# Install nnn with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper Tiny, lightning fast, feature-packed file manager. Version 5.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install nnn. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:nnn ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install nnn ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install nnn ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/nnn/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add nnn ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nnn from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install nnn ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: nnn from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install nnn ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: nnn from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#nnn ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/nn/nnn/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S nnn ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: nnn from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install nnn ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: nnn from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:nnn - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Version:** 5.2 - **Source summary:** Tiny, lightning fast, feature-packed file manager - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00 ## Executables - nnn (alias) ## Install behavior - Bottle: not available ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-08-03 - Package-manager version: 5.2 ## Project history and usage nnn is a small, fast terminal file manager in C, historically a performance-oriented fork of noice and now a full-featured file-management environment with plugins. ### Project history The Ubuntu manpage expands the name as 'Nnn's Not Noice' and describes nnn as a performance-optimized, feature-packed fork of noice. The upstream project presents it as a tiny, nearly zero-config terminal file manager designed to stay out of the user's way while still offering rich workflows. The project's copyright line credits Arun Prakash Jana from 2016 through 2026, and the repository has grown into a substantial community project with plugins, wiki documentation, patches, videos, and broad package availability. ### Adoption history nnn became popular among terminal-heavy Linux, BSD, macOS, WSL, Raspberry Pi, and Termux users because it kept the core binary small while adding workflow features usually associated with larger file managers: contexts, sessions, filtering, disk-usage analysis, batch rename, file picking, previews, archive handling, and shell/editor integration. Its adoption is visible in both package ecosystems and surrounding tools. The README links to independent Vim/Neovim integrations, a plugin collection, many third-party writeups, and a Repology availability badge. In package-manager terms, it is a successful small-C utility: easy to compile, easy to package, and useful without a daemon or heavyweight runtime. ### How it is used Package nerds use nnn as an interactive replacement or companion for ls, cd, find, du, xdg-open, and shell scripts. Common setup includes enabling cd-on-quit, choosing a CLI opener such as nuke, binding plugins through NNN_PLUG, using contexts as tabs, and piping NUL-separated file lists into nnn as a picker. The lightweight design shows in the configuration style: few mandatory files, optional environment variables, shell integration, and external tools for previews, mounting, media metadata, and trash. That makes nnn feel less like an isolated app and more like a navigational layer over the user's existing Unix toolbox. ### Why package nerds care nnn is significant because it proves a terminal file manager can be both tiny and deeply extensible. It sits near the sweet spot for people who want ranger-like convenience without Python startup cost or a large runtime. ### Timeline - {'event': "The repository credits Arun Prakash Jana's copyright from 2016, matching nnn's early development period.", 'year': '2016'} - {'date': '2026-02-14', 'event': 'The GitHub repository page listed nnn v5.2 Blue Hawaii as the latest release.'} ### Related projects - noice - nuke - nnn.vim - nnn.nvim - ranger - Midnight Commander ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - nnn - 5.0-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: nnn from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Free, fast, friendly file manager | https://github.com/jarun/nnn - Nix - nnn: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/nn/nnn/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - nnn - 4.9-1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: nnn from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Free, fast, friendly file manager | https://github.com/jarun/nnn - apk - nnn - 5.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nnn from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | The unorthodox terminal file manager | https://github.com/jarun/nnn - apk - nnn-bash-completion - 5.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nnn-bash-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Bash completions for nnn | https://github.com/jarun/nnn - apk - nnn-doc - 5.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nnn-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | The unorthodox terminal file manager (documentation) | https://github.com/jarun/nnn - apk - nnn-fish-completion - 5.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nnn-fish-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Fish completions for nnn | https://github.com/jarun/nnn - apk - nnn-plugins - 5.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nnn-plugins from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | nnn official plugins | https://github.com/jarun/nnn - apk - nnn-zsh-completion - 5.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nnn-zsh-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Zsh completions for nnn | https://github.com/jarun/nnn - dnf - nnn - 5.2-2.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: nnn from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | The missing terminal file browser for X | https://github.com/jarun/nnn - pacman - nnn - 5.2-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: nnn from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | The fastest terminal file manager ever written. | https://github.com/jarun/nnn - zypper - nnn - 5.2-1.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: nnn from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Terminal based file browser | https://github.com/jarun/nnn#nnn - zypper - nnn-bash-completion - 5.2-1.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: nnn-bash-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Bash completions for nnn | https://github.com/jarun/nnn#nnn - zypper - nnn-fish-completion - 5.2-1.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: nnn-fish-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Fish Completion for nnn | https://github.com/jarun/nnn#nnn - zypper - nnn-zsh-completion - 5.2-1.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: nnn-zsh-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | ZSH Completion for nnn | https://github.com/jarun/nnn#nnn - MacPorts - nnn: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/nnn/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/nnn.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/nnn.yml) ## Sources - pkg.so package database - Geiger risk classifier - curated package history - pkgdb category and tag curation - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph