# Install neko with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, zypper High-level, dynamically typed programming language. Version 2.4.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-25. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:neko ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install neko ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install neko ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: lang/neko/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add neko ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: neko from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install libapache2-mod-neko ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: libapache2-mod-neko from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#neko ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ne/neko/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S neko ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: neko from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install libneko2 ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: libneko2 from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ### Windows - Chocolatey (92%): ```sh choco install neko ``` Evidence: Chocolatey community package catalog: neko from http://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='11','naps2' - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install main/neko ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/neko.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:neko - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.4.1 - **Source summary:** High-level, dynamically typed programming language - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-25T13:37:56+02:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - neko (cli) - nekoc (cli) - nekoml (cli) - nekotools (cli) - neko (alias) - nekoc (alias) - nekoml (alias) - nekotools (alias) ## Dependencies - bdw-gc - mariadb-connector-c - mbedtls@3 - pcre2 ## Build dependencies - cmake - pkgconf ## Uses from macOS - apr - sqlite ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Caveats: You must add the following line to your .bashrc or equivalent: export NEKOPATH="$HOMEBREW_PREFIX/lib/neko" - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.4.1 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-25 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/HaxeFoundation/neko - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage Neko is both a small dynamically typed programming language and a virtual machine designed as a common runtime for multiple languages. In package-manager practice, it is most historically tied to Haxe, which supported compilation to Neko bytecode before HashLink became the preferred successor target. ### Project history The Neko website says it was developed as part of Motion-Twin's research and development work on better languages by Nicolas Cannasse. The same site describes the compiler as producing `.n` bytecode executed by the VM, with a lightweight embeddable runtime and a C foreign-function interface. The Haxe manual records Neko as a VM originally designed for Haxe and says it was superseded by HashLink, introduced with Haxe 3.4. Nicolas Cannasse's 2016 HashLink article adds the historical detail that Neko was designed before Haxe and intended for several languages, but in practice NekoML and Haxe were the two that targeted it. ### Adoption history Neko's adoption followed Haxe's early toolchain and server/runtime story rather than becoming a mainstream standalone language. The Neko GitHub repository's README marked the project deprecated on 2021-09-09, saying it is no longer actively maintained and is kept compatible with existing Haxe standard-library and language features. Despite that deprecation, package-manager usage persists because old Haxe projects, tooling, and runtime integrations still need it. Homebrew listed stable version 2.4.1 and showed 1,052 installs over 365 days, 174 over 90 days, and 72 over 30 days when checked on 2026-07-01. The GitHub API showed 584 stars and 110 forks the same day. ### How it is used Users install `neko`, `nekoc`, `nekoml`, and `nekotools` to run Neko bytecode, compile `.neko` sources, support legacy Haxe targets, or work with Neko's bundled libraries and Apache module history. Homebrew's formula notes the `NEKOPATH` environment variable, which matters because Neko expects to find its runtime libraries. For package nerds, Neko is less about new application development and more about keeping an older cross-language VM and Haxe target buildable. Its dependencies on a garbage collector, regex, TLS, database, and build tooling also show the VM's broader ambition as an embeddable and server-capable runtime. ### Why package nerds care Neko is significant as an early piece of the Haxe ecosystem and a predecessor to HashLink. It is a good example of a package that remains useful after deprecation because language ecosystems have long tails of bytecode targets, build scripts, and runtime assumptions. ### Timeline - 2005: Haxe started; Neko predates or overlaps the earliest Haxe runtime design work. - 2013-05-25: HaxeFoundation/neko GitHub repository created. - 2016-11-22: HashLink article described HashLink as the successor to NekoVM for Haxe system/server/desktop applications. - 2021-09-09: Neko README marked the project deprecated and not actively maintained. - 2026-07-01: Homebrew formula stable version observed as 2.4.1. ### Related projects - Haxe - HashLink - NekoML - Motion-Twin - mod_neko ### Sources - - - - - - - ## Security Notes generalized runtime or code generation signal. - **Geiger risk:** yellow / medium - generalized runtime or code generation signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** neko - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 1 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - libapache2-mod-neko - 2.4.0-2+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libapache2-mod-neko from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Apache module for running server-side Neko programs | https://nekovm.org - Debian apt - libneko2 - 2.4.0-2+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libneko2 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Lightweight virtual machine - shared library | https://nekovm.org - Debian apt - neko - 2.4.0-2+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: neko from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Lightweight virtual machine - compiler and tools | https://nekovm.org - Debian apt - neko-dev - 2.4.0-2+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: neko-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Lightweight virtual machine - headers | https://nekovm.org - Nix - neko: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ne/neko/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - libapache2-mod-neko - 2.3.0-2build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libapache2-mod-neko from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Apache module for running server-side Neko programs | https://nekovm.org - Ubuntu apt - libneko2 - 2.3.0-2build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libneko2 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Lightweight virtual machine - shared library | https://nekovm.org - Ubuntu apt - neko - 2.3.0-2build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: neko from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Lightweight virtual machine - compiler and tools | https://nekovm.org - Ubuntu apt - neko-dev - 2.3.0-2build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: neko-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Lightweight virtual machine - headers | https://nekovm.org - apk - neko - 2.4.1-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: neko from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | The Neko Virtual Machine | https://nekovm.org/ - apk - neko-dev - 2.4.1-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: neko-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | The Neko Virtual Machine (development files) | https://nekovm.org/ - apk - neko-doc - 2.4.1-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: neko-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | The Neko Virtual Machine (documentation) | https://nekovm.org/ - pacman - neko - 2.4.1-4: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: neko from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | High-level dynamically typed programming language | https://nekovm.org/ - zypper - libneko2 - 2.4.1-2.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: libneko2 from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Neko virtual machine shared library | https://nekovm.org - zypper - neko - 2.4.1-2.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: neko from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | A cross-platform lightweight virtual machine and language | https://nekovm.org - zypper - neko-devel - 2.4.1-2.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: neko-devel from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Development files for the Neko virtual machine | https://nekovm.org ## 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. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [mariadb-connector-c](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mariadb-connector-c/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [mbedtls@3](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mbedtls-3/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pcre2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pcre2/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [cmake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cmake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [haxe](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/haxe/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [erlang](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/erlang/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, language-runtime, programming-language, virtual-machines. - [algol68g](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/algol68g/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [befunge93](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/befunge93/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [brainfuck](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/brainfuck/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [dart-sdk](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dart-sdk/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, language-runtime, programming-language, virtual-machine. - [gambit-scheme](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gambit-scheme/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [gauche](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gauche/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [gnu-apl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnu-apl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, interpreter, language-runtime, programming-language. - [crystal](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/crystal/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: bdw, bdw-gc, cli, language, language-runtime. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/neko.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/neko.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - 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