macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install newsboatlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install newsboatMacPorts ports tree · net/newsboat/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install newsboat with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
RSS/Atom feed reader for text terminals. Version 2.44 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-21.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add newsboatAlpine Linux edge package indexes · newsboat · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install newsboatDebian stable package indexes · newsboat · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install newsboatFedora Rawhide package metadata · newsboat · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#newsboatnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ne/newsboat/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S newsboatArch Linux sync databases · newsboat · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install newsboatopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · newsboat · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
RSS/Atom feed reader for text terminals
Project links
Commands and aliases
- newsboat
- podboat
history
Project history and usage
Newsboat is the actively maintained terminal RSS/Atom feed reader that continued the Newsbeuter line. It keeps the keyboard-driven, Unix-text-file style of Newsbeuter while adding maintained releases, documentation, packaging, sync backends, podcast support through Podboat, OPML import/export, filters, query feeds, and detailed configuration.
Project history
Newsboat exists because Newsbeuter, Andreas Krennmair's older text-console feed reader, stopped being maintained. The old Newsbeuter repository now points users to Newsboat, and Newsboat's official site describes the project as an actively maintained fork. The name is an intentional play on Newsbeuter, keeping continuity while making clear that it is the maintained successor.
Adoption history
Newsboat became the default answer for users who still want RSS without a browser, web service, or GUI. It is packaged across mainstream Unix-like distributions and Homebrew, and its own docs cover Linux, FreeBSD, and macOS. Its adoption is durable because it fills the same niche as Mutt or Vim-style tools: a local, scriptable reader controlled by plain text files.
Homebrew analytics reported 488 installs in 30 days, 928 in 90 days, and 4,393 in 365 days for the formula when queried on July 1, 2026. The official site listed version 2.44 as released on June 21, 2026, showing an active release stream years after the fork.
How it is used
Package nerds use Newsboat by maintaining a urls file and a config file, often under XDG paths, then wiring it into the rest of their terminal environment. Common setups point the browser command to Firefox, open, mpv, urlscan, or custom scripts; import feeds through OPML; use query feeds for unread/starred subsets; and run Podboat or external media tools for podcast enclosures.
The practical appeal is control: feeds are local, cached, searchable, and usable offline; refreshes use feed metadata such as ETag and Last-Modified where available; and service integrations let users sync with systems such as Tiny Tiny RSS, NewsBlur, Inoreader, Nextcloud News, and similar readers.
Why package nerds care
Newsboat is one of the canonical terminal RSS packages. It matters less because RSS is fashionable and more because it is stable infrastructure for people who treat subscriptions as a personal data file instead of a hosted timeline.
Timeline
- 2007: Newsbeuter began the lineage that Newsboat later continued.
- 2017: Newsboat emerged as the maintained fork after Newsbeuter was abandoned.
- 2026-06-21: Newsboat 2.44 was released according to the official Newsboat site.
- 2026-07-01: Homebrew formula version observed as 2.44, with 4,393 formula installs over the preceding 365-day analytics window.
Related projects
- Newsbeuter
- Podboat
- Tiny Tiny RSS
- NewsBlur
- Inoreader
- Nextcloud News
- Snownews
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 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 6 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
$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/newsboat/config$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/newsboat/urls~/.newsboat/config~/.newsboat/urls
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
newsboat | cli | global executable | |
podboat | 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 version2.44
manager updated2026-06-21
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://newsboat.org/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:newsboat |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.44 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/newsboat |
| Homepage | https://newsboat.org/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/newsboat/newsboat |
| Upstream docs | https://newsboat.org/releases/2.43/docs/newsboat.html |
| License | MIT |
| Source archive | https://newsboat.org/releases/2.44/newsboat-2.44.tar.xz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-21T12:48:32Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | gettext, json-c |
| Build dependencies | asciidoctor, gettext, make, pkgconf, rust, xz |
| Uses from macOS | curl, libxml2, libxslt, ncurses, sqlite |
| 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 | newsboat |
| 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 |
|
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%
newsboat 2.36-1.1
text mode rss feed reader with podcast support
sudo apt install newsboat- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- 10 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Newsboat
Nix95%
newsboat
nix profile install nixpkgs#newsboat- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Newsboat
apk95%
newsboat 2.43-r0
RSS/Atom feed reader for text terminals
sudo apk add newsboat- License: MIT
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: newsboat
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Newsboat
apk95%
newsboat-doc 2.43-r0
RSS/Atom feed reader for text terminals (documentation)
sudo apk add newsboat-doc- License: MIT
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: newsboat
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Newsboat
apk95%
newsboat-fish-completion 2.43-r0
Fish completions for newsboat
sudo apk add newsboat-fish-completion- License: MIT
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: newsboat
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Newsboat
apk95%
newsboat-lang 2.43-r0
Languages for package newsboat
sudo apk add newsboat-lang- License: MIT
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: newsboat
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Newsboat
dnf95%
newsboat 2.43-1.fc45
RSS/Atom feed reader for the text console
sudo dnf install newsboat- License: MIT
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: newsboat
- 12 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Newsboat
pacman95%
newsboat 2.43-1
RSS/Atom feed reader for text terminals
sudo pacman -S newsboat- License: MIT
- Architecture: x86_64
- 6 dependencies
- 7 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Newsboat
zypper95%
newsboat 2.43-1.3
RSS/Atom Feed Reader for Text Terminals
sudo zypper install newsboat- License: MIT
- Category: Productivity/Networking/Web/Browsers
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: newsboat
- 11 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Newsboat
zypper95%
newsboat-lang 2.43-1.3
Translations for package newsboat
sudo zypper install newsboat-lang- License: MIT
- Category: System/Localization
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: newsboat
- 1 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Newsboat
MacPorts95%
newsboat
sudo port install newsboat- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Newsboat
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.
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