install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install shadcn

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#shadcn

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

overview

Package summary

CLI for adding components to your project

Project links

Commands and aliases

shadcn

history

Project history and usage

shadcn is the official command-line tooling for shadcn/ui, an open-code component system. Rather than installing a conventional sealed component library, it adds customizable component source and supporting dependencies directly to an application.

Project history

The shadcn-ui/ui repository began in 2023 as an open-code component collection. The project subsequently developed a dedicated `shadcn` package for initialization, registry resolution, component installation, migrations, documentation lookup, and project inspection.

Adoption history

The CLI became the package-managed entry point for shadcn/ui's copy-and-customize workflow. Official changelog milestones include a rewritten CLI in June 2023, the `init` workflow in April 2024, CLI 3.0 and MCP support in August 2025, and CLI v4 in March 2026.

How it is used

Users run `shadcn init` to configure a project and `shadcn add` to copy registry components into it. The optional project-root `components.json` records style, framework-related choices, aliases, registry definitions, and destination paths.

Why package nerds care

shadcn is notable because it uses a package-manager-delivered CLI without treating the resulting UI as an opaque dependency: it resolves registry items and writes editable source into the consumer's project. This source-distribution model made `components.json`, registries, and repeatable CLI invocations central to the ecosystem.

Timeline

2023: The repository and early component tooling appeared publicly.
June 2023: The project announced a new CLI.
April 2024: `shadcn init` became an official workflow.
August 2025: CLI 3.0 introduced a rewritten registry engine and MCP support.
March 2026: CLI v4 added presets, templates, monorepo improvements, documentation lookup, and agent-oriented skills.

Related projects

shadcn/ui is closely associated with React, Tailwind CSS, Radix UI, Base UI, component registries, and framework templates such as Next.js and Vite.

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 6 platform targets.
Installs with 1 runtime 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: components.json
Windows: components.json

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: .env.local
Windows: .env.local

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`shadcn`	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 generated2026-09-19

manager version4.21.0

manager updated2026-09-13

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://ui.shadcn.com

infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://ui.shadcn.comnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:shadcn
Version	4.21.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/shadcn
Homepage	https://ui.shadcn.com
Upstream docs	https://ui.shadcn.com
License	MIT
Source archive	https://registry.npmjs.org/shadcn/-/shadcn-4.19.0.tgz
Last updated	2026-09-13T09:37:40Z
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	node
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	shadcn
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

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%

shadcn

nix profile install nixpkgs#shadcn

normalized package name match
Matched by: Shadcn

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

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/shadcn.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
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 shadcn with Homebrew, Nix