readline

{
  "aliases": [],
  "alternatives": [
    "libedit",
    "editline"
  ],
  "build_dependencies": [],
  "categories": [
    "library",
    "shell"
  ],
  "caveats": null,
  "conflicts_with": [],
  "dependencies": [],
  "deprecated": 0,
  "deprecation_reason": null,
  "desc": "Library for command-line editing",
  "disable_reason": null,
  "disabled": 0,
  "enrichment_fetched_at": "2026-06-20T23:40:36+00:00",
  "first_seen": "2026-06-20T23:34:18+00:00",
  "full_name": "readline",
  "github_default_branch": null,
  "github_last_commit_at": null,
  "github_readme_excerpt": null,
  "github_repo": null,
  "github_stars": null,
  "github_topics": [],
  "homepage": "https://tiswww.case.edu/php/chet/readline/rltop.html",
  "homepage_og_description": null,
  "homepage_og_image": null,
  "homepage_title": "The GNU Readline Library",
  "installs_30d": 192423,
  "installs_365d": 3081207,
  "installs_90d": 725597,
  "keg_only": 1,
  "keg_only_reason": ":shadowed_by_macos \u2014 macOS provides BSD libedit",
  "last_seen": "2026-06-20T23:34:18+00:00",
  "license": "GPL-3.0-or-later",
  "llm_generated_at": "2026-06-20T23:42:06+00:00",
  "llm_model": "claude-haiku-4-5",
  "name": "readline",
  "oldnames": [],
  "one_liner": "GNU C library for command-line editing and history in interactive shells.",
  "optional_dependencies": [],
  "rank_30d": 11,
  "rank_365d": 6,
  "rank_90d": 9,
  "raw_hash": "a9a60e5f0a13e62d",
  "recommended_dependencies": [],
  "revision": 0,
  "ruby_source_path": "Formula/r/readline.rb",
  "tap": "homebrew/core",
  "test_dependencies": [],
  "uses_from_macos": [
    "ncurses"
  ],
  "version_head": null,
  "version_stable": "8.3.3",
  "versioned_formulae": [],
  "why_use_this": "Readline provides line editing, history, and completion features for interactive command-line programs. Most modern shells and REPLs depend on it; installed keg-only here because macOS bundles its own BSD libedit alternative. Use this if you\u0027re building tools that need GNU readline specifically (not libedit) or want the full readline feature set."
}