How To Install Ncurse Library in Ubuntu/Debian/CentOS/Fedora Linux

This post will guide you how to install ncurse library in Unix-like operating systems. How to use the ncurses library in your C program and then compile it on Linux system.

GNU ncurses is a programming library providing an application programming interface that allows the programmer to write text-based user interfaces in a terminal-independent manner. You can use the ncurses library to develop “GUI-like” application software that runs under a terminal emulator on Linux system.

Install Ncurses Library with Default Repository


You can install the Ncurses library with the default repository on the different Unix-like system.

For CentOS/RHEL Linux, you can use the yum command to install the following one package (ncurses-devel) on your system, type:

$ sudo yum install ncurses-devel

Outputs:

[root@osetc ~]# yum install ncurses-devel
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Setting up Install Process
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
epel/metalink | 17 kB 00:00
* base: mirror.sjc02.svwh.net
* epel: mirror.sjc02.svwh.net
* extras: mirror.sfo12.us.leaseweb.net
* updates: mirror.sfo12.us.leaseweb.net
base | 3.7 kB 00:00
epel | 3.2 kB 00:00
extras | 3.4 kB 00:00
updates | 3.4 kB 00:00
Resolving Dependencies
There are unfinished transactions remaining. You might consider running yum-complete-transaction first to finish them.
The program yum-complete-transaction is found in the yum-utils package.
--> Running transaction check
---> Package ncurses-devel.x86_64 0:5.7-4.20090207.el6 will be installed
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved

================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
================================================================================
Installing:
ncurses-devel x86_64 5.7-4.20090207.el6 base 641 k

Transaction Summary
================================================================================
Install 1 Package(s)

Total download size: 641 k
Installed size: 1.7 M
Is this ok [y/N]:y

For Ubuntu/Debian Linux:

If you are using Ubuntu/Debian Linux, you can use the apt-get command to install the following two packages: libncurses5-dev libncursesw5-dev, type:

$ sudo apt-get install libncurses5-dev libncursesw5-dev

Outputs:

devops@devops-osetc:~/working$ sudo apt-get install libncurses5-dev libncursesw5-dev
sudo: unable to resolve host devops-osetc
[sudo] password for devops:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
libtinfo-dev
Suggested packages:
ncurses-doc
The following NEW packages will be installed:
libncurses5-dev libncursesw5-dev libtinfo-dev
0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 599 not upgraded.
Need to get 450 kB of archives.
After this operation, 2,642 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Y
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 libtinfo-dev amd64 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1 [77.4 kB]
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 libncurses5-dev amd64 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1 [175 kB]
Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 libncursesw5-dev amd64 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1 [198 kB]
Fetched 450 kB in 4s (104 kB/s)
Selecting previously unselected package libtinfo-dev:amd64.
(Reading database ... 175926 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libtinfo-dev_6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libtinfo-dev:amd64 (6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libncurses5-dev:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libncurses5-dev_6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libncurses5-dev:amd64 (6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libncursesw5-dev:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libncursesw5-dev_6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libncursesw5-dev:amd64 (6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Setting up libtinfo-dev:amd64 (6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) ...
Setting up libncurses5-dev:amd64 (6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) ...
Setting up libncursesw5-dev:amd64 (6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) ..

For Fedora Linux:

If you are using Fedora 22 Linux or the newer versions, you can use the dnf command to install the ncurses library, type:

$ sudo dnf install ncurses-devel

Outputs:

[root@fedora26-osetc ~]# dnf install ncurses-devel
Last metadata expiration check: 1:36:24 ago on Fri 21 Jul 2017 09:01:19 AM EDT.
Dependencies resolved.
==================================================================================================================================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
==================================================================================================================================================================================================
Installing:
ncurses-devel x86_64 6.0-8.20170212.fc26 fedora 505 k
Installing dependencies:
ncurses-c++-libs x86_64 6.0-8.20170212.fc26 fedora 54 k

Transaction Summary
==================================================================================================================================================================================================
Install 2 Packages

Total download size: 559 k
Installed size: 930 k
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
[MIRROR] ncurses-c++-libs-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64.rpm: Curl error (60): Peer certificate cannot be authenticated with given CA certificates for https://fedora-archive.ip-connect.vn.ua/fedora/linux/releases/26/Everything/x86_64/os/Packages/n/ncurses-c++-libs-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64.rpm [Peer's Certificate has expired.]
[MIRROR] ncurses-devel-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64.rpm: Curl error (60): Peer certificate cannot be authenticated with given CA certificates for https://fedora-archive.ip-connect.vn.ua/fedora/linux/releases/26/Everything/x86_64/os/Packages/n/ncurses-devel-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64.rpm [Peer's Certificate has expired.]
(1/2): ncurses-c++-libs-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64.rpm 13 kB/s | 54 kB 00:04
(2/2): ncurses-devel-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64.rpm 59 kB/s | 505 kB 00:08
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 55 kB/s | 559 kB 00:10
warning: /var/cache/dnf/fedora-6dbd63560daef6bf/packages/ncurses-devel-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64.rpm: Header V3 RSA/SHA256 Signature, key ID 64dab85d: NOKEY
Importing GPG key 0x64DAB85D:
Userid : "Fedora 26 Primary (26) <fedora-26-primary@fedoraproject.org>"
Fingerprint: E641 850B 77DF 4353 78D1 D7E2 812A 6B4B 64DA B85D
From : /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-fedora-26-x86_64
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Key imported successfully
Running transaction check
Transaction check succeeded.
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded.
Running transaction
Preparing : 1/1
Installing : ncurses-c++-libs-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64 1/2
Running scriptlet: ncurses-c++-libs-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64 1/2
Installing : ncurses-devel-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64 2/2
Running scriptlet: ncurses-devel-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64 2/2
Verifying : ncurses-devel-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64 1/2
Verifying : ncurses-c++-libs-6.0-8.20170212.fc26.x86_64 2/2

Installed:
ncurses-devel.x86_64 6.0-8.20170212.fc26 ncurses-c++-libs.x86_64 6.0-8.20170212.fc26

Complete!

For Arch-based Linux:

You can use the following command to install ncurses library, type:

$ sudo pacman -S ncurses

Install Ncurses Library with Source code


You can use the source code to install the latest stable version of ncurses in your Linux system, just do the following steps:

#1 Download the latest source package of ncurses from ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/ncurses/

According to the ncurses release notes, the latest version of nucrses is 6.1. so type the following command to get it to local disk:

$ wget ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/ncurses/ncurses-6.1.tar.gz

Outputs:

[root@osetc_test working]# wget ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/ncurses/ncurses-6.1.tar.gz
--2018-11-08 07:08:11-- ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/ncurses/ncurses-6.1.tar.gz
=> “ncurses-6.1.tar.gz”
Resolving ftp.gnu.org... 208.118.235.20, 2001:4830:134:3::b
Connecting to ftp.gnu.org|208.118.235.20|:21... connected.
Logging in as anonymous ... Logged in!
==> SYST ... done. ==> PWD ... done.
==> TYPE I ... done. ==> CWD (1) /gnu/ncurses ... done.
==> SIZE ncurses-6.1.tar.gz ... 3365395
==> PASV ... done. ==> RETR ncurses-6.1.tar.gz ... done.
Length: 3365395 (3.2M) (unauthoritative)

100%[===============================================================>] 3,365,395 2.64M/s in 1.2s

2018-11-08 07:08:13 (2.64 MB/s) - “ncurses-6.1.tar.gz” saved [3365395]

[root@osetc_test working]# ls
ncurses-6.1.tar.gz

#2 Extract the tar.gz source package

Type the following command:

$ tar -zxvf ncurses-6.1.tar.gz

Outputs:

[root@osetc_test working]# tar -zxvf ncurses-6.1.tar.gz
ncurses-6.1/
ncurses-6.1/panel/
ncurses-6.1/mk-0th.awk
ncurses-6.1/Makefile.in
ncurses-6.1/c++/
ncurses-6.1/misc/
ncurses-6.1/man/
ncurses-6.1/Makefile.os2
ncurses-6.1/progs/
ncurses-6.1/aclocal.m4
ncurses-6.1/dist.mk
ncurses-6.1/config.guess
ncurses-6.1/config.sub
ncurses-6.1/convert_configure.pl
ncurses-6.1/ncurses/
ncurses-6.1/announce.html.in
ncurses-6.1/mk-2nd.awk
ncurses-6.1/package/
....

#3 change directory to ncurses-6.1, and then compile and install the source code. type the following command:

$ cd ncurses-6.1
$ ./configure --prefix=/opt/ncurses
$ make
$ sudo make install

#4 Verify if the ncurses library is install in your system
Type the following command:

$ ls -la /opt/ncurses

Outputs:

[root@osetc_test ncurses-6.1]# ls -la /opt/ncurses
total 24
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Nov 8 07:18 .
drwxr-xr-x. 4 root root 4096 Nov 8 07:17 ..
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Nov 8 07:18 bin
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Nov 8 07:18 include
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Nov 8 07:18 lib
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 4096 Nov 8 07:18 share
[root@osetc_test ncurses-6.1]#

So far, the Ncurses library has been installed on your Linux system.

Compile C Porgram that call the ncurses library


Let’s write one C program called fio.c that call the ncurses library via vi/vim text editor under the command line interface in your Linux, and append the following line:

#include <ncurses.h>
#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
initscr();
printw("Hello World!");
refresh();
getch();
endwin();
return 0;
}

Compile this C program and then execute it, type:

$ gcc fio.c -o fio -lncurses
$ ./fio

Video: Install ncurses Library From Source

See Also:

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