How to install C* Music Player (cmus)
Summary
This guide provides detailed instructions for installing C* Music Player (cmus) on various operating systems, including Linux, macOS, Windows, and BSD. It covers installation via package managers, and compiling cmus from source.
Linux #
Most Linux distributions have cmus available in their package repositories.
Debian/Ubuntu-based distributions #
On Debian and Debian-based distributions like Ubuntu, use the following command to install cmus:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install cmus
Arch Linux/Manjaro #
On Arch linux and Arch-based distributions like Majaro, use the following command to install cmus:
sudo pacman -S cmus
Fedora #
On Fedora, use the following command to install cmus:
sudo dnf install cmus
OpenSUSE #
On OpenSUSE, use the following command to install cmus:
sudo zypper install cmus
Gentoo #
On Gentoo, use the following command to install cmus:
sudo emerge --ask media-sound/cmus
macOS #
On macOS, use Homebrew with the following command to install cmus:
brew install cmus
Once installed, you can launch cmus by typing:
cmus
BSD #
Learn how to install cmus in a variety of Unix-like operating systems based on or descended from the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) series of Unix.
FreeBSD #
cmus is available in the FreeBSD ports collection. There are two ways to install cmus:
Using pkg #
sudo pkg install cmus
From source #
cd /usr/ports/audio/cmus
sudo make install clean
OpenBSD #
cmus can be installed using the OpenBSD package manager.
sudo pkg_add cmus
Compiling from Source #
If cmus is not available in your package manager or you want the latest version, you can compile it from source:
- Download the source code from the official website.
- Extract the tarball:
tar -xvf cmus-vX.X.X.tar.gz cd cmus-vX.X.X - Compile and install:
./configure make sudo make install
Windows #
cmus is not natively available for Windows, but you can use it via Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) or Cygwin.
Using WSL #
- Install WSL (if not already installed):
- Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:
wsl --install
- Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:
- Install a Linux distribution (e.g., Ubuntu) from the Microsoft Store.
- Open the installed Linux distribution and follow the
cmusLinux installation instructions above.
Using Cygwin #
- Download and install Cygwin from cygwin.com.
- During installation, select
cmusfrom the package list. - Launch Cygwin and run
cmus.
Running cmus #
Once installed, you can start cmus by typing cmus in your terminal. Use the :add /path/to/music command to add your music library and navigate using the keyboard shortcuts (e.g., j, k to move, Enter to play).
We have a nice cmus cheat sheet to get you started.
FAQ's #
Most common questions and brief, easy-to-understand answers on the topic:
How do I install cmus on Ubuntu or Debian-based systems?
Use the following commands to install cmus on Ubuntu or Debian-based distributions:sudo apt updatesudo apt install cmus
Can I install cmus on Windows?
cmus is not natively available for Windows, but you can run it via Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) or Cygwin.
How do I install cmus on macOS?
You can install cmus on macOS using Homebrew with the command:brew install cmus
How do I compile cmus from source?
Download the source code, extract it, and run:./configuremakesudo make install
How do I start cmus after installation?
Once installed, simply type cmus in the terminal to launch the player.
Further readings #
Sources and recommended, further resources on the topic:
Author
Jonas Jared Jacek (J15k)
Jonas works as project manager, web designer, and web developer since 2001. On top of that, he is a Linux system administrator with a broad interest in things related to programming, architecture, and design. See: https://www.j15k.com/License
How to install C* Music Player (cmus) by Jonas Jared Jacek is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only. To give credit, provide a link back to the original source, the author, and the license e.g. like this:
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