# Install nickel with Homebrew, apk, Nix, pacman Better configuration for less. Version 1.17.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-04. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:nickel ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install nickel ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add nickel ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nickel from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#nickel ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ni/nickel/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S nickel ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: nickel from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:nickel - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.17.0 - **Source summary:** Better configuration for less - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-04T16:53:44+09:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-10T07:20:53+00:00 ## Executables - nickel (cli) - nickel (alias) ## Build dependencies - rust ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-10 - Package-manager version: 1.17.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-07-04 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/nickel-lang/nickel - Upstream latest detected: 1.17.0 (current) ## Project history and usage Nickel is Tweag's configuration language: a programmable, typed-when-useful, contract-aware alternative to plain JSON/YAML/TOML for generating static configuration. ### Project history Tweag's October 22, 2020 open-sourcing post framed Nickel as the answer to what the Nix language might look like if separated from the Nix package manager and improved with experience from the Nix community. The repository rationale says Nickel originated as an effort to detach the Nix expression language from the package manager while adding typing and improving modularity. Nickel 1.0 was announced on May 17, 2023. A February 19, 2026 Tweag retrospective says Nickel 1.0 shipped in May 2023 and that subsequent releases added algebraic data types, richer pattern matching, field punning, let blocks, contract improvements, `nickel test`, JSON/YAML/TOML interop improvements, package management, and expanded binary distribution. ### Adoption history Nickel sits in the configuration-language niche alongside Nix, CUE, Dhall, Jsonnet, Starlark, and Pkl. The upstream README lists ecosystem projects for Kubernetes contracts, Terraform-Nickel, Bazel rules, JSON Schema conversion, editor tooling, and the Nickel language server. Homebrew analytics on July 1, 2026 reported 244 install-on-request events over 365 days, so Homebrew adoption is modest. The broader adoption signal is stronger in Nix/Tweag-adjacent infrastructure work, where the project is useful as a standalone configuration language and as a way to generate or validate existing config formats. ### How it is used Users install the `nickel` binary, evaluate `.ncl` files with `nickel eval`, export to formats such as JSON/YAML/TOML, open a REPL, query field metadata, or use contracts as runtime schemas. Package nerds are especially interested in Nickel because it tries to keep Nix-like expressiveness while making schemas, validation, and editor feedback first-class. The package also matters as a library and tooling surface: the 2026 retrospective mentions Python bindings, C and Go bindings, a stable Rust API, package management through `Nickel-pkg.ncl`, and up-to-date packages in nixpkgs, Arch Linux, and Homebrew. ### Timeline - {'date': '2020-10-22', 'event': 'Tweag published the Nickel open-sourcing announcement.'} - {'date': '2023-05-17', 'event': 'Nickel 1.0 release announced.'} - {'date': '2026-02-19', 'event': 'Tweag published a post summarizing Nickel changes since 1.0.'} - {'date': '2026-07-01', 'event': 'Homebrew API listed stable version 1.17.0.'} ### Related projects - Nix - CUE - Dhall - Jsonnet - Starlark - Pkl - nickel-kubernetes - Terraform-Nickel - rules_nickel ### Sources - - - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** nickel - **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 - Nix - nickel: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ni/nickel/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - apk - nickel - 1.16.0-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nickel from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Generic configuration language for less | https://nickel-lang.org/ - apk - nickel-doc - 1.16.0-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nickel-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Generic configuration language for less (documentation) | https://nickel-lang.org/ - apk - nickel-language-server - 1.16.0-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nickel-language-server from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | LSP server for Nickel configuration language | https://nickel-lang.org/ - apk - py3-nickel - 1.16.0-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: py3-nickel from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Python 3 bindings for nickel | https://nickel-lang.org/ - apk - py3-nickel-pyc - 1.16.0-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: py3-nickel-pyc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Precompiled Python bytecode for py3-nickel | https://nickel-lang.org/ - pacman - nickel - 1.17.0-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: nickel from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | A generic configuration language | https://nickel-lang.org ## Related links - [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. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [rust](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rust/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [dhall](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dhall/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, configuration-language, language-runtime. - [boa](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/boa/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, language-runtime, rust. - [erg](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/erg/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, language-runtime, rust. - [gluon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gluon/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, language-runtime, rust. - [lune](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lune/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, language-runtime, rust. - [rhai](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rhai/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, language-runtime, rust. - [rune](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rune/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, language-runtime, rust. - [cue](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cue/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, configuration, language, language-runtime, runtime. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/nickel.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/nickel.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