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Install idnits with Homebrew, MacPorts

Looks for problems in internet draft formatting. Version 3.1.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-05. Also installable with macports: sudo port install idnits.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install idnits

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install idnits

MacPorts ports tree · textproc/idnits/Portfile · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Looks for problems in internet draft formatting

Commands and aliases

  • idnits

history

Project history and usage

idnits is an IETF Internet-Draft validation tool, shipped as both a CLI and a library in the idnits3 line. It checks draft documents for formatting and policy-related nits before submission or publication workflows.

Project history

The IETF author resources describe document validation as an important step for Internet-Drafts and list idnits as the tool that validates plaintext I-Ds. The Author Tools web service also runs idnits behind the scenes alongside xml2rfc, kramdown-rfc, id2xml, and related tools.

The GitHub repository history is explicit about the transition: the project began as a snapshot mirror of idnits 2.17 from the older tools.ietf.org site, with idnits2 preserved on a v2 branch and idnits3 developed as a JavaScript-based CLI/library.

Adoption history

idnits is adopted because IETF authors, working-group chairs, reviewers, and automated build systems need early feedback on draft boilerplate, formatting, references, and submission expectations. The Datatracker submission instructions recommend checking an Internet-Draft with idnits before submission.

The Node-based idnits3 packaging makes the tool easier to install in web services, CI jobs, and author workflows compared with the older shell-based generation.

How it is used

The idnits3 README documents installation through npm, npx use without installation, CLI modes such as normal and submission, output formats including pretty, simple, json, and count, and a library API based around checkNits().

Authors use idnits directly on RFCXML or plaintext drafts, or indirectly through the Author Tools service. Toolsmiths can use its library form to integrate draft checks into editors and publishing pipelines.

Why package nerds care

idnits is package-nerd interesting because it encodes institutional publishing rules as a command-line tool. Its output can gate CI and submission preparation, so a package update can change what draft authors see as errors or warnings.

It also marks the IETF tooling migration from older tools.ietf.org-hosted scripts into maintained GitHub and npm-distributed components under the ietf-tools organization.

Timeline

  • 2.17: The GitHub repository began from a snapshot mirror of older tools.ietf.org idnits 2.17.
  • 2022-07-01: An idnits issue discussed boilerplate-string transition handling after a prior code change.
  • 2026-06-26: GitHub listed idnits 3.1.0 as a release.
  • v3 branch: The README describes idnits3 as a JavaScript-based CLI/library and points older shell-based users to the v2 branch.

Related projects

  • idnits is used alongside xml2rfc, rfclint, kramdown-rfc, id2xml, Datatracker, and the Author Tools web service. These tools form the practical pipeline for writing, validating, converting, and submitting Internet-Drafts.
  • DraftForge and other IETF authoring environments can surface idnits checks as part of an editor or web workflow.

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 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

CommandKindExposureNote
idnitsexecutableindexed executableDiscovered 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 version3.1.0
manager updated2026-07-05
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
  • okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:idnits
Version3.1.0
Package managerHomebrew
Homepagehttps://author-tools.ietf.org/idnits3/
Last updated2026-07-05T18:49:57+09:00
Pulseupdated
Bottlenot recorded
Servicenone declared

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

MacPorts95%

idnits

sudo port install idnits
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Idnits
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: textproc/idnits/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/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.

Used sources

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