install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install center-im

local Homebrew formula metadata

overview

Package summary

Text-mode multi-protocol instant messaging client

Project links

Homepage

Commands and aliases

centerim5

history

Project history and usage

CenterIM 5 is a text-mode instant messaging client for Unix-like systems that uses libpurple as its communication backend.

Project history

The official repository describes CenterIM 5 as a terminal IM client for Linux, BSD, Solaris, and other Unices. Its repository preserves a traditional Unix command-line client shape, with a README, manpage, NEWS file, and source tree rather than a hosted documentation site.

Adoption history

CenterIM 5 is a niche package-manager item: Homebrew packages the centerim5 executable for users who still want a terminal multi-protocol IM client, while the GitHub repository shows a small public footprint.

How it is used

The documented command is centerim5. The official manpage documents options including ASCII UI drawing, alternate base directory selection, and starting accounts offline.

Why package nerds care

CenterIM 5 is useful to package nerds as a preservation-style Unix terminal client: it keeps a libpurple-backed multi-protocol messaging workflow available outside graphical Pidgin-style front ends.

Timeline

2016: centerim5 manpage dated July 11, 2016.
2018: Public petrpavlu/centerim5 GitHub repository and release history visible on GitHub.

Related projects

libpurple is the communication backend named by the official README.
Pidgin and Finch are related libpurple front ends named in the official manpage.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: blue

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

Risk classifier

blue risk · medium confidence · tool

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal

Signals

text:client

Install behavior

No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.

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
`centerim5`	executable	indexed executable	Discovered from the local executable index.

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 generated2026-08-03

manager version5.0.1

manager updated

local dataunknown

upstreamnot available

latest detectednot detected

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:center-im
Version	5.0.1
Package manager	Homebrew
Homepage	https://github.com/petrpavlu/centerim5
Repository	https://github.com/petrpavlu/centerim5
Bottle	not recorded
Service	none declared

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/center-im.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
pkg.so package database
pkgdb category and tag curation

Install center-im with Homebrew