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brew install lowdownprovider-native install command
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Install lowdown with Homebrew
Simple markdown translator. Version 3.1.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-20.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Simple markdown translator
Project links
Commands and aliases
- lowdown
- lowdown-diff
history
Project history and usage
lowdown is Kristaps Dzonsons' dependency-free C Markdown translator. It converts Markdown into HTML5, roff formats, LaTeX, Gemini text, OpenDocument, and ANSI/UTF-8 terminal output, and it also exposes a C library API.
Project history
The official GitHub README states that lowdown is a fork of hoedown, but that its parser and front ends have changed significantly. The official project site describes it as a BSD.lv text-processing project and points to the GitHub repository for development, while directing stable releases, documentation, and general information to kristaps.bsd.lv.
A key design point in the official site is that lowdown internally converts Markdown to an AST rather than directly formatting output. That architecture supports semantic analysis such as the `lowdown-diff` Markdown tree differ, and it helps explain why the project grew beyond a simple one-format Markdown renderer.
Adoption history
The official site advises users to check their system package manager before building from source, and the batch input records packaging across Homebrew, Alpine, Debian/Ubuntu development packages, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, and openSUSE. That broad packaging fits lowdown's profile as a small C tool and library useful in Unix documentation pipelines.
The repository was created on GitHub in 2016. The project site reports version 3.0.1 and says lowdown has no dependencies, with portability across OpenBSD, NetBSD, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, Linux with glibc and musl, Solaris, and Illumos through `oconfigure`.
How it is used
As a CLI, `lowdown` can render Markdown to terminal output for quick review, standalone HTML5, roff `ms` or `man` output for PDF/manpage workflows, LaTeX, OpenDocument, Gemini text, and more. The site gives examples such as `lowdown -t term README.md | less -R`, `lowdown -s -o README.html README.md`, and roff/LaTeX pipelines for PDF generation.
As a library, `lowdown(3)` exposes the parser and renderers used internally by `lowdown(1)` and `lowdown-diff(1)`. The language manual `lowdown(5)` documents Markdown features and extensions including autolinks, fenced code, tables, footnotes, smart typography, metadata, definition lists, task lists, admonitions, and templating.
Why package nerds care
lowdown is significant to package people because it is a compact, portable Markdown engine in C with no runtime dependency chain and many output back ends. It sits naturally beside `mandoc`, `groff`, and static-site/documentation tools, and its library packages make it useful both as a CLI and as an embeddable renderer.
Timeline
- 2016: `kristapsdz/lowdown` repository created on GitHub.
- 2020s: Version 2.0.0 adopts semantic versioning according to the official site.
- 2026: Official site reports version 3.0.1 and repository metadata shows active maintenance.
Related projects
- hoedown is the fork source named by lowdown's README.
- mandoc, groff, LaTeX, Gemini, and OpenDocument are important output or workflow neighbors named in the official docs.
- oconfigure is the portability/build framework linked from the official site.
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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
lowdown | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
lowdown-diff | 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 version3.1.1
manager updated2026-07-20
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:lowdown |
|---|---|
| Version | 3.1.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://kristaps.bsd.lv/lowdown |
| Repository | https://github.com/kristapsdz/lowdown |
| Last updated | 2026-07-20T04:31:13Z |
| 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
- Nucleus package database
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation