macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install qodemlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install qodemMacPorts ports tree · comms/qodem/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 13386
Install qodem with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, zypper
Terminal emulator and BBS client. Version 1.0.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-13. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#qodem.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#qodemnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/qo/qodem/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install qodemopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · qodem · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Terminal emulator and BBS client
Project links
Commands and aliases
- qodem
- xqodem
history
Project history and usage
Qodem is a text-mode terminal emulator and communications client designed to carry the integrated BBS experience onto modern systems. It supports uses including telnet, SSH, rlogin, serial communications, local shells, phonebook-managed connections, scripting, and file transfer.
Project history
Autumn Lamonte started Qodem in 2003 to retain useful ideas from the Qmodem-style BBS experience on modern systems. What began as a proposed glue layer around external connection and transfer programs grew into a large implementation with terminal emulation, built-in transfer protocols, network and serial connections, host mode, and Windows support.
Versions from 0.0.1 through 1.0alpha were GPL-2.0-or-later. On May 26, 2015, the project was dedicated to the public domain, with CC0 terms available where a public-domain dedication is not recognized.
Adoption history
Qodem developed as a cross-platform communications client for modern and vintage systems rather than as a narrowly compatible Qmodem clone. Package metadata records distribution through Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, and openSUSE.
The long development cycle culminated in the 1.0.0 release in June 2017. Its continued packaging preserves a BBS-oriented terminal environment that would otherwise require combining several smaller communications programs.
How it is used
On first run, Qodem creates its working files under ~/.qodem on Unix-like systems and opens the phonebook screen. Users select an existing entry or create one for a BBS, host, serial device, or local connection.
The options file is plain text and can be edited directly or through Qodem. The client also supports scripts, keyboard macros, capture files, and protocol-based file transfers.
Why package nerds care
Qodem is notable to package enthusiasts because it preserves the integrated communications-program model of the DOS BBS era: terminal emulation, a dialing directory, scrollback, scripting, file transfer, serial communications, and network protocols in one text interface.
Its public-domain and CC0 licensing since 2015, unusual interface lineage, and support for both vintage BBSes and modern Unix hosts give it a distinctive place among terminal packages.
Timeline
- 2003: Autumn Lamonte started Qodem.
- 2003–2012: Releases from 0.0.1 through 1.0alpha were published under GPL-2.0-or-later.
- 2015: Qodem was dedicated to the public domain with CC0 fallback terms.
- 2017: Qodem 1.0.0 was released.
Related projects
- Qmodem inspired Qodem's interaction model, but Qodem is an independent project with deliberate behavioral differences.
- External SSH and local command-line clients can participate in Qodem connection workflows on Unix-like systems.
Sources
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:client
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 platform targets.
- Build metadata lists 2 build dependencies.
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.
- Unix
~/.qodem/qodemrc- Windows
My Documents\qodem\prefs\qodemrc.txt
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
qodem | cli | global executable | |
xqodem | cli | global executable |
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 generated2026-11-04
manager version1.0.1
manager updated2026-09-13
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://qodem.sourceforge.io/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:qodem |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.0.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/qodem |
| Homepage | https://qodem.sourceforge.io/ |
| Upstream docs | https://qodem.sourceforge.io/ |
| License | LicenseRef-Homebrew-public-domain |
| Source archive | https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/qodem/qodem/1.0.1/qodem-1.0.1.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-09-13T22:07:26Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Build dependencies | autoconf, automake |
| Uses from macOS | ncurses |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_golden_gate, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | qodem |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | yes |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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%
qodem
nix profile install nixpkgs#qodem- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Qodem
zypper95%
qodem 1.0.1-2.7
Terminal emulator and communications package
https://qodem.sourceforge.io/index.html
sudo zypper install qodem- License: CC0-1.0 OR SUSE-Public-Domain
- Category: Hardware/Modem
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: qodem
- 9 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Qodem
MacPorts95%
qodem
sudo port install qodem- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Qodem
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
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation