 3.3.3-1

documentation for the ne text editor

https://ne.di.unimi.it/

sudo apt install ne-doc

Section: doc
Architecture: all
Source Package: ne
1 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ne

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

Nix95%

ne

nix profile install nixpkgs#ne

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ne

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

Ubuntu apt95%

ne 3.3.2-1

easy-to-use and powerful text editor

https://ne.di.unimi.it/

sudo apt install ne

Section: universe/editors
Architecture: amd64
2 dependencies
1 provides
1 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ne

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

Ubuntu apt95%

ne-doc 3.3.2-1

documentation for the ne text editor

https://ne.di.unimi.it/

sudo apt install ne-doc

Section: universe/doc
Architecture: all
Source Package: ne
1 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ne

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

dnf95%

ne 3.3.4-3.fc44

ne, the nice editor

https://ne.di.unimi.it/

sudo dnf install ne

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: ne
4 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ne

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

dnf95%

ne-doc 3.3.4-3.fc44

Documentation for ne, the nice editor

https://ne.di.unimi.it/

sudo dnf install ne-doc

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: noarch
Source Package: ne
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ne

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

MacPorts95%

ne

sudo port install ne

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ne

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: editors/ne/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/ne.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 ne with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix

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: green

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