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Description:
Lightweight Expect-like PTY tool for shell scripts

Type: Formula | Latest Version: 0.6.23d@0 | Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Developer tools

Tags: automation pty shell-scripting expect terminal cli

Install: brew install empty

About:
Empty is a lightweight PTY (pseudo-terminal) automation tool similar to Expect, designed for controlling interactive programs within shell scripts. It establishes a pty link between a command and stdin/stdout, enabling automated input responses and output processing. This makes it ideal for scripting tasks that require handling interactive prompts, passwords, or terminal-based applications.

Key Features:

Lightweight and fast execution
Simple shell-based syntax
No Tcl dependency unlike Expect
Handles interactive prompts and passwords securely

Use Cases:

Automating SSH sessions with password authentication
Scripting interactive command-line tools
Testing console applications programmatically
Automating file transfer protocols with prompts

Alternatives:

expect – More powerful but requires Tcl; empty is lighter and uses simpler syntax
sshpass – SSH-specific automation tool; empty is more general-purpose for any interactive program

License: BSD-3-Clause

Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 13, 2025 1:53pm		0	VERSION_BUMP	7bedaf5e
Sep 13, 2024 1:49am		0	VERSION_BUMP	65c5aa60