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Install proof-general with Homebrew
Emacs-based generic interface for theorem provers. Version 4.5 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-13.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Emacs-based generic interface for theorem provers
Project links
Commands and aliases
- coqtags
history
Project history and usage
Proof General is a generic GNU Emacs interface for developing and replaying scripts with interactive theorem provers.
Project history
The project began in 1994 as Thomas Kleymann's LEGO mode, influenced by David Aspinall's earlier Isamode interface for Isabelle. Script management and proof-by-pointing work made the implementation increasingly generic.
After substantial re-engineering for multiple proof systems, the interface was renamed Proof General. Proof General 2.0 became the first official release under the improved, prover-independent design in December 1998.
Adoption history
Proof General grew from an interface for LEGO into a generic environment supporting multiple proof assistants. Its history records use by about 50 students working with Coq, Isabelle, and LEGO at the 1999 Types Summer School.
Its enduring niche is the Emacs-based formal-methods community, where proof scripts can be edited, incrementally submitted to a prover, and replayed through a common interface.
How it is used
Open a supported proof-script file in Emacs, then use Proof General's commands, menus, or toolbar to submit regions incrementally to the proof assistant and inspect its responses.
Proof General can be loaded and customized through `~/.emacs`; its Customize interface also saves user preferences there. The prover executable can be selected through assistant-specific settings.
Why package nerds care
Proof General is an early and influential example of separating a proof-assistant user interface from the underlying prover. Package enthusiasts care about its long Emacs lineage, multi-prover architecture, and role in making interactive theorem proving feel like an editor-integrated development workflow.
Timeline
- 1994: Development began as an Emacs interface called LEGO mode.
- May 1995: The last official LEGO mode release appeared.
- November 1996: Work on proof-by-pointing accelerated the interface's generalization.
- December 1998: Proof General 2.0 became the first official release under the new name.
- August 1999: Proof General 2.1 was released and subsequently used at the Types Summer School.
Related projects
- Proof General is implemented as an extension to GNU Emacs and includes modes for proof assistants such as Coq and EasyCrypt. Its documentation also describes adapting the generic framework to additional provers.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 2 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.
local files
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
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
~/.emacs
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
coqtags | 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 generated2026-11-04
manager version4.5
manager updated2026-09-13
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv4.5
https://github.com/ProofGeneral/PG
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:proof-general |
|---|---|
| Version | 4.5 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/proof-general |
| Homepage | https://proofgeneral.github.io |
| Repository | https://github.com/ProofGeneral/PG |
| Upstream docs | https://proofgeneral.github.io |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/ProofGeneral/PG/archive/refs/tags/v4.5.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-09-13T12:21:09Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | emacs |
| Build dependencies | texi2html, texinfo |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_golden_gate, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
| Caveats | HTML documentation is available in: $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/share/doc/proof-general |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | proof-general |
| 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 |
|
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.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation