install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install spark

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install spark

MacPorts ports tree · textproc/spark/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add spark

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · spark · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#spark

nixpkgs package indexes · spark · source: raw.githubusercontent.com

Windows

Chocolateyverified · 92%

choco install Spark

Chocolatey community package catalog · Spark · source: community.chocolatey.org

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/spark

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/spark.json · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Sparklines for the shell

Project links

Commands and aliases

spark

history

Project history and usage

spark is a small shell command for rendering sparklines in the terminal. It belongs to the Unix tradition of tiny composable filters: feed it numbers from another command and get a compact text graph back.

Project history

The public repository was created in 2011. The official README presents spark as a shell script that can be dropped somewhere on the user's PATH, with usage examples for direct numeric input, Git commit counts, earthquake feeds, source-code line lengths, and shell prompts.

Adoption history

spark spread as a tiny developer-utility package because it is portable shell, easy to install, and visually memorable. The official README mentions Homebrew installation, while the supplied package data also lists APK, MacPorts, Nix, Scoop, and Chocolatey entries.

How it is used

Users run `spark` with numbers separated by spaces, commas, or other common delimiters. Its intended style is pipeline-friendly: combine tools such as `git`, `cut`, `awk`, `curl`, and `sed`, then pass the numeric stream to `spark` for a quick terminal visualization.

Why package nerds care

spark is beloved by package nerds as a one-file CLI that proves a package can be both tiny and useful. It is the sort of tool that turns up in dotfiles, shell demos, and package-manager indexes because it makes the command line feel more graphical without leaving text mode.

Timeline

2011: Public GitHub repository created.
2010s: README documents Homebrew installation and a wiki for collected usage examples.
2020s: The tool remains packaged across several package-manager ecosystems in the supplied input data.

Related projects

spark relates to command-line text visualization tools, Unix filters, shell prompt utilities, and the broader sparklines idea popularized for compact data display.

Sources

https://api.github.com/repos/holman/spark
https://github.com/holman/spark
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/holman/spark/master/README.md
input.source_facts.package-manager

security posture

Risk level: yellow

generalized runtime or code generation signal.

Risk classifier

yellow risk · medium confidence · runtime

Why

generalized runtime or code generation signal

Signals

text:shell

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 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
`spark`	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 version1.0.1

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv1.0.1

https://github.com/holman/spark

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:spark
Version	1.0.1
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/spark
Homepage	https://zachholman.com/spark/
Repository	https://github.com/holman/spark
Upstream docs	https://github.com/holman/spark#readme
License	MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/holman/spark/archive/refs/tags/v1.0.1.tar.gz
Bottle	available (on all)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	spark
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

spark

nix profile install nixpkgs#spark

normalized package name match
Matched by: Spark

nixpkgs package indexes · raw.githubusercontent.com · nixpkgs package indexes: spark from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix

apk95%

spark 2.8.3-r1

Cross-platform IM client optimized for businesses and organizations.

https://www.igniterealtime.org/projects/spark/

sudo apk add spark

License: Apache-2.0
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: spark
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Spark

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: spark from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

MacPorts95%

spark

sudo port install spark

normalized package name match
Matched by: Spark

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: textproc/spark/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Chocolatey95%

Spark

choco install Spark

normalized package name match
Matched by: Spark

Chocolatey community package catalog · community.chocolatey.org · Chocolatey community package catalog: Spark from http://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='11','sonarscanner-msbuild-net46'

Scoop95%

main/spark

scoop install main/spark

normalized package name match
Matched by: Spark

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/spark.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

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.

combined/spark.yml

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

Install spark with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, MacPorts, Nix, scoop