# Install zim with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, zypper Graphical text editor used to maintain a collection of wiki pages. Version 0.77.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-11. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:zim ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install zim ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install zim ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: editors/zim/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add zim ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: zim from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install zim ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: zim from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install Zim ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: Zim from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#zim ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/zi/zim/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S zim ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: zim from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install zim ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: zim from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install extras/zim ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/zim.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Extras/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:zim - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.77.0 - **Source summary:** Graphical text editor used to maintain a collection of wiki pages - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-11T19:56:05Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - zim (cli) - zim (alias) ## Dependencies - adwaita-icon-theme - graphviz - gtk+3 - gtksourceview4 - pygobject3 - python@3.14 ## Build dependencies - pkgconf - python-setuptools ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on all ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.77.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-11 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/zim-desktop-wiki/zim-desktop-wiki - Upstream latest detected: 0.77.0 (current) ## Project history and usage Zim is a desktop wiki and note editor built around local plain-text pages rather than a hosted wiki or database. In package terms it sits in the old-school personal-knowledge-tool niche: a GUI app, but one whose data model stays friendly to shell tools, backup systems, Git, and ordinary text editors. ### Project history The project presents itself as an attempt to bring wiki-style linking to the desktop. Its manual describes each page as a text file with wiki markup, automatic saving, easy creation through links to non-existing pages, and use cases ranging from TODO lists and scratch notes to longer documents. Zim has had at least two implementation eras. The changelog states that the Python rewrite starts with version 0.42 and that earlier version numbers belonged to the Perl branch. Later development kept the desktop-wiki model while adding search, plugins, and new source-format work such as experimental Markdown notebook support in 0.77.0. ### Adoption history Zim never became a mass-market notes platform in the way web-synced note apps did, but it remained useful to Linux and Unix-fluent users because notebooks are just folders of files. That made it attractive for people who wanted a local personal wiki without surrendering their notes to an opaque application store. The plugin set broadened the project from a simple wiki editor into a small personal-information workspace: the official plugin list includes Journal, Task List, Version Control, diagrams, tables, source view, tags, and other extensions. The Version Control plugin explicitly supports backends such as Git, Mercurial, Bazaar, and Fossil. ### How it is used Users typically create a notebook, add linked pages, attach files or images, and rely on Zim to autosave the wiki-markup text files. The practical workflows are personal notes, TODO tracking, meeting notes, journals, lightweight documentation, and local knowledge bases. For package users, the notable behavior is that the GUI does not trap data in a binary store. The manual notes that pages can be opened with other editors or file managers and can be kept in a revision-control system such as Git. ### Why package nerds care Zim matters because it is a GUI package with a Unix-ish storage philosophy. It gives desktop users a wiki interface while keeping the underlying artifact tree inspectable, scriptable, syncable, and package-manager friendly. It is also a good example of a long-lived niche desktop application whose packaging value is not a daemon or service but a stable local workflow: install it, point it at a directory, and keep your notes portable. ### Timeline - Pre-2010: Earlier Zim versions belonged to the original Perl branch. - 2010: Version 0.42 begins the Python rewrite era. - 2024: Version 0.76.0 adds indexed full-text search, Mermaid diagrams, dark-theme preferences, and search improvements. - 2026: Version 0.77.0 adds experimental Markdown notebook source-format support. ### Related projects - Personal wiki and local notebook tools such as Tomboy, TiddlyWiki, DokuWiki-style desktop workflows, Obsidian, and zk. - Version-control tools such as Git, Mercurial, Bazaar, and Fossil, which Zim can use through its Version Control plugin. ### Sources - - - - ## 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: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/zim/preferences.conf ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** zim - **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 - Debian apt - zim - 0.76.3-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: zim from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | graphical text editor based on wiki technologies | https://zim-wiki.org - Nix - zim: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/zi/zim/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - zim - 0.75.2-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: zim from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | graphical text editor based on wiki technologies | https://zim-wiki.org - apk - zim - 0.76.3-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: zim from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Desktop wiki editor | https://zim-wiki.org/ - apk - zim-doc - 0.76.3-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: zim-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Desktop wiki editor (documentation) | https://zim-wiki.org/ - apk - zim-lang - 0.76.3-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: zim-lang from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Languages for package zim | https://zim-wiki.org/ - apk - zim-pyc - 0.76.3-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: zim-pyc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Precompiled Python bytecode for zim | https://zim-wiki.org/ - dnf - Zim - 0.76.3-13.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: Zim from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Desktop wiki & notekeeper | http://zim-wiki.org/ - pacman - zim - 0.76.3-3: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: zim from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | A WYSIWYG text editor that aims at bringing the concept of a wiki to the desktop | https://zim-wiki.org/ - zypper - zim - 0.76.3-2.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: zim from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | A Desktop Wiki | https://zim-wiki.org - zypper - zim-lang - 0.76.3-2.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: zim-lang from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Translations for package zim | https://zim-wiki.org - MacPorts - zim: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: editors/zim/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Scoop - extras/zim: normalized package name match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/zim.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Extras/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. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [graphviz](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/graphviz/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [gtk+3](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gtk-3/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [python@3.14](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/python-3-14/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [cherrytree](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cherrytree/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, gtk, notes, productivity. - [dnote](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dnote/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [ekphos](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ekphos/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [eureka](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/eureka/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [evernote-backup](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/evernote-backup/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [joplin-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/joplin-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [jot](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jot/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [jrnl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jrnl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, notes, productivity. - [qalculate-gtk](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/qalculate-gtk/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: adwaita, adwaita-icon-theme, cli, desktop, gtk. - [pympress](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pympress/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, gtk, gtk-3, productivity, pygobject3. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/zim.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/zim.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