expect
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Description:
Program that can automate interactive applications
Type: Formula  |  Latest Version: 5.45.4@3  |  Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Developer tools
Tags: automation testing tcl cli scripting
Install: brew install expect
About:
Expect is a tool for automating interactive applications such as telnet, ftp, passwd, fsck, and more. It spawns a subprocess and watches for expected patterns in the output, sending a response when a pattern is matched. This allows scripts to control programs that require user interaction, making it ideal for testing and automation.
Key Features:
  • Pattern matching on program output
  • Automated input generation
  • Built-in Tcl scripting language
  • Handles interactive programs like ssh, ftp, and telnet
Use Cases:
  • Automating interactive CLI tools in scripts
  • Automated testing of terminal applications
Alternatives:
  • pexpect – Python library inspired by Expect, suitable for Python-based automation
  • empty – Lightweight C-based expect alternative
License: LicenseRef-Homebrew-public-domain
Dependencies: tcl-tk@8
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
Oct 15, 2025 5:02pm 3 VERSION_BUMP 6e782355
Sep 13, 2025 2:47pm 3 VERSION_BUMP 13104056
Nov 10, 2024 1:46pm 3 VERSION_BUMP 82091dad