# Install viu with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper Simple terminal image viewer written in Rust. Version 1.6.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:viu ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install viu ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install viu ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: graphics/viu/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add viu ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: viu from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#viu ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/vi/viu/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S viu ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: viu from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install viu ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: viu from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:viu - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.6.1 - **Source summary:** Simple terminal image viewer written in Rust - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - viu (cli) - viu (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: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.6.1 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/atanunq/viu - Upstream latest detected: v1.6.1 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage viu is a Rust command-line image viewer for terminals. The project describes itself as a small application and as the frontend for the `viuer` library, using terminal graphics protocols when available and falling back to character-cell rendering otherwise. Its niche is quick image inspection inside terminal workflows, especially when leaving the shell for a graphical viewer would interrupt a file-management, SSH, or scripting session. ### Project history Early viu documentation described a Rust tool that rendered images with Unicode half-block characters, fitting two vertical pixels into one terminal cell by using foreground and background colors. Later README documentation emphasizes native iTerm and Kitty graphics protocol support, with fallback block rendering when those protocols are unavailable. The current project is closely tied to `viuer`, a Rust library for displaying images in terminals. This split lets the executable remain a focused CLI while the rendering logic can also be reused by other Rust programs. ### Adoption history viu's adoption is strongest in the modern terminal-tooling niche rather than in a large application ecosystem. It appears in Rust package indexes, OS package collections, and recommendation lists for users who want image previews from the command line. Recent GitHub release and issue activity shows continued attention to practical terminal protocol support, including error handling, dependency refreshes, block-output forcing, and experimental Sixel work. ### How it is used Users invoke `viu` with an image path, GIF, or input stream to preview media directly in the terminal. The README documents source installation with Cargo, binary releases, packages, examples, aspect-ratio handling, and command-line options. When a supported terminal is detected, viu can use higher-fidelity inline image protocols; otherwise it remains usable through color block rendering. That fallback is important for broad terminal compatibility. ### Why package nerds care viu is significant as a compact Rust media CLI that bridges old and new terminal capabilities. It turns the terminal from a text-only surface into a lightweight visual inspection surface without making the user adopt a full TUI file manager. For package collectors, it sits with tools such as `chafa`, `timg`, and terminal file managers that rely on Kitty, iTerm, Sixel, truecolor, or Unicode rendering tricks to bring richer media into shells. ### Timeline - 2019: Public discussion and early package pages show viu as a Rust terminal image viewer using block rendering and iTerm or Kitty support. - 2020s: The project centered the reusable `viuer` library and documented viu as its CLI frontend. - 2024-2026: Release and issue activity continued around dependency updates, error behavior, block rendering, Sixel support, and additional image formats. ### Related projects - viu is directly related to `viuer`, the Rust library that provides its terminal image rendering behavior. - Comparable terminal image viewers include `timg`, `chafa`, and other tools that target Sixel, Kitty graphics, iTerm inline images, truecolor, or block-character fallbacks. ### Sources - batch input source_facts.description and current_curation.tags - - - - - ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** viu - **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 - viu: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/vi/viu/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - apk - viu - 1.6.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: viu from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Terminal image viewer | https://github.com/atanunq/viu - apk - viu-doc - 1.6.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: viu-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Terminal image viewer (documentation) | https://github.com/atanunq/viu - pacman - viu - 1.6.1-2: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: viu from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Simple terminal image viewer | https://github.com/atanunq/viu - zypper - viu - 1.5.1-1.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: viu from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Terminal image viewer with native support | https://github.com/atanunq/viu - MacPorts - viu: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: graphics/viu/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [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. - [rust](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rust/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [aview](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aview/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-viewer, media, terminal. - [timg](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/timg/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-viewer, media, terminal. - [tpix](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tpix/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-viewer, media, terminal. - [feh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/feh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-viewer, media. - [pqiv](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pqiv/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-viewer, media. - [catimg](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/catimg/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-viewer, media, terminal. - [lsix](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lsix/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-viewer, media, terminal. - [terminalimageviewer](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/terminalimageviewer/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-viewer, media, terminal. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/viu.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/viu.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