NonGNU ELPA

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What NonGNU ELPA is

NonGNU ELPA is a free package repository for GNU Emacs, offering third-party extensions whose copyright has not been assigned to the Free Software Foundation. Its catalogue covers editing, themes, programming-language support, formats, and development tools. Package listings show versions, descriptions, ranks, and release dates. Users can browse the website or use Emacs commands: `M-x list-packages` to browse and `M-x package-install` to install. The archive is one of Emacs’s two default package archives and is enabled by default in Emacs 28 and later. Earlier Emacs versions can add `https://elpa.nongnu.org/nongnu/` to their configuration. Examples include Markdown tools, multiple-cursor editing, Flycheck syntax checking, and Magit, a text-based Git interface. Package pages may show dependencies, while archive documentation describes cryptographic signatures and public keys for verification. Listed platforms are Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. The site links to help, inquiries, and package-contribution information.

Who it suits

NonGNU ELPA suits GNU Emacs users who want to discover and install third-party extensions. It is useful for editing, programming, themes, integrations, and development workflows.

What it does well

Free archive with no trial requirement
Available by default in Emacs 28+
Packages cover editing and development
Browse and install directly from Emacs
Documentation describes signature verification

What to know first

Earlier Emacs versions need archive configuration
Packages may have dependencies
It is intended for GNU Emacs
No native standalone application is listed

Limits

Emacs versions before 28 do not enable the archive automatically and require its URL in the configuration.

Getting started

Open https://elpa.nongnu.org/
Use Emacs 28 or later, or add https://elpa.nongnu.org/nongnu/ to an earlier configuration
Browse the package list on the website or run M-x list-packages
Run M-x package-install to install a selected package

Verdict

NonGNU ELPA gives Emacs users a broad, searchable source of third-party packages and clear installation commands. Newer Emacs versions include it by default, while older versions require adding the archive URL.

Questions

Is NonGNU ELPA free?

Yes. It has a free plan and no free trial is listed.

Which platforms are listed?

Linux, macOS, web, and Windows are listed.

How do I install a package?

In Emacs, browse with `M-x list-packages` and install with `M-x package-install`.

Which Emacs versions include it by default?

NonGNU ELPA is available by default in Emacs 28 and later. Earlier versions can add its archive URL manually.

Does the archive support package verification?

Its documentation describes cryptographic signatures checked with a public key.

Where can I ask for help or contribute?

The site points to help-gnu-emacs for help, emacs-devel for general inquiries, and information about contributing packages.

Facts from NonGNU ELPA's own pages

Archive URL: The package archive URL is `https://elpa.nongnu.org/nongnu/`. · elpa.nongnu.org, 4 Oct 2026
Audience: The archive is for GNU Emacs users who want to browse and install packages that extend Emacs. · elpa.nongnu.org, 8 Oct 2026
Browse packages: The archive’s package list can be browsed on the site or through Emacs’s `M-x list-packages` command. · elpa.nongnu.org, 8 Oct 2026
Contributing: The site links to information about contributing a new package. · elpa.nongnu.org, 4 Oct 2026
Default archive: The page describes NonGNU ELPA as one of GNU Emacs’s two default package archives. · elpa.nongnu.org, 8 Oct 2026
Developer tools: The index includes development tools such as Flycheck for on-the-fly syntax checking and Magit, described as a Git porcelain inside Emacs. · elpa.nongnu.org, 8 Oct 2026
Editing features: Listed packages include tools for Markdown editing, multiple cursors, and interactively editing multiple regions. · elpa.nongnu.org, 8 Oct 2026
Emacs versions: NonGNU ELPA is available by default in Emacs 28 and later; users of earlier versions can add its archive URL to their configuration. · elpa.nongnu.org, 4 Oct 2026
Example package: Magit is listed as a text-based Git interface that streamlines Git workflows inside Emacs. · elpa.nongnu.org, 4 Oct 2026
Help: The site suggests the help-gnu-emacs mailing list for help and the emacs-devel mailing list for general inquiries. · elpa.nongnu.org, 4 Oct 2026
Install packages: Packages can be installed from Emacs with `M-x package-install` or browsed with `M-x list-packages`. · elpa.nongnu.org, 4 Oct 2026
Integrations: The archive lists packages that connect Emacs with other tools and services, including Dockerfile mode, a Mastodon API client, and an rTorrent frontend. · elpa.nongnu.org, 8 Oct 2026
Package browsing: Users can browse the available packages on the NonGNU ELPA Packages page. · elpa.nongnu.org, 4 Oct 2026
Package dependency: Package pages may list dependencies; for example, the `with-editor` page lists `compat` and `cond-let`. · elpa.nongnu.org, 4 Oct 2026
Package metadata: The index displays each listed package’s version, description, rank, and release date. · elpa.nongnu.org, 8 Oct 2026
Package range: The index lists packages for editing languages and formats including AsciiDoc, Apache configuration, Clojure, and Go. · elpa.nongnu.org, 8 Oct 2026
Package signing: Package archive documentation describes cryptographic signatures as a way to verify packages using a public key. · gnu.org, 4 Oct 2026
Package variety: The archive includes packages for tasks such as editing, themes, and programming language support. · elpa.nongnu.org, 4 Oct 2026
Product: NonGNU ELPA is a package repository for GNU Emacs. · elpa.nongnu.org, 4 Oct 2026
Purpose: NonGNU ELPA is an Emacs Lisp package archive for extending GNU Emacs. · elpa.nongnu.org, 8 Oct 2026

Where NonGNU ELPA stands on Freedom251

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