readline
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Description:
Library for command-line editing
Type: Formula  |  Latest Version: 8.3.3@0  |  Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Developer tools
Tags: cli library readline editing terminal
Install: brew install readline
About:
GNU Readline is a library that provides interactive command-line editing facilities, command history, and name completion for programs running in a terminal. It enables developers to add robust line-editing capabilities to their command-line applications without implementing them from scratch. This standardization improves user experience by offering consistent editing shortcuts and history management across different Unix-like tools.
Key Features:
  • Interactive line editing with Emacs and Vi keybindings
  • Command history management and recall
  • Filename and command name completion
  • Customizable interface via runtime configuration
Use Cases:
  • Adding interactive CLI editing to custom shell tools
  • Building command-line applications with history and completion
Alternatives:
  • libedit – BSD-licensed alternative with similar functionality but different licensing and some API differences
  • linenoise – Minimalist alternative with smaller footprint but fewer features
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Sep 10, 2025 3:47am 8.3.1 0 VERSION_BUMP 2ab6b9b7
Sep 16, 2024 11:18pm 8.2.13 0 VERSION_BUMP 769bd739