# Install slrn with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts Powerful console-based newsreader. Version 1.0.3a via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install slrn. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:slrn ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install slrn ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install slrn ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: news/slrn/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add slrn ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: slrn from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install slrn ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: slrn from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install slrn ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: slrn from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:slrn - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Version:** 1.0.3a - **Source summary:** Powerful console-based newsreader - **Homepage:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:06:18-07:00 - **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00 ## Executables - slrn (alias) - slrnpull (alias) ## Install behavior - Bottle: not available ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-08-03 - Package-manager version: 1.0.3a ## Project history and usage slrn is a console-based Usenet newsreader for NNTP and local news spools. Its own site describes it as first made available in 1994, under development since then, and most recently released as 1.0.3a in 2016. ### Project history The official site summarizes slrn as an S-Lang-based newsreader that runs in console mode on Unix-like systems and other platforms, supports scoring rules, custom key bindings, S-Lang macro extension, and offline reading through `slrnpull` or local news servers. The official download page recommends using distro packages where available, offers release tarballs from jedsoft.org, and says development source is managed with git. The GitHub repository README points back to slrn.info as the home page and documents the bundled files, including the manual, first-steps guide, sample `slrn.rc`, scoring documentation, and `slrnpull` setup material. ### Adoption history slrn's adoption belongs to long-running Unix and Usenet culture rather than modern web growth. The input facts list packages in apk, Homebrew, Debian, Fedora/dnf, MacPorts, and Ubuntu, reflecting a tool that distributions keep available for users of NNTP and terminal mail/news workflows. The official site itself recommends Linux users install their distro's package-manager version when possible, which is a direct acknowledgement that package managers are the normal delivery channel for many slrn users. ### How it is used The First Steps document tells Unix users to copy an example `slrn.rc` to `~/.slrnrc`, set identity variables such as `hostname`, `username`, and `realname` when needed, set `$NNTPSERVER` for the preferred news server, and run `slrn --create` to fetch the initial group list. For authenticated NNTP servers, the same document points users to the `nnrpaccess` command, and the sample `slrn.rc` shows `nnrpaccess "news.doe.com" "john" "secret"`. That makes the configuration file also the documented place credentials may be stored. ### Why package nerds care slrn matters to package-manager culture because it is a classic terminal network client with deep configuration, local files, scripting, scoring rules, and offline helper tooling. It also represents the persistence layer of Usenet in modern package managers: even as Usenet became niche, users can still install a maintained console client and its helper program through ordinary system and developer package workflows. ### Timeline - 1994: Official site says slrn was first made available. - 2015: First Steps document version 1.0.2 dated June 2015. - 2016: Official site says release 1.0.3a came out in 2016. - 2020: Official download page last updated June 2020. - 2021: Official home page last updated June 2021. ### Related projects - slrn is built around NNTP and Usenet and is closely tied to the S-Lang library and macro language. - Related tools and modes documented by the project include `slrnpull`, local news servers such as leafnode and INN, external editors through `$EDITOR` or `$VISUAL`, and scoring files. ### Sources - - - - - - - - ## Security Notes No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for slrn. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL. ## 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 - Unix: ~/.slrnrc - Windows: %USERPROFILE%\slrn.rc ## Credential files - Unix: ~/.slrnrc - Windows: %USERPROFILE%\slrn.rc ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - slrn - 1.0.3+dfsg-8: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: slrn from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | threaded text-mode news reader | https://slrn.info - Debian apt - slrnpull - 1.0.3+dfsg-8: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: slrnpull from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | pulls a small newsfeed from an NNTP server | https://slrn.info - Ubuntu apt - slrn - 1.0.3+dfsg-6ubuntu1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: slrn from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | threaded text-mode news reader | https://slrn.info - Ubuntu apt - slrnpull - 1.0.3+dfsg-6ubuntu1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: slrnpull from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | pulls a small newsfeed from an NNTP server | https://slrn.info - apk - slrn - 1.0.3-r9: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: slrn from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Threaded text-based news client | https://slrn.info/ - apk - slrn-doc - 1.0.3-r9: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: slrn-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Threaded text-based news client (documentation) | https://slrn.info/ - dnf - slrn - 1.0.3a-23.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: slrn from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | A threaded Internet news reader | https://slrn.sourceforge.net/ - dnf - slrn-pull - 1.0.3a-23.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: slrn-pull from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | Offline news reading support for the SLRN news reader | https://slrn.sourceforge.net/ - MacPorts - slrn: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: news/slrn/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/slrn.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/slrn.yml) ## Sources - pkg.so package database - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - pkgdb category and tag curation - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph