Install anybar with Homebrew Cask

Project links

• Homepage
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

No executable aliases were found in the local package database.

Project history

Nikita Prokopov created AnyBar as a deliberately small macOS utility that displays a colored menu-bar dot. Its official repository dates the project copyright to 2015.

The project later added multiple-instance support through ANYBAR_PORT, labels through ANYBAR_TITLE, initial-state selection through ANYBAR_INIT, and user-provided images from ~/.AnyBar.

Adoption history

AnyBar attracted integrations and client implementations across shell environments and programming languages, including Bash, Zsh, Fish, Go, Node.js, Python, Ruby, Rust, Emacs, and AppleScript.

How it is used

Launch AnyBar.app, then send a color or control word to UDP port 1738. Environment variables can select another port, set a title, or choose the initial indicator.

Users commonly connect it to build scripts, monitoring commands, editor extensions, or other automation that needs an unobtrusive visual status signal.

Why package nerds care

AnyBar is a compact example of Unix-style composability applied to the macOS menu bar: arbitrary scripts and build tools can publish state by sending a tiny UDP message, without adopting a GUI framework or service API.

Timeline

• 2015: AnyBar's repository copyright identifies the project's initial era.
• Later releases: Support expanded to multiple instances, titles, initial colors, and custom indicator images.

Related projects

• The README identifies Hyper-independent integrations and numerous community clients, plus ports such as SomeBar for Ubuntu Unity and NoteBar for Windows.

Sources

• Official AnyBar README: https://github.com/tonsky/AnyBar#readme