# Install busted with Homebrew, pacman

Elegant Lua unit testing. Version 2.3.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. Also installable with pacman: sudo pacman -S busted.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:busted
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install busted
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

### Linux

- pacman (92%):

```sh
sudo pacman -S busted
```

  Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: busted from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:busted
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 2.3.0
- **Source summary:** Elegant Lua unit testing
- **Homepage:** <https://lunarmodules.github.io/busted/>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/lunarmodules/busted>
- **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:02:56-07:00
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- busted (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 2.3.0
## Project history and usage

busted is a Lua unit testing framework with a behavior/spec style, expressive assertions, spies, mocks, multiple output formats, and LuaRocks-first distribution. It is one of the familiar testing tools in the Lua and LuaJIT package ecosystem.

### Project history

The current repository was created in August 2012, and the project documentation and license history show its Olivine Labs origin before the repository later lived under LunarModules. The README describes a framework focused on easy-to-read specs, nested `describe` and `it` blocks, chainable assertions, tags, mocks, spies, and support for Lua 5.1+, LuaJIT, and MoonScript.

The official docs list version 2.1.1 and present busted as both a command-line runner and a library of testing conventions. The rockspec documents its LuaRocks packaging, MIT license, CLI installation, and dependencies including luassert, say, lua_cliargs, Penlight, dkjson, and related Lua modules.

### Adoption history

busted's adoption comes from being the natural test runner for many LuaRocks projects and from easy invocation in CI. The input metadata records Homebrew and Arch packaging, while the upstream README documents LuaRocks installation, Docker usage, and a GitHub Action for running busted in workflows.

### How it is used

Typical usage is to write Lua specs with `describe` and `it`, use `assert` helpers from luassert, optionally add mocks or spies, then run the `busted` CLI over a file or test directory. Output handlers include terminal, JSON, TAP, JUnit, and other CI-friendly formats.

### Why package nerds care

busted is significant because it helped give Lua projects a conventional, packageable test workflow comparable to RSpec, Jasmine, or Mocha in other ecosystems. For package maintainers, it is also the test command that turns many Lua modules from 'installs successfully' into 'can actually be verified during packaging'.

### Timeline

- 2012: Public repository created; copyright history begins with Olivine Labs.
- 2010s: busted became established as a LuaRocks-distributed Lua testing framework.
- 2020: README copyright range still referenced Olivine Labs before later LunarModules stewardship.
- 2026: The LunarModules repository and docs remain active, with Homebrew and Arch package metadata present in the input.

### Related projects

- busted is closely related to Lua, LuaJIT, LuaRocks, luassert, say, lua_cliargs, Penlight, MoonScript, luacov, TAP/JUnit output consumers, and spec-style test frameworks such as RSpec, Jasmine, and Mocha.

### Sources

- <https://github.com/lunarmodules/busted>
- <https://lunarmodules.github.io/busted>
- <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lunarmodules/busted/master/README.md>
- <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lunarmodules/busted/master/busted-scm-1.rockspec>
- source_facts.package-manager


## 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: .busted
## Other Package-Manager Records

- pacman - busted - 2.3.0-3: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: busted from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Elegant Lua unit testing (CLI) | https://lunarmodules.github.io/busted/


## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/busted.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/busted.yml)


## Sources

- pkg.so package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation
- external package-manager database matches
- cross-ecosystem install command graph