# Install texttest with Homebrew

Tool for text-based Approval Testing. Version 4.4.7 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-01.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:texttest
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install texttest
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:texttest
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 4.4.7
- **Source summary:** Tool for text-based Approval Testing
- **Homepage:** <https://www.texttest.org/>
- **Last updated:** 2026-07-01T10:37:33Z
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- interpretcore (alias)
- texttest (alias)
- texttestc (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 4.4.7
## Project history and usage

TextTest is a long-running open source approval-testing and text-based functional-testing framework. It compares program output with approved text files, making it useful for command-line programs, legacy systems, and workflows where behavior is easiest to review as diffs.

### Project history

The repository history starts in February 2003 with an initial TextTest import. Official documentation says the authors had been exploring customer-readable acceptance tests since 2000 and that TextTest became the common front end for that work.

TextTest grew from text comparison into a broader testing environment with batch mode, performance and parallel execution, GUI interfaces, and integrations for version-control and bug-tracking systems. Its own ChangeLog records major milestones such as a GUI in 2.0, a static GUI in 3.0, and personal `.texttest` configuration in the 3.x line.

The project moved through a SourceForge documentation and download era and later added a newer texttest.org documentation site. The newer site states that the SourceForge documentation remains the full documentation while the new site is being built to replace it.

### Adoption history

Official materials describe Unix and Windows support, SourceForge downloads for Windows installers, pip installation on POSIX systems, and GitHub as the current code host. The readme also says development was funded by Jeppesen AB, reflecting use in industrial acceptance-test environments rather than only small open source examples.

### How it is used

A TextTest suite defines how to run an executable with command-line options, environment variables, standard-input redirects, and expected output files. The tool then runs selected tests and compares produced text with approved gold-standard files, often through diff-style review.

TextTest also supports unattended batch runs, GUI-assisted maintenance of expected results, self-tests written in TextTest, and related tools such as StoryText for GUI record/replay.

### Why package nerds care

TextTest is notable in package-manager culture because it packages an older, opinionated acceptance-testing workflow that predates the current wave of approval-testing libraries. Its command-line programs, GUI dependencies, SourceForge-to-GitHub migration, and Python packaging history make it a good example of how long-lived developer tools survive across distribution systems.

### Timeline

- 2000: Official docs say the authors began exploring high-level acceptance tests
- 2003-02-04: First version of TextTest checked into the public repository history
- 2020-03-23: 4.0 tag
- 2020-11-27: SourceForge download page lists GitHub as current source host
- 2023-12-11: 4.3.1 tag
- 2023-12-13: New texttest.org site last-updated timestamp

### Related projects

- StoryText is documented as a companion GUI-testing tool suited to TextTest workflows.
- CaptureMock is listed on the official site as a related capture-replay mocking tool.
- TextTest integrates with diff tools, version-control systems, bug trackers, Grid Engine, LSF, and EC2-style parallel execution.

### Sources

- Official git tags and commit history from https://github.com/texttest/texttest
- <http://texttest.sourceforge.net/>
- <http://texttest.sourceforge.net/index.php?page=about>
- <http://texttest.sourceforge.net/index.php?page=download>
- <https://github.com/texttest/texttest/blob/master/readme.txt>
- <https://github.com/texttest/texttest/blob/master/texttestlib/doc/ChangeLog>
- <https://www.texttest.org/>


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals


## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/texttest.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/texttest.yml)


## Sources

- pkg.so package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph