# Install chaiscript with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts

Easy to use embedded scripting language for C++. Version 6.1.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with macports: sudo port install chai.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:chaiscript
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install chaiscript
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install chai
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/chai/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install chai
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: chai from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:chaiscript
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 6.1.0
- **Source summary:** Easy to use embedded scripting language for C++
- **Homepage:** <https://chaiscript.com/>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/ChaiScript/ChaiScript>
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- chai (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 6.1.0
## Project history and usage

ChaiScript is an embedded scripting language designed for C++ applications. Its package identity is closer to a language runtime and embeddable library than to a standalone command, though package managers commonly expose a chai executable as well.

### Project history

The public GitHub repository dates to January 2011. The README describes ChaiScript as a language designed from the ground up to target C++ and modern C++ development, with a header-only integration style and type-safe bindings between C++ and scripts.

GitHub releases show mature 4.x and 5.x releases by 2014, a 6.0.0 release in 2017, and 6.1.0 in 2018. The README states that building ChaiScript requires a C++17 compiler.

### Adoption history

ChaiScript is packaged in Homebrew as chaiscript and appears in the input package facts for Debian, Ubuntu, MacPorts, and vcpkg-oriented usage. The README specifically documents vcpkg installation, which is important for C++ developers consuming it as a library dependency.

### How it is used

Typical usage is to add the ChaiScript include directory, include chaiscript/chaiscript.hpp, instantiate chaiscript::ChaiScript, then evaluate script strings or files. Host applications register C++ functions with the engine so scripts can call into native code.

### Why package nerds care

ChaiScript is package-nerd interesting because it is a C++-native embeddable language distributed across general-purpose package managers and C++ dependency managers. It represents the small but persistent category of scripting runtimes packaged primarily so native applications can embed them.

### Timeline

- 2011: GitHub repository created.
- 2014: 4.x and 5.x releases published on GitHub.
- 2017: 6.0.0 release published.
- 2018: 6.1.0 release published and used by the Homebrew stable formula.
- 2026: Repository metadata still shows the project as unarchived.

### Related projects

- The README compares ChaiScript's surface language to ECMAScript-style scripting.
- vcpkg is an officially documented installation route for consuming ChaiScript from C++ projects.

### Sources

- <https://chaiscript.com/docs.html>
- <https://github.com/ChaiScript/ChaiScript#readme>
- <https://github.com/ChaiScript/ChaiScript/releases>
- <https://api.github.com/repos/ChaiScript/ChaiScript>
- <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/chaiscript>


## Security Notes

generalized runtime or code generation signal.

- **Geiger risk:** yellow / medium
- generalized runtime or code generation signal

## Other Package-Manager Records

- MacPorts - chai: installed executable or alias match | MacPorts ports tree: devel/chai/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Debian apt - chai - 4.3.7~ds1+~cs9.7.21-1: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: chai from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | assertion library for Node.js | https://chaijs.com
- Ubuntu apt - chai - 4.3.7~ds1+~cs9.7.21-1: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: chai from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | assertion library for Node.js | https://chaijs.com


## Combined YAML source

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


## Sources

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