# Install jove with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix Emacs-style editor with vi-like memory, CPU, and size requirements. Version 4.17.5.5 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install jove. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:jove ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install jove ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install jove ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: editors/jove/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install jove ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: jove from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#jove ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/jo/jove/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:jove - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Version:** 4.17.5.5 - **Source summary:** Emacs-style editor with vi-like memory, CPU, and size requirements - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00 ## Executables - jove (alias) - teachjove (alias) ## Install behavior - Bottle: not available ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-08-03 - Package-manager version: 4.17.5.5 ## Project history and usage JOVE, Jonathan's Own Version of Emacs, is a small Emacs-style editor with roots in early BSD Unix. The maintained GitHub repository describes it as a venerable 1982, fast, small Emacs clone originally written for 2.8BSD on a PDP-11. ### Project history JOVE was created by Jonathan Payne as a compact Emacs-like editor for small Unix systems. The project README emphasizes portability across old and new systems, manual configuration rather than an autoconf-style setup, and historically constrained targets such as PDP-11, DOS, Macintosh, Windows, Cygwin, BSD, Solaris, and Linux. The distribution's documentation records a long-lived maintenance culture. Jonathan Payne retained overall control while D. Hugh Redelmeier coordinated day-to-day fixes and portability work through the jovehacks mailing list; acknowledgements name contributors who helped with pty code, Berkeley features, PC and Macintosh versions, Win32 support, mouse support, testing, and portability. ### Adoption history JOVE's adoption predates GitHub and modern packaging. It became a recognizable small editor in Unix culture because it offered Emacs-like keybindings and behavior without the size and extension machinery of full Emacs. The input metadata records packaging in Homebrew, Debian, MacPorts, Nix, and Ubuntu, showing that the editor remained packagable decades after its early BSD origins. ### How it is used JOVE is used as a terminal text editor for users who want Emacs-like editing with a smaller binary and simpler model. Its documentation includes jove and teachjove manpages, a global jove.rc, a per-user ~/.joverc, and manuals adapted from early Emacs documentation with JOVE-specific changes. ### Why package nerds care JOVE is historically significant because it is a living fossil of editor packaging: small enough for constrained Unix systems, Emacs-like enough to matter culturally, and portable enough to survive into modern package managers. It helps explain why Unix repositories still carry multiple Emacs-like editors instead of treating GNU Emacs as the only lineage. ### Timeline - 1982: The GitHub repository description identifies JOVE as originating in this era for 2.8BSD on PDP-11. - 1986-2002: The README copyright notice covers Jonathan Payne's long maintenance period. - 2004-07: The README was updated with Unix build and portability guidance. - 2020: GitHub release metadata begins for the 4.17.2.7 candidate series. - 2025-05: Release 4.17.5.5 was published on GitHub. ### Related projects - JOVE is related to Gosling Emacs, GNU Emacs, teach-emacs tutorial material, and other small Emacs-like editors such as mg, Zile, and JOE. Its package-manager neighbors are usually classic Unix editors rather than modern IDEs. ### Sources - - - - - ## 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: ~/.joverc ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - jove - 4.17.5.4-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: jove from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Jonathan's Own Version of Emacs - a compact, powerful editor | https://github.com/jonmacs/jove - Nix - jove: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/jo/jove/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - jove - 4.17.5.3-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: jove from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Jonathan's Own Version of Emacs - a compact, powerful editor | https://github.com/jonmacs/jove - MacPorts - jove: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: editors/jove/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/jove.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/jove.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