macOS
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brew install nuspellprovider-native install command
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Install nuspell with Homebrew
Fast and safe spellchecking C++ library. Version 5.1.8 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-15.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Fast and safe spellchecking C++ library
Project links
Commands and aliases
- nuspell
history
Project history and usage
Nuspell is a modern C++ spell-checking library and command-line tool designed as a safer, faster, more maintainable successor in the Hunspell/MySpell lineage while retaining compatibility with Hunspell dictionaries.
Project history
The Nuspell site and FOSDEM materials place the project in the long spell-checker line from spell, ispell, aspell, MySpell, and Hunspell. Mozilla Open Source Support funded the pure C++ rewrite in 2017 and 2018 for Nuspell 2.0, then funded base functionality and integration work in 2019 and 2020 for Nuspell 3.0. The GitHub release API shows v2.0.0 published on November 22, 2018 and v3.0.0 on November 23, 2019.
Adoption history
Nuspell's adoption story is less about replacing every installed Hunspell binary and more about being a compatible library that can reuse the enormous pool of Hunspell dictionaries. Its homepage points users to language packs from LibreOffice, Firefox, Thunderbird, Ubuntu, and Debian, and says Nuspell itself does not ship dictionaries.
How it is used
Practical use is either `nuspell` as a CLI spell checker or libnuspell embedded in editors, document tools, and language-processing applications. Its headline features for package maintainers are Hunspell dictionary compatibility, ICU-backed Unicode, complex morphology and compounding support, personal dictionaries, and performance claims up to 3.5 times faster than Hunspell.
Why package nerds care
Nuspell is a packaging bridge: it wants to modernize the implementation while preserving the old dictionary ecosystem. That makes the dependency graph more interesting than the install count suggests; Homebrew listed 149 installs over 365 days on July 1, 2026, but the library's value is mostly in downstream applications and dictionary compatibility.
Timeline
- 2017-2018: Mozilla Open Source Support funds the pure C++ Nuspell 2.0 rewrite.
- 2018-11-22: GitHub release v2.0.0 is published.
- 2019-2020: MOSS funds base functionality and integration for Nuspell 3.0.
- 2019-11-23: GitHub release v3.0.0 is published.
- 2025-11-25: GitHub release v5.1.7 is published.
Related projects
- Hunspell
- MySpell
- Aspell
- Ispell
- Enchant
- LibreOffice
- Firefox
- Thunderbird
Sources
- https://api.github.com/repos/nuspell/nuspell/releases?per_page=100
- https://archive.fosdem.org/2019/schedule/event/nuspell/attachments/slides/3230/export/events/attachments/nuspell/slides/3230/presentation.pdf
- https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/nuspell
- https://github.com/nuspell/nuspell
- https://nuspell.github.io/
security posture
Risk level: green
library-like package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- library-like package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:library-like
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
nuspell | 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 version5.1.8
manager updated2026-07-15
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:nuspell |
|---|---|
| Version | 5.1.8 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://nuspell.github.io/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/nuspell/nuspell |
| Last updated | 2026-07-15T21:00:18Z |
| 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