# Install nox with Homebrew, apt, dnf, Nix Flexible test automation for Python. Version 2026.4.10 via Homebrew; verified 2026-04-11. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:nox ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install nox ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install nox ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: nox from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install nox ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: nox 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#nox ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/no/nox/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:nox - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2026.4.10 - **Source summary:** Flexible test automation for Python - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** Apache-2.0 - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-04-11T22:45:36Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - nox (cli) - nox (alias) ## Dependencies - certifi - python@3.14 ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on all ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2026.4.10 - Package-manager updated: 2026-04-11 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://nox.thea.codes/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage Nox is a Python test and automation runner in the same problem family as tox, but its distinguishing choice is that configuration is ordinary Python in a noxfile.py rather than an INI-style matrix. The repository was created on GitHub on 2016-02-24, and PyPI release files show published package history beginning on 2018-08-24. ### Project history The project centers on sessions: decorated Python functions that create an environment, install dependencies, and run commands. The official documentation describes noxfile.py as the default configuration file and shows @nox.session functions as the core interface, including support for multiple Python interpreters, virtualenv backends, parametrization, tags, and session selection. Nox has continued to track Python packaging and CI changes. The 2026.04.10 changelog entry records the drop of Python 3.8 support for running Nox, adds nox --usage, and includes fixes around virtualenv recreation and tag/keyword selection. ### Adoption history Nox became a recognizable Python packaging tool for projects that want programmable test sessions and CI tasks. The GitHub repository metadata consulted for this batch reported about 1.5k stars and 183 forks, and the project is packaged by Homebrew, Debian, Fedora/DNF, Nix, and Ubuntu in the input record. Homebrew formula analytics for the nox formula reported 665 installs over the 365-day window exposed by the formula API. That is only a Homebrew signal, not total ecosystem use; PyPI is the more natural distribution channel for most Nox users. ### How it is used Package nerds use Nox as a programmable task runner for Python projects: test matrices, linters, docs builds, release checks, and CI parity. A common pattern is to install Nox globally with pipx, keep project behavior in noxfile.py, and run nox, nox -s tests, nox -l, or selected tagged sessions. Its practical appeal is that any Python logic available to the project can shape the automation. That makes it a good fit when tox-style declarative matrices become awkward, while still keeping the familiar workflow of isolated environments per task or interpreter. ### Why package nerds care Nox is significant because it occupies the 'programmable tox' niche in Python tooling. It is not a package manager, but it is often part of the release engineering layer around packages: build checks, wheel tests, docs, linting, and CI matrix commands. ### Timeline - 2016-02-24: GitHub repository wntrblm/nox created. - 2018-08-24: Earliest PyPI upload timestamp found in the PyPI JSON release files. - 2026-04-10: Nox 2026.04.10 published, dropping Python 3.8 support for running Nox and adding nox --usage. ### Related projects - tox - virtualenv - pipx - uv - GitHub Actions ### 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: noxfile.py ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** nox - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - nox - 2024.04.15-3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: nox from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Flexible test automation | https://github.com/theacodes/nox/ - Nix - nox: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/no/nox/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - nox - 2023.04.22-2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: nox from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Flexible test automation | https://github.com/theacodes/nox/ - dnf - nox - 2026.04.10-2.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: nox from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Flexible test automation | https://github.com/wntrblm/nox - dnf - nox+tox_to_nox - 2026.04.10-2.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: nox+tox_to_nox from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Metapackage for nox: tox_to_nox extras | https://github.com/wntrblm/nox ## 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. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [python@3.14](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/python-3-14/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [tox](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tox/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, ci, cli, developer-tools, python. - [robot-framework](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/robot-framework/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, developer-tools, python, testing. - [tmt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tmt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, developer-tools, python, testing. - [cargo-nextest](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cargo-nextest/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: ci, cli, developer-tools, testing. - [chart-testing](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/chart-testing/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: ci, cli, developer-tools, testing. - [clitest](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/clitest/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, developer-tools, testing. - [flank](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/flank/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: ci, cli, developer-tools, testing. - [gcovr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gcovr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, python, testing. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/nox.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/nox.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