macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install kinlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 6102
Install kin with Homebrew
Sane PBXProj files. Version 2.1.15 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-15.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Sane PBXProj files
Project links
Commands and aliases
- kin
history
Project history and usage
Kin is a small command-line syntax checker for Xcode project.pbxproj files. Its README frames the tool around a familiar iOS/macOS team problem: broken Xcode projects after merges.
Project history
Kin was built as a minimal parser-backed checker rather than a full Xcode project editor. The project uses ANTLR 4 to generate the pbxproj parser and keeps a thin command-line layer around that grammar.
The repository's license block is dated 2023, and GitHub listed 30 releases with version 2.1.14 published on 2025-05-08. That points to a maintained niche tool rather than a one-off gist.
Adoption history
Kin's adoption is narrow but real: the GitHub repository showed about 1.1k stars, Homebrew installation is documented in the README, and the package is available as a Homebrew formula in this batch.
The README also names flycheck-pbxproj as an editor integration, showing that Kin's parser work became useful beyond one direct CLI invocation.
How it is used
Users run kin from an Xcode project directory and let it auto-detect project.pbxproj, or pass a project.pbxproj path explicitly. A successful parse prints CORRECT; parse failures return a line and grammar error.
It is most useful in pre-commit hooks, CI checks, and merge-conflict recovery for teams that store Xcode project files in Git.
Why package nerds care
Kin is package-nerd interesting because it turns an opaque Apple project-file grammar into a tiny reproducible CLI check. It is not a broad developer platform, but it solves one painful file-format failure mode in a scriptable way.
The package also shows why Homebrew carries niche tools: if a project.pbxproj merge breaks a build, a small parser utility can save more time than a much larger IDE plugin.
Timeline
- 2023: The repository license block credits Serchinastico.
- 2025: GitHub listed Kin 2.1.14 as a release dated 2025-05-08.
- 2026: The README documented pipx, easy_install, and Homebrew installation paths.
Related projects
- ANTLR 4 is the parser generator used by Kin.
- Xcode project.pbxproj files are the target file format.
- flycheck-pbxproj is the Emacs integration named by the README.
Sources
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.
local files
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
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- macOS
*.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
kin | 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 version2.1.15
manager updated2026-07-15
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:kin |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.1.15 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://github.com/Serchinastico/Kin |
| Repository | https://github.com/Serchinastico/Kin |
| Last updated | 2026-07-15T15:58:29Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
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.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation