sexpect ☆

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Description:
Expect for shells

Type: Formula | Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Developer tools

Tags: automation shell expect scripting cli testing

Install: brew install sexpect

About:
Sexpect is a command-line utility that brings Expect-like automation capabilities to shell scripts. It allows users to automate interactive applications by sending input and parsing output streams, enabling non-interactive control of programs that require user interaction. The tool is particularly valuable for automating tasks like SSH sessions, FTP transfers, or any CLI tool that expects interactive input.

Key Features:

Automates interactive shell sessions
Pattern matching and response automation
Supports spawned processes and PTY handling
Lightweight and scriptable
Works with standard Unix utilities

Use Cases:

Automating SSH logins and remote commands
Scripting interactive CLI tools
Automating file transfer protocols
Testing command-line applications

Alternatives:

expect – The classic Tcl-based Expect tool, more feature-rich but requires Tcl
pexpect – Python library for Expect-like functionality, better for Python-based automation
autoexpect – Generates Expect scripts automatically by recording user sessions

Version History

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