install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install joker

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add joker

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#joker

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/jo/joker/package.nix · source: api.github.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install joker

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · joker · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Small Clojure interpreter, linter and formatter

Project links

Commands and aliases

joker

history

Project history and usage

Joker is a small Clojure interpreter, linter, and formatter written in Go. It targets scripting and tooling use cases where Clojure syntax is desirable but JVM startup and full Clojure compatibility are not the goal.

Project history

The candid82/joker repository was created in December 2016 and published its v0.5.0 release the same day. The README frames Joker as a Clojure dialect with deliberate limits: close syntax and semantics where implemented, but no attempt at complete Clojure parity or high-performance execution.

Over time Joker grew from an interpreter into a compact toolchain for Clojure-family files, adding REPL, script execution, eval, linting, formatting, and EDN pretty-printing modes.

Adoption history

Joker's README documents package-manager paths through Homebrew, Arch Linux's AUR, Nix, and precompiled binaries. Homebrew packages it as the joker formula and builds from Go when needed.

How it is used

Users run joker for a REPL, execute .joke scripts, evaluate expressions from the command line, lint files or directories, and format Clojure source or EDN. The project goals explicitly favor lightweight scripting, fast startup, helpful errors, and tooling for Clojure and ClojureScript code.

Why package nerds care

Joker is package-nerd-interesting because it packages a Clojure-like command-line experience as a Go-built binary rather than a JVM runtime. That makes it attractive for shell scripts, editor integrations, and package formulas where startup time and a small dependency footprint matter.

Timeline

2016: The GitHub repository was created and v0.5.0 was released.
2017: The v0.7.0 release followed early development.
2019: The README documented Joker as interpreter, linter, formatter, and scripting tool.
2026: The v1.8 release line appeared in GitHub release metadata.

Related projects

Related projects and ecosystems include Clojure, ClojureScript, EDN tooling, clj-kondo-like linting workflows, Homebrew, Nix, Arch AUR, and Go-based single-binary CLI packaging.

Sources

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:interpreter

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

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
`joker`	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 generated2026-08-04

manager version1.9.0

manager updated2026-07-25

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv1.9.0

https://github.com/candid82/joker

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:joker
Version	1.9.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/joker
Homepage	https://joker-lang.org/
Repository	https://github.com/candid82/joker
Upstream docs	https://joker-lang.org/
License	EPL-1.0
Source archive	https://github.com/candid82/joker/archive/refs/tags/v1.9.0.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-07-25T20:58:05-04:00
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

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

joker

nix profile install nixpkgs#joker

normalized package name match
Matched by: Joker

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

apk95%

joker 1.5.8-r7

Small Clojure interpreter, linter and formatter written in Go

https://joker-lang.org/

sudo apk add joker

License: EPL-1.0
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: joker
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Joker

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

zypper95%

joker 1.4.0-2.8

Small Clojure interpreter, linter and formatter written in Go

https://joker-lang.org

sudo zypper install joker

License: EPL-1.0
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: joker
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Joker

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: joker from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst

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/joker.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment
pkg.so package database
pkgdb category and tag curation

Install joker with Homebrew, apk, Nix, zypper