# Install xtermcontrol with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix

Control xterm properties such as colors, title, font and geometry. Version 3.10 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:xtermcontrol
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install xtermcontrol
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install xtermcontrol
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: x11/xtermcontrol/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install xtermcontrol
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: xtermcontrol from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#xtermcontrol
```

  Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/xt/xtermcontrol/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:xtermcontrol
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Package manager page:** <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/xtermcontrol>
- **Version:** 3.10
- **Source summary:** Control xterm properties such as colors, title, font and geometry
- **Homepage:** <https://thrysoee.dk/xtermcontrol/>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/JessThrysoee/xtermcontrol>
- **Upstream docs:** <https://thrysoee.dk/xtermcontrol>
- **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later
- **Source archive:** <https://thrysoee.dk/xtermcontrol/xtermcontrol-3.10.tar.gz>
- **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00

## Executables

- xtermcontrol (cli)
- xtermcontrol (alias)

## Install behavior

- Post-install hook: not defined
- Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-07-08
- Package-manager version: 3.10
- Local data: ok
- Upstream repository: https://thrysoee.dk/xtermcontrol/
- info: No package-manager update timestamp was available.
- info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.
## Project history and usage

xtermcontrol is a small command-line controller for a running xterm. It wraps xterm control sequences so users can change or query colors, title, font, geometry, and window state without hand-writing escape sequences.

### Project history

Jess Thrysoee's changelog records the initial 1.0.0 release in 2002, followed by a 2.0.0 rewrite later that year when the project was renamed from xtermcolors to xtermcontrol. The rename marks the scope change from color tweaking to a general interface for xterm properties and control sequences.

The project evolved in lockstep with xterm behavior. Early changes mention xterm patch levels, Cygwin behavior, removal of Xlib dependencies, configuration parsing fixes, and documentation for xterm resources such as allowWindowOps, allowTitleOps, and allowFontOps.

### Adoption history

The upstream page lists packaging across Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Gentoo, Arch/AUR, NetBSD, FreeBSD, and MacPorts. That spread fits the tool's niche: it is not a desktop terminal itself, but it is useful wherever users still automate xterm sessions.

### How it is used

Typical usage is interactive or scripted: set foreground/background/cursor colors, change the title, move or resize the window, raise/lower or iconify it, query current settings, source `~/.xtermcontrol`, or send raw xterm control sequences through `--raw`.

### Why package nerds care

xtermcontrol is package-nerd useful because it exposes xterm's deep control-sequence surface as a normal Unix command: configure, build, install, put a dotfile in home, and script terminal state.

### Timeline

- 2002-05-18: Initial 1.0.0 release recorded in the upstream changelog.
- 2002-09-19: 2.0.0 rewrite renames the project from xtermcolors to xtermcontrol.
- 2004-12-22: 2.7 removes Xlib dependencies.
- 2009-10-16: Documentation adds guidance for allowWindowOps, allowTitleOps, and allowFontOps.
- 2013-04-30: 3.0 changes when `~/.xtermcontrol` is read.

### Related projects

- xterm: the terminal emulator whose properties and control sequences xtermcontrol manipulates.
- xtitle: a simpler title/icon-name script in the same xterm-control niche.
- tmux and Cygwin: environments reflected in xtermcontrol compatibility work.

### Sources

- <https://api.github.com/repos/JessThrysoee/xtermcontrol>
- <https://github.com/JessThrysoee/xtermcontrol>
- <https://thrysoee.dk/xtermcontrol/>


## 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: ~/.xtermcontrol
## Source Database Details

- **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API
- **Tap:** homebrew/core
- **Full Name:** xtermcontrol
- **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

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Debian apt - xtermcontrol - 3.8-6: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: xtermcontrol from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | dynamic configuration of xterm properties | https://www.thrysoee.dk/xtermcontrol/
- Nix - xtermcontrol: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/xt/xtermcontrol/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Ubuntu apt - xtermcontrol - 3.8-6: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: xtermcontrol from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | dynamic configuration of xterm properties | https://www.thrysoee.dk/xtermcontrol/
- MacPorts - xtermcontrol: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: x11/xtermcontrol/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## 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.
- [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata.
- [xtitle](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xtitle/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal, x11, xterm.
- [aha](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aha/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.
- [amtterm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/amtterm/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.
- [ansifilter](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ansifilter/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.
- [ccat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ccat/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.
- [clive](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/clive/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.
- [colordiff](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/colordiff/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.
- [colormake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/colormake/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.
- [xterm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xterm/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, terminal, x11.
- [termsvg](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/termsvg/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: as, cli, developer, developer-tools, terminal.
- [tml](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tml/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, colors, developer, developer-tools, terminal.

## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/xtermcontrol.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/xtermcontrol.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