# Gauche

> Scheme implementation

**Wikidata**: [Q5527588](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5527588)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauche_(Scheme_implementation))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/gauche

## Summary
Gauche is a free, open-source implementation of the Scheme programming language. It is distributed under the 3-clause BSD License, runs on major operating systems (BSD, macOS, and Microsoft Windows), and its source code is hosted on GitHub.

## Key Facts
- Gauche is an implementation of the Scheme programming language.  
- Gauche is free software and is distributed under the 3-clause BSD License.  
- The project's official website (English) is https://practical-scheme.net/gauche/.  
- The source code repository is available at https://github.com/shirok/Gauche.git.  
- Gauche runs on BSD, macOS, and Microsoft Windows.  
- Gauche releases include: 0.9.6 (2018-07-03), 0.9.7 (2018-12-24), 0.9.8 (2019-06-16), 0.9.9 (2019-12-14), 0.9.10 (2020-12-11), 0.9.11 (2021-12-24), 0.9.12 (2022-06-26), 0.9.13 (stable, 2023-10-12), 0.9.14 (stable, 2024-01-26), and 0.9.15 (stable, preferred, 2024-04-24).  
- Gauche is packaged in multiple distributions and package systems, including Debian (package: gauche), Ubuntu (package: gauche), FreeBSD port (lang/gauche), NetBSD package (lang/gauche), Gentoo (dev-scheme/gauche), Arch Linux (package: gauche), Homebrew (formula: gauche), MacPorts (gauche), Guix (variable name: gauche), and AUR (gauche-git).  
- Integration tooling: geiser-gauche provides support for Gauche in Geiser.  
- Identifiers: Freebase ID /m/016ncd; Open Hub project name: gauche; SourceForge project: gauche.  
- Gauche’s Wikipedia article title is "Gauche (Scheme implementation)" and it has articles in English and Japanese.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Gauche?
A: Gauche is an implementation of the Scheme programming language provided as free software. It is distributed under the 3-clause BSD License and its source is hosted on GitHub.

### Q: Is Gauche open-source and what is its license?
A: Yes. Gauche is available as free/open-source software and is licensed under the 3-clause BSD License.

### Q: Which platforms does Gauche run on?
A: Gauche runs on BSD-family systems, macOS, and Microsoft Windows.

### Q: Where can I get Gauche or its source code?
A: The project website is https://practical-scheme.net/gauche/ and the source code repository is https://github.com/shirok/Gauche.git. It is also packaged for many Linux distributions and Unix-like systems.

### Q: What is the current stable version?
A: The stable preferred release listed is version 0.9.15, dated 2024-04-24.

## Why It Matters
Gauche provides a practical, distributable implementation of Scheme that is packaged and distributed across many mainstream platforms and package systems. As free software under the permissive 3-clause BSD License, it lowers barriers to adoption for developers and organizations that require a permissive license for embedding or redistribution. The project maintains an active release history, with successive releases from 0.9.6 (2018) through 0.9.15 (2024), demonstrating ongoing maintenance and development. Gauche’s presence in multiple distribution ecosystems (Debian, Ubuntu, FreeBSD, NetBSD, Gentoo, Arch Linux, Homebrew, MacPorts, Guix, and AUR) makes it easy to install and use in diverse environments. Tooling such as geiser-gauche integrates Gauche with developer tools like Geiser, improving the development experience. For anyone needing a stable, cross-platform Scheme implementation with permissive licensing and accessible packaging, Gauche is a relevant and practical choice.

## Notable For
- Being an actively maintained, permissively licensed Scheme implementation with a stable release series (latest preferred 0.9.15, 2024-04-24).  
- Broad platform support: runs on BSD, macOS, and Microsoft Windows.  
- Wide packaging and distribution: available in Debian, Ubuntu, FreeBSD, NetBSD, Gentoo, Arch Linux, Homebrew, MacPorts, Guix, and AUR.  
- Public development and source hosting on GitHub (https://github.com/shirok/Gauche).  
- Integration support via geiser-gauche for the Geiser environment.

## Body
### Overview
- Gauche is an implementation of the Scheme programming language.  
- It is described in its metadata as both free software and a programming language implementation.  
- The project provides English and Japanese web pages: https://practical-scheme.net/gauche/ (English) and https://practical-scheme.net/gauche/index-j.html (Japanese).

### Licensing
- The project license is the 3-clause BSD License.  
- License references include the project's COPYING file in the GitHub repository and Open Hub license listings.

### Release history (selected)
- 0.9.6 — published 2018-07-03.  
- 0.9.7 — published 2018-12-24.  
- 0.9.8 — published 2019-06-16.  
- 0.9.9 — published 2019-12-14.  
- 0.9.10 — published 2020-12-11.  
- 0.9.11 — published 2021-12-24.  
- 0.9.12 — published 2022-06-26.  
- 0.9.13 — stable, published 2023-10-12.  
- 0.9.14 — stable, published 2024-01-26.  
- 0.9.15 — stable preferred, published 2024-04-24.

### Platforms and packaging
- Operating systems: BSD, macOS, Microsoft Windows.  
- Distribution packages and ports:
  - Debian: source and stable package name "gauche".  
  - Ubuntu: package "gauche".  
  - FreeBSD port: lang/gauche.  
  - NetBSD package: lang/gauche.  
  - Gentoo: dev-scheme/gauche.  
  - Arch Linux: package "gauche".  
  - Homebrew: formula name "gauche".  
  - MacPorts: gauche.  
  - Guix: variable name "gauche".  
  - AUR: gauche-git.  
  - SourceForge project entry: gauche.

### Source and development
- Primary source code repository: https://github.com/shirok/Gauche.git (git).  
- GitHub repository has tagged releases corresponding to the listed versions.  
- Project presence on Open Hub and SourceForge is documented.

### Integration and tooling
- geiser-gauche provides support for using Gauche within the Geiser environment.

### Identifiers and metadata
- Freebase ID: /m/016ncd.  
- Open Hub project name: gauche.  
- Wikipedia article title: "Gauche (Scheme implementation)" (available in English and Japanese).

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Gauche",
  "description": "Gauche is a free, open-source implementation of the Scheme programming language distributed under the 3-clause BSD License.",
  "url": "https://practical-scheme.net/gauche/",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://github.com/shirok/Gauche",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauche_(Scheme_implementation)"
  ],
  "additionalType": "Scheme implementation"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/shirok/Gauche/blob/release0_9_5/COPYING)
2. [The gauche Open Source Project on Open Hub: Licenses Page. Open Hub](https://www.openhub.net/p/gauche/licenses)
3. [The gauche Open Source Project on Open Hub: Languages Page. Open Hub](https://www.openhub.net/p/gauche/analyses/latest/languages_summary)
4. [Release 0.9.6. 2018](https://github.com/shirok/Gauche/releases/tag/release0_9_6)
5. [Release 0.9.7. 2018](https://github.com/shirok/Gauche/releases/tag/release0_9_7)
6. [Release 0.9.8. 2019](https://github.com/shirok/Gauche/releases/tag/release0_9_8)
7. [Release 0.9.9. 2019](https://github.com/shirok/Gauche/releases/tag/release0_9_9)
8. [Release 0.9.10. 2020](https://github.com/shirok/Gauche/releases/tag/release0_9_10)
9. [2021](https://github.com/shirok/Gauche/releases/tag/release0_9_11)
10. [2022](https://github.com/shirok/Gauche/releases/tag/release0_9_12)
11. [Release 0.9.13. 2023](https://github.com/shirok/Gauche/releases/tag/release0_9_13)
12. [Release 0.9.14](https://github.com/shirok/Gauche/releases/tag/release0_9_14)
13. [Release 0.9.15. 2024](https://github.com/shirok/Gauche/releases/tag/release0_9_15)