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Install skylighting with Homebrew, apt

Flexible syntax highlighter using KDE XML syntax descriptions. Version 0.15 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-15. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install skylighting.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install skylighting

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install skylighting

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

overview

Package summary

Flexible syntax highlighter using KDE XML syntax descriptions

Commands and aliases

  • skylighting

history

Project history and usage

Skylighting is a Haskell library and optional command-line program for syntax highlighting with tokenizers derived from KDE XML syntax descriptions.

Project history

John MacFarlane created Skylighting as the successor to highlighting-kate. The earlier design compiled KDE XML descriptions into individual Parsec parsers, making circular IncludeRules and dynamic syntax loading difficult. Skylighting instead parses descriptions into Haskell data structures interpreted by a tokenizer.

The project later split its core and rendering formats into separate packages, continuously synchronized syntax definitions from KDE, and added formats and languages as the upstream definition set evolved.

Adoption history

Skylighting is distributed as a family of Haskell packages and is closely associated with Pandoc’s document-rendering ecosystem. Its modular formatters support ANSI, HTML, LaTeX, ConTeXt, and Typst output, while the command-line executable makes the same engine usable in shell pipelines.

How it is used

Haskell programs use the library to select a syntax by name, extension, or filename, tokenize input, and render tokens through a formatter. The optional `skylighting` executable provides command-line highlighting, and users can dynamically load additional KDE XML definitions.

Why package nerds care

The package is notable for replacing generated, compiled parsers with interpreted KDE syntax descriptions. That architecture supports dynamically loaded definitions, reduces problems with included rules, and lets Haskell applications reuse the large KDE grammar ecosystem.

Timeline

  • Initial design: Skylighting succeeded highlighting-kate with interpreted syntax descriptions and dynamic loading.
  • 0.10: Syntax definitions were synchronized from KDE and contributors were directed to submit grammar changes upstream.
  • 0.13: Output formatters were split into separate packages.
  • 0.14 series: The project added further languages, Typst support, and continuing KDE definition updates.

Related projects

  • highlighting-kate is Skylighting’s predecessor.
  • KDE Syntax Highlighting supplies the XML definition format and upstream grammars.
  • Pandoc shares maintainership and benefits from Skylighting’s Haskell-oriented architecture.
  • Hackage distributes the library and generated API documentation.

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 1 runtime dependencies.
  • 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.

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
skylightingcliglobal 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 version0.15
manager updated2026-09-15
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/jgm/skylighting

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:skylighting
Version0.15
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/skylighting
Homepagehttps://github.com/jgm/skylighting
Repositoryhttps://github.com/jgm/skylighting
LicenseGPL-2.0-only
Source archivehttps://hackage.haskell.org/package/skylighting-0.14.7/skylighting-0.14.7.tar.gz
Last updated2026-09-15T18:50:53Z
Pulseupdated
Dependenciesgmp
Build dependenciescabal-install, ghc
Uses from macOSlibffi
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 Nameskylighting
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • 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%

skylighting 0.14.3-1

syntax highlighting tool

https://github.com/jgm/skylighting

sudo apt install skylighting
  • Section: devel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: haskell-skylighting
  • 5 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Skylighting
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: skylighting from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Ubuntu apt95%

skylighting 0.13.4.1-2

syntax highlighting tool

https://github.com/jgm/skylighting

sudo apt install skylighting
  • Section: universe/devel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: haskell-skylighting
  • 4 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Skylighting
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: skylighting from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

package graph

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

Related tools

  • cabal-installBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • ghcBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.

Same workflow

  • pygmentsShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, library, syntax-highlighting.
  • chromaShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, syntax-highlighting.
  • shikiShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, syntax-highlighting.
  • zsh-patinaShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, syntax-highlighting.
  • qcaShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, kde, library.
  • codesnapShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, library, syntax-highlighting.

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 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