elvish
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Description:
Friendly and expressive shell
Type: Formula  |  Latest Version: 0.21.0@0  |  Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Developer tools
Tags: shell command-line automation scripting elvish
Install: brew install elvish
About:
Elvish is a modern, cross-platform shell that combines the flexibility of traditional shells with the expressiveness of modern programming languages. It features a structured data pipeline, comprehensive built-in functionality, and a statically typed language with first-class functions. Designed for both interactive use and scripting, it aims to reduce complexity and prevent common errors found in other shells.
Key Features:
  • Structured data pipelines (lists and maps instead of text streams)
  • First-class functions and namespaces for modular code
  • Rich built-in library including JSON, RE, and file system operations
  • Interactive features like completion and editor mode
  • Cross-platform support (Linux, macOS, Windows, BSDs)
Use Cases:
  • Daily interactive terminal usage as a user-friendly alternative to Bash or Zsh
  • Writing robust, maintainable system automation and deployment scripts
  • Data processing pipelines involving JSON or structured text
Alternatives:
  • bash – Bash is the ubiquitous standard but lacks structured data types and modern language features.
  • fish – Fish offers excellent interactive usability but uses a unique syntax not designed for complex scripting.
  • zsh – Zsh is highly extensible but relies heavily on external tools for data manipulation.
License: BSD-2-Clause
Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_ventura, arm64_monterey, sonoma, ventura, monterey, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Sep 13, 2025 2:15pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 9c307d50
Sep 12, 2024 6:14pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 1ad3d202