macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install nestlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 4263
Install nest with Homebrew, dnf, Nix
Neural Simulation Tool (NEST) with Python3 bindings (PyNEST). Version 3.10 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-11. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#nest.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install nestFedora Rawhide package metadata · nest · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#nestnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ne/nest/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Neural Simulation Tool (NEST) with Python3 bindings (PyNEST)
Project links
Commands and aliases
- nest-config
- nest-server
- nest-server-mpi
history
Project history and usage
NEST is a long-running open source simulator for spiking neural-network models. Its niche is computational neuroscience models where the dynamics, scale, and connectivity of neuron populations matter more than detailed single-neuron morphology.
Project history
The NEST project traces its public history to a 1994 release under the name SYNOD and later became the NEural Simulation Tool. The project is coordinated by the NEST Initiative and distributed under GPL-2.0-or-later.
A major adoption shift was PyNEST: the 2008 PyNEST paper describes NEST as a C++ simulation kernel designed for large systems and explains why the project moved from its native SLI simulation language toward Python as the user-facing workflow.
Adoption history
NEST is used mainly in computational neuroscience, especially for large networks of point neurons, plasticity models, cortical-network examples, and reproducible simulator benchmarks. The project site describes a large developer community and support for systems ranging from laptops to clusters and supercomputers.
Homebrew analytics show a specialist but active macOS/Linux package audience: the formula listed 806 installs in the 365-day window visible on the formula page, all on request.
How it is used
Package users normally install it to get the `nest` command and PyNEST bindings. In practice, researchers write Python scripts or notebooks that import `nest`, create neuron/device nodes, connect populations, run `nest.Simulate(...)`, and analyze spike or voltage traces with Python scientific tooling.
The package-nerd angle is that the Python bindings are tied to the Homebrew Python used by the formula; the formula notes that PyNEST is installed with the `python@3.14` dependency and points users at that interpreter path.
Why package nerds care
NEST is significant less as a general CLI and more as a packaged scientific runtime: it pulls together a C++ simulator, Python bindings, numerical dependencies, and examples into something reproducible enough for papers, workshops, and neuroscience teaching.
Timeline
- 1994: first released under the name SYNOD, according to the NEST project site.
- 2007: Gewaltig and Diesmann published the Scholarpedia NEST citation used for older NEST versions.
- 2008: PyNEST paper published, documenting the Python interface and the motivation for moving beyond SLI.
- June 2026: NEST 3.10 listed as the current release on the NEST homepage and Homebrew formula.
Related projects
- PyNEST
- NEST Desktop
- NESTML
- NESTGPU
- PyNN
- Elephant
Sources
- https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/nest
- https://nest-simulator.readthedocs.io/en/stable/
- https://nest-simulator.readthedocs.io/en/v3.9/tutorials/pynest_tutorial/part_1_neurons_and_simple_neural_networks.html
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroinformatics/articles/10.3389/neuro.11.012.2008/full
- https://www.nest-simulator.org/
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:server
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
nest-config | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
nest-server | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
nest-server-mpi | 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 version3.10
manager updated2026-06-11
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:nest |
|---|---|
| Version | 3.10 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://www.nest-simulator.org/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/nest/nest-simulator |
| Last updated | 2026-06-11T04:05:35Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none 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.
Nix95%
nest
nix profile install nixpkgs#nest- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
nest 3.8-13.fc45
The neural simulation tool
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install nest- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nest
- 18 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
nest-common 3.8-13.fc45
Common files for nest
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install nest-common- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: nest
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
nest-devel 3.8-13.fc45
Development files for nest
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install nest-devel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nest
- 1 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
nest-doc 3.8-13.fc45
Documentation for nest
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install nest-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: nest
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
nest-mpich 3.8-13.fc45
nest built with mpich
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install nest-mpich- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nest
- 22 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
nest-mpich-common 3.8-13.fc45
Common files for nest built with mpich support
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install nest-mpich-common- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nest
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
nest-mpich-devel 3.8-13.fc45
Header files for nest built with mpich support
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install nest-mpich-devel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nest
- 1 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
nest-openmpi 3.8-13.fc45
nest built with openmpi
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install nest-openmpi- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nest
- 20 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
nest-openmpi-common 3.8-13.fc45
Common files for nest built with openmpi support
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install nest-openmpi-common- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nest
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
nest-openmpi-devel 3.8-13.fc45
Development files for nest built with openmpi support
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install nest-openmpi-devel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nest
- 1 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
python3-nest 3.8-13.fc45
Python3 bindings for nest
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install python3-nest- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nest
- 12 dependencies
- 5 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
python3-nest-mpich 3.8-13.fc45
Python3 bindings for nest with mpich support
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install python3-nest-mpich- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nest
- 12 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
dnf95%
python3-nest-openmpi 3.8-13.fc45
Python3 bindings for nest with openmpi support
http://www.nest-simulator.org/
sudo dnf install python3-nest-openmpi- License: GPL-2.0-or-later and MIT and LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: nest
- 12 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Nest
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 package history
- external package-manager database matches
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation