# Install ne with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix Text editor based on the POSIX standard. Version 3.3.4 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:ne ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install ne ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install ne ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: editors/ne/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install ne ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: ne from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install ne ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ne 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#ne ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ne/ne/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:ne - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 3.3.4 - **Source summary:** Text editor based on the POSIX standard - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-only - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - ne (cli) - ne (alias) ## Build dependencies - texinfo ## Uses from macOS - ncurses ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 3.3.4 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/vigna/ne - Upstream latest detected: 3.3.4 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## 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 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: ~/.ne/.keys, ~/.ne/.menus, ~/.ne/.extensions, ~/.ne/.default#ap, ~/.ne/syntax/ ## 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:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - ne - 3.3.3-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: ne from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | easy-to-use and powerful text editor | https://ne.di.unimi.it/ - Debian apt - ne-doc - 3.3.3-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: ne-doc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | documentation for the ne text editor | https://ne.di.unimi.it/ - Nix - ne: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ne/ne/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - ne - 3.3.2-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ne from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | easy-to-use and powerful text editor | https://ne.di.unimi.it/ - Ubuntu apt - ne-doc - 3.3.2-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ne-doc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | documentation for the ne text editor | https://ne.di.unimi.it/ - dnf - ne - 3.3.4-3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ne from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | ne, the nice editor | https://ne.di.unimi.it/ - dnf - ne-doc - 3.3.4-3.fc44: normalized package name match | 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 | Documentation for ne, the nice editor | https://ne.di.unimi.it/ - MacPorts - ne: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: editors/ne/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. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Productivity CLI packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/productivity-cli-packages/) - Matched curated productivity category metadata from av.db. - [texinfo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/texinfo/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [jove](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jove/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors, unix. - [le](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/le/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, terminal, text-editor, text-editors. - [ox](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ox/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, terminal, text-editor, text-editors. - [ad](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ad/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. - [aoeui](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aoeui/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. - [gedit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gedit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. - [mg](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mg/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. - [neatvi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/neatvi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/ne.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/ne.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