ctags ☆
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Description:
Reimplementation of ctags(1)
Type: Formula  |  Latest Version: 5.8@2  |  Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Developer tools
Tags: ctags indexing code-navigation developer-tools tags
Install: brew install ctags
About:
Exuberant Ctags generates index files (tag files) that describe source code locations of functions, variables, and other symbols. It enables rapid navigation and search within codebases using text editors like Vim and Emacs. This tool is essential for understanding large or unfamiliar projects.
Key Features:
  • Supports 41 programming languages including C, C++, Java, Python, and JavaScript
  • Generates tag files for symbol indexing and cross-referencing
  • Provides both traditional and regex-based parsing modes
  • Integrates with Vim, Emacs, and other text editors
  • Generates both regular and recursive tags
Use Cases:
  • Enabling code navigation and jump-to-definition in Vim/Emacs
  • Building IDE-like features for lightweight text editors
  • Analyzing source code structure and dependencies
Alternatives:
  • Universal Ctags – Modern fork with active development and broader language support
  • GNU Global – Provides cross-referencing with additional indexing capabilities
License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_ventura, arm64_monterey, arm64_big_sur, sonoma, ventura, monterey, big_sur, catalina, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux
Important Notes:
Under some circumstances, emacs and ctags can conflict. By default,
emacs provides an executable `ctags` that would conflict with the
executable of the same name that ctags provides. To prevent this,
Homebrew removes the emacs `ctags` and its manpage before linking.
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Oct 15, 2025 5:02pm 2 VERSION_BUMP c171237d
Sep 15, 2024 4:28am 2 VERSION_BUMP 7c42e056
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