pkg.soopen package index

brew / rank 999

Install rlwrap with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

Readline wrapper: adds readline support to tools that lack it. Version 0.48 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-10. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install rlwrap.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install rlwrap

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install rlwrap

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/rlwrap/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add rlwrap

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · rlwrap · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install rlwrap

Debian stable package indexes · rlwrap · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install rlwrap

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · rlwrap · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#rlwrap

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/rl/rlwrap/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S rlwrap

Arch Linux sync databases · rlwrap · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install rlwrap

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · rlwrap · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Readline wrapper: adds readline support to tools that lack it

Commands and aliases

  • rlwrap

history

Project history and usage

rlwrap wraps an interactive command with GNU Readline facilities, adding editable input, command recall, persistent per-command history, and optional completion to programs that do not provide those features themselves.

Project history

Hans Lub wrote rlwrap around GNU Readline, with pseudo-terminal handling derived from rxvt and completion-list management using Damian Ivereigh's libredblack. Its design combines Readline editing with a pseudo-terminal wrapper and optional programmable filters.

Adoption history

rlwrap has broad package-manager coverage across Alpine, Debian, Fedora, Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, Ubuntu, and openSUSE ecosystems. The project explicitly aims to remain portable across old and current Unix-like systems, including Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, HP-UX, AIX, Solaris, QNX, and Cygwin.

How it is used

Run rlwrap followed by the target command and its arguments. Common uses include adding arrow-key history to a REPL, wrapping netcat, supplying completion words with -f, and using filters to transform prompts, completion, input, or output. It is not a terminal emulator and is generally unnecessary for programs that already have sophisticated terminal handling.

Why package nerds care

rlwrap is a classic composable Unix utility: it improves an existing interactive program without modifying that program. It remains useful for legacy REPLs, database clients, network tools, and language shells that lack modern line editing or persistent history.

Timeline

  • 2025: The official README identifies release 0.48.

Related projects

  • GNU Readline provides the editing and history engine.
  • rlfe and socat are identified by the project as related wrappers.
  • rxvt supplied much of the original pseudo-terminal handling code.

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 post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
  • Installs with 2 runtime 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
~/.inputrc$INPUTRC

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
rlwrapcliglobal 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 generated2026-09-19
manager version0.48
manager updated2026-09-10
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/hanslub42/rlwrap

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:rlwrap
Version0.48
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/rlwrap
Homepagehttps://github.com/hanslub42/rlwrap
Repositoryhttps://github.com/hanslub42/rlwrap
LicenseGPL-2.0-or-later
Source archivehttps://github.com/hanslub42/rlwrap/releases/download/v0.48/rlwrap-0.48.zip
Last updated2026-09-10T10:14:22Z
Pulseupdated
Dependencieslibptytty, readline
Uses from macOSncurses
Bottleavailable (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namerlwrap
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • head
  • stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

rlwrap 0.46.1-1+b1

readline feature command line wrapper

https://github.com/hanslub42/rlwrap

sudo apt install rlwrap
  • Section: utils
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: rlwrap
  • 5 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Rlwrap
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: rlwrap from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

rlwrap

nix profile install nixpkgs#rlwrap
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Rlwrap
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/rl/rlwrap/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

rlwrap 0.46.1-1build2

readline feature command line wrapper

https://github.com/hanslub42/rlwrap

sudo apt install rlwrap
  • Section: universe/editors
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 5 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Rlwrap
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: rlwrap from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

rlwrap 0.48-r0

readline wrapper

https://github.com/hanslub42/rlwrap

sudo apk add rlwrap
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: rlwrap
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Rlwrap
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: rlwrap from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

rlwrap-doc 0.48-r0

readline wrapper (documentation)

https://github.com/hanslub42/rlwrap

sudo apk add rlwrap-doc
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: rlwrap
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Rlwrap
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: rlwrap-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

rlwrap 0.47.1-3.fc45

Wrapper for GNU readline

https://github.com/hanslub42/rlwrap

sudo dnf install rlwrap
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: rlwrap
  • 8 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Rlwrap
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: rlwrap from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/652278618dec9c023176a80c435a32a2c8154869fb0eb662c267a54df28d77d9-primary.xml.zst
pacman95%

rlwrap 0.48-1

Adds readline-style editing and history to programs

https://github.com/hanslub42/rlwrap

sudo pacman -S rlwrap
  • License: GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • 7 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Rlwrap
Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: rlwrap from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz
zypper95%

rlwrap 0.48-1.5

A Readline Wrapper

https://github.com/hanslub42/rlwrap/

sudo zypper install rlwrap
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Category: Productivity/Other
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: rlwrap
  • 5 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Rlwrap
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: rlwrap from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/d310d5a96106e1e8872a385adf98aaa23be9db5d80937a6717314e7e7f37715065c6c748ab7ccee6475d620b46979c0fe64235fc0c46988e17edf659578fcf31-primary.xml.zst
MacPorts95%

rlwrap

sudo port install rlwrap
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Rlwrap
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/rlwrap/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

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Same workflow

  • oh-my-poshShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.
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  • colordiffShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.
  • seshShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.
  • etShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.
  • ansifilterShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, terminal.

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.

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