macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install nsnakelocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install nsnake with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, zypper
Classic snake game with textual interface. Version 3.0.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add nsnakeAlpine Linux edge package indexes · nsnake · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install nsnakeDebian stable package indexes · nsnake · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install nsnakeFedora Rawhide package metadata · nsnake · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#nsnakenixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ns/nsnake/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install nsnakeopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · nsnake · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Classic snake game with textual interface
Project links
Commands and aliases
- nsnake
history
Project history and usage
nSnake is a terminal implementation of the classic Snake game, built with ncurses and distributed as a command-line game. The upstream README describes it as a text-interface clone with customizable gameplay, appearance, key bindings, levels, multiple modes, and per-setting scores.
Project history
The GitHub repository was created on January 26, 2012. The release history shows a transition from a simpler C/ncurses game to a larger C++ version: v1.7 on February 18, 2014 was described as the last old release, v2.0.0 on March 6, 2014 was a substantial rewrite with customizable rules and interface work, and v3.0.0 on July 28, 2014 added custom levels and scrolling maps.
Adoption history
nSnake is a small terminal-game package rather than infrastructure, but it is widely packaged enough to show durable hobbyist adoption: Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora-family packages, Nix, Alpine, and openSUSE all carry it. Homebrew's formula API reports far more installs than several other niche CLI packages in this batch, consistent with a discoverable toy/tool package.
How it is used
Users install it from a package manager and run `nsnake` in a terminal. The default controls are arrow keys to move, `p` to pause, `h` for help, and `q` to quit; settings and scores live under `~/.local/share/nsnake`, and custom levels use `.nsnake` files under the user's levels directory.
Why package nerds care
nSnake is notable as the kind of polished ncurses game distributions like to keep: tiny, self-contained, playable over SSH or a local terminal, and useful as both a nostalgia package and an example of terminal UI game programming.
Timeline
- 2012-01-26: GitHub repository created.
- 2014-02-18: v1.7 release marked the last old release before the rewrite.
- 2014-03-06: v2.0.0 release reprogrammed much of the game and added richer customization.
- 2014-07-28: v3.0.0 release added levels, scrolling levels, and broader high-score tracking.
- 2026-07-01: Homebrew formula API reports stable version 3.0.1.
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 13 platform targets.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
nsnake | 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 version3.0.1
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/alexdantas/nSnake
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/alexdantas/nSnakenone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:nsnake |
|---|---|
| Version | 3.0.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/nsnake |
| Homepage | https://github.com/alexdantas/nSnake |
| Repository | https://github.com/alexdantas/nSnake |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/alexdantas/nSnake#readme |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/nsnake/GNU-Linux/nsnake-3.0.1.tar.gz |
| Uses from macOS | ncurses |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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 | nsnake |
| 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%
nsnake 3.0.1-2.2
classic snake game on the terminal
sudo apt install nsnake- Section: games
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nsnake
Nix95%
nsnake
nix profile install nixpkgs#nsnake- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nsnake
Ubuntu apt95%
nsnake 3.0.1-2.1
classic snake game on the terminal
sudo apt install nsnake- Section: universe/games
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nsnake
apk95%
nsnake 3.0.0-r0
snake game for your terminal
http://projects.malikania.fr/nsnake
sudo apk add nsnake- License: ISC
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nsnake
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nsnake
apk95%
nsnake-doc 3.0.0-r0
snake game for your terminal (documentation)
http://projects.malikania.fr/nsnake
sudo apk add nsnake-doc- License: ISC
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nsnake
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nsnake
dnf95%
nsnake 3.0.1-24.fc44
The classic snake game with textual interface
https://github.com/alexdantas/nSnake
sudo dnf install nsnake- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nsnake
- 7 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nsnake
zypper95%
nsnake 3.0.1-3.5
Classic snake game on the terminal
https://github.com/alexdantas/nSnake
sudo zypper install nsnake- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Category: Amusements/Games/Action/Arcade
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nsnake
- 5 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nsnake
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 package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment