# hound

> code searching software

**Wikidata**: [Q132860991](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132860991)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/hound-q132860991

## Summary
Hound is an open-source code searching software application written in the Go programming language. It allows users to search through source code repositories efficiently. The project is actively maintained, with its latest stable release (v0.7.1) published in May 2023.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Hound is an instance of software specifically designed for code searching.
- **Programming Language:** It is written in Go, a programming language developed by Google and the open-source community.
- **License:** The software is distributed under the MIT License.
- **Source Repository:** The code is hosted publicly at `https://github.com/hound-search/hound`.
- **Initial Release:** Version 0.1 was released on January 28, 2015.
- **Latest Stable Version:** Version 0.7.1 was released on May 3, 2023.
- **Development Timeline:** The software has had eight distinct stable releases between 2015 and 2023.

## FAQs
### Q: What programming language is Hound written in?
A: Hound is written in Go, a programming language created by Google and the open-source community that was initially released in 2009.

### Q: What is the latest version of Hound?
A: The latest stable version is 0.7.1, which was released on May 3, 2023.

### Q: Under which license is Hound distributed?
A: Hound is distributed under the MIT License, a permissive free software license originating at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

### Q: Where can the source code for Hound be found?
A: The source code repository is located on GitHub at `https://github.com/hound-search/hound`.

## Why It Matters
Hound addresses the critical need for efficient navigation and querying within large and complex codebases. In software development, the ability to instantly locate specific functions, variables, or patterns across thousands of files is essential for productivity and debugging. By utilizing the Go programming language, Hound is built on a framework known for performance and concurrency, likely enabling it to handle the indexing and searching of repositories with speed and reliability.

The project demonstrates a sustained commitment to open-source tooling, with a release history spanning over eight years (from 2015 to 2023). Its existence provides developers with a self-hostable alternative to internal code search tools, allowing organizations to keep their proprietary code within their own infrastructure while still benefiting from powerful search capabilities. Hound’s role as a specialized utility highlights the importance of dedicated search mechanisms in the modern software development lifecycle.

## Notable For
- **Language Stack:** Built entirely in Go, leveraging the language's efficiency for search operations.
- **Active Maintenance:** Features a consistent release history spanning from 2015 to 2023, culminating in version 0.7.1.
- **Open Source Accessibility:** Hosted on GitHub under the MIT License, allowing for free use, modification, and distribution.
- **Specialized Utility:** Specifically structured as "code searching software," distinguishing it from general-purpose text search tools.

## Body

### Technical Overview
Hound is a software application categorized as a "non-tangible executable component of a computer." Its primary function is code search, enabling users to index and query source code. The application is constructed using the Go programming language (referenced in sources as Q2005), which was developed by Google and the open-source community and inceptioned on November 10, 2009.

### Version History
The development of Hound has been marked by a series of stable releases, indicating ongoing maintenance and feature updates.

- **Early Development:** The project began with the release of version 0.1 on January 28, 2015. This was quickly followed by version 0.2.0 on February 2, 2015.
- **Mid-Cycle Updates:** Development continued with version 0.3.0 (June 28, 2020) and version 0.4.0 (February 25, 2021).
- **Recent Activity:** The software saw three updates in 2022: version 0.5.0 (June 10), version 0.5.1 (June 22), and version 0.6.0 (September 14).
- **Current State:** The most recent stable release is version 0.7.1, published on May 3, 2023. This release is flagged as the "preferred" version in the knowledge base.

### Licensing and Availability
Hound is available as open-source software.
- **License:** It operates under the MIT License.
- **Repository:** The master source code and release history are maintained at `https://github.com/hound-search/hound`. The repository metadata confirms the license status and tracks the release history cited above.

## References

1. [Source](https://api.github.com/repos/hound-search/hound)
2. [Release 0.1. 2015](https://github.com/hound-search/hound/releases/tag/0.1)
3. [Release 0.2.0. 2015](https://github.com/hound-search/hound/releases/tag/v0.2.0)
4. [Release 0.3.0. 2020](https://github.com/hound-search/hound/releases/tag/v0.3.0)
5. [Release 0.4.0. 2021](https://github.com/hound-search/hound/releases/tag/v0.4.0)
6. [Release 0.5.0. 2022](https://github.com/hound-search/hound/releases/tag/v0.5.0)
7. [Release 0.5.1. 2022](https://github.com/hound-search/hound/releases/tag/v0.5.1)
8. [Release 0.6.0. 2022](https://github.com/hound-search/hound/releases/tag/v0.6.0)
9. [Release 0.7.0. 2023](https://github.com/hound-search/hound/releases/tag/v0.7.0)
10. [Release 0.7.1. 2023](https://github.com/hound-search/hound/releases/tag/v0.7.1)