Get kcat on macOS and Linux Now!
Generic command line non-JVM Apache Kafka producer and consumer
Get kcat with one command
Pick your system, reveal the step-by-step guide, copy the command, paste it into your terminal and press Enter. This command comes from the project's public source.
Not available for Windows yet.
kcat doesn't publish an install command for Windows anywhere we can verify, so there's nothing for us to show you. We won't invent one. It does document one for macOS and Linux — switch to that tab.
Pastes into PowerShell and installs kcat on your Windows machine in one step. Runs as your normal user account, and needs no administrator rights.
Not available for macOS yet.
kcat doesn't publish an install command for macOS or Linux anywhere we can verify, so there's nothing for us to show you. We won't invent one.
Installs kcat on your macOS or Linux machine and links it into your PATH — after this,
kcat just works from any directory. Runs as your normal user account, and needs no administrator rights.
How to set up kcat, step by step
- Press Win+R to open the Run dialog.
- Press Ctrl+V to paste the command you just copied.
- Press Enter. A PowerShell window will flash; the installer runs.
The command fetches the project's own installer, marks it unblocked, and runs it from memory. You do not need to save the file. If Windows asks "Do you want to allow this app to make changes?", click Yes — the installer needs to add itself to your PATH.
kcat at a glance
- Installs with a single
command —
Homebrew. - Installs on macOS / Linux.
- Open source. Runs locally; no CommandLine Directory account needed.
- 5.8k stars — an actively used project.
kcat doesn't publish a feature list we can quote, so this is what we verified ourselves.
About kcat
Generic command line non-JVM Apache Kafka producer and consumer
| Category | Command-line tool |
|---|---|
| Install method | Homebrew |
| Windows | no install command published |
| macOS / Linux | documented install command available |
| Price | Subscription plans from $9/mo · free Starter tier · team and enterprise plans |
| Command verified | From project source |
| Popularity | 5.8k stars on the project's public repository |
On mobile
kcat is a command-line tool, so there is no phone app for it — a phone has no shell to run it in. You'll need a desktop, or a remote shell into a machine that has one.
kcat is developed by its own authors. This page is an independent reference; we are not affiliated with or sponsored by the project. The command shown here was reproduced from the project's public documentation — always check the project's own documentation before running anything.