# Install polyglot with Homebrew, apk, apt, Nix Protocol adapter to run UCI engines under XBoard. Version 2.0.4 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-04. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:polyglot ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install polyglot ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add polyglot ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: polyglot from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install polyglot ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: polyglot from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#polyglot ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/po/polyglot/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:polyglot - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.0.4 - **Source summary:** Protocol adapter to run UCI engines under XBoard - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-04T13:13:44+09:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - polyglot (cli) - polyglot (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.0.4 - Package-manager updated: 2026-07-04 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.chessprogramming.org/PolyGlot - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage PolyGlot is a chess utility that lets UCI chess engines run through interfaces and GUIs that speak the XBoard/WinBoard chess-engine protocol. It is also known for the PolyGlot binary opening-book format. ### Project history Chessprogramming identifies PolyGlot as an adapter developed by Fabien Letouzey and modified by Fonzy Bluemers. The page describes PolyGlot 1.4 as providing a simple opening-book implementation referred to as the bin-opening-book format. ### Adoption history The supplied package facts show distribution through Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Alpine, and Nix, reflecting its continued role as legacy chess-engine glue even after newer adapters appeared. ### How it is used PolyGlot is used to bridge UCI engines into XBoard/WinBoard-style front ends and to create or consume PolyGlot-format opening books. ### Why package nerds care PolyGlot matters to package maintainers because it preserves interoperability across old chess GUIs, UCI engines, and opening-book tooling. Its package is small, CLI-oriented, and tied to a long-running compatibility niche. ### Timeline - 2004: Chessprogramming lists early PolyGlot forum posts and PolyGlot 1.0 discussion. - 2005: Chessprogramming lists PolyGlot 1.2 and 1.3 availability discussions. - 2008-2009: Chessprogramming lists Fonzy Bluemers 1.4w releases. - 2018: Chessprogramming notes XBoard/WinBoard retirement plans for PolyGlot in favor of UCI2WB. ### Related projects - UCI - XBoard - WinBoard - UCI2WB - PolyGlot opening-book format ### Sources - - source_facts.package-manager ## 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: polyglot.ini ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** polyglot - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** yes - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - polyglot - 2.0.4+git20210322-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: polyglot from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | chess engine protocol adaptor, connects UCI engines to xboard - Nix - polyglot: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/po/polyglot/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - polyglot - 2.0.4+git20210322-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: polyglot from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | chess engine protocol adaptor, connects UCI engines to xboard - apk - polyglot - 2.0.4-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: polyglot from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Protocol adapter to run UCI chess engines under XBoard | https://www.chessprogramming.org/PolyGlot - apk - polyglot-doc - 2.0.4-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: polyglot-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Protocol adapter to run UCI chess engines under XBoard (documentation) | https://www.chessprogramming.org/PolyGlot ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Game and emulation packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/game-emulation-tools/) - Matched game or emulation metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [xboard](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xboard/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [fairy-stockfish](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fairy-stockfish/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, cli, games, uci, xboard. - [gnu-chess](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnu-chess/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, cli, games, uci, xboard. - [fairymax](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fairymax/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, cli, games, xboard. - [lc0](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lc0/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, cli, games, uci. - [stockfish](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/stockfish/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, cli, games, uci. - [cheops](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cheops/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, cli, games. - [advancescan](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/advancescan/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/polyglot.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/polyglot.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