Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install ack with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, scoop, zypper

Search tool like grep, but optimized for programmers. Version 3.10.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install ack

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install ack

MacPorts ports tree · devel/ack/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add ack

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · ack · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install ack

Debian stable package indexes · ack · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install ack

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · ack · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#ack

nixpkgs package indexes · ack · source: raw.githubusercontent.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install ack

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · ack · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Search tool like grep, but optimized for programmers

Commands and aliases

  • ack

history

Project history and usage

ack is a Perl-based source-code search tool, similar to grep but optimized for programmers searching large source trees.

Project history

ack was written and maintained by Andy Lester. The ack3 README describes it as a code-searching tool similar to grep, portable across platforms that run Perl.

The project evolved through major release lines: ack 2.0 in 2013 changed default search behavior and ackrc handling, and ack 3.0 in 2019 was the first official ack 3 release.

Adoption history

ack spread through developer package managers because it gave programmers grep-like searching with recursive traversal, source-file type detection, VCS-directory ignores, highlighting, and project/user configuration.

The input package facts list ack across Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora/dnf, MacPorts, Nix, Scoop, Chocolatey, Alpine, and openSUSE/zypper, showing unusually broad cross-platform packaging for a small CLI.

How it is used

Typical usage is interactive and recursive, for example running ack PATTERN inside a source tree. The official documentation emphasizes default recursion, source-aware file selection, filetype filters, match highlighting, and GNU grep-like switches.

ack reads options from ackrc files, including global, user, project, and explicitly supplied ackrc locations, which lets users encode local filetype and ignore rules without wrapper scripts.

Why package nerds care

ack is important in CLI package history as one of the classic programmer-focused grep replacements, alongside later tools such as ag and ripgrep.

For package maintainers it is intentionally boring in a useful way: mostly Perl, few runtime assumptions, one main executable, and behavior that users expect to be identical across Unix, Windows, and package-manager installs.

Timeline

  • 2005: ack copyright history begins in the official ack3 README.
  • 2013: ack 2.0 released with changed defaults and multiple ackrc support.
  • 2019: ack 3.0.0 becomes the first official ack 3 release.
  • 2026: ack 3.10.0 changelog records security fixes for ANSI escapes and project .ackrc handling.

Related projects

  • Related tools include grep, GNU grep, File::Next, The Silver Searcher, and ripgrep.

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

  • narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

  • metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 platform targets.
  • Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix
~/.ackrc/etc/ackrc
Windows
C:\Users\$USER\AppData\Roaming\ackrcC:\ProgramData\ackrc

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
ackcliglobal executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08
manager version3.10.0
manager updated2026-06-22
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://beyondgrep.com/

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:ack
Version3.10.0
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ack
Homepagehttps://beyondgrep.com/
Repositoryhttps://github.com/beyondgrep/ack3
Upstream docshttps://beyondgrep.com/documentation
LicenseArtistic-2.0
Source archivehttps://beyondgrep.com/ack-v3.10.0
Last updated2026-06-22T14:02:41-07:00
Pulseupdated
Build dependenciespod2man
Uses from macOSperl
Bottleavailable (on all)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Nameack
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • head
  • stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

ack 3.8.1-1

grep-like program specifically for large source trees

https://beyondgrep.com/

sudo apt install ack
  • Section: utils
  • Architecture: all
  • 2 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ack
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: ack from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

ack

nix profile install nixpkgs#ack
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ack
nixpkgs package indexes · raw.githubusercontent.com · nixpkgs package indexes: ack from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
Ubuntu apt95%

ack 3.7.0-1

grep-like program specifically for large source trees

https://beyondgrep.com/

sudo apt install ack
  • Section: universe/utils
  • Architecture: all
  • 2 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ack
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ack from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

ack 3.10.0-r0

Perl-powered replacement for grep

https://beyondgrep.com/

sudo apk add ack
  • License: Artistic-2.0
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: ack
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ack
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ack from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

ack-doc 3.10.0-r0

Perl-powered replacement for grep (documentation)

https://beyondgrep.com/

sudo apk add ack-doc
  • License: Artistic-2.0
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: ack
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ack
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ack-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

ack 3.10.0-1.fc45

A Grep-like source code search tool

http://beyondgrep.com/

sudo dnf install ack
  • License: Artistic-2.0
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: noarch
  • Source Package: ack
  • 3 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ack
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ack from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
zypper95%

ack 3.10.0-1.1

Grep-Like Text Finder

https://beyondgrep.com/

sudo zypper install ack
  • License: Artistic-2.0
  • Category: Productivity/Text/Utilities
  • Architecture: noarch
  • Source Package: ack
  • 4 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ack
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: ack from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
zypper95%

perl-App-Ack 3.10.0-1.1

Grep-Like Text Finder Perl Module

https://beyondgrep.com/

sudo zypper install perl-App-Ack
  • License: Artistic-2.0
  • Category: Development/Libraries/Perl
  • Architecture: noarch
  • Source Package: ack
  • 2 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ack
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: perl-App-Ack from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
MacPorts95%

ack

sudo port install ack
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ack
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: devel/ack/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Chocolatey95%

ack

choco install ack
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ack
Chocolatey community package catalog · community.chocolatey.org · Chocolatey community package catalog: ack from https://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages()?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000
Scoop95%

main/ack

scoop install main/ack
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Ack
Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/ack.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Same workflow

  • cgrepShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, code-search, developer-tools, grep, search.
  • codequeryShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, code-search, developer-tools.
  • idutilsShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, code-search, developer-tools.
  • serplShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, code-search, developer-tools, search.
  • cgvgShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, code-search, developer-tools, grep, search.
  • hgrepShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, grep, search.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Used sources

  • Geiger risk classifier
  • Nucleus package database
  • av.db category and tag curation
  • cross-ecosystem install command graph
  • curated configuration and credential file locations
  • curated package history
  • external package-manager database matches
  • package relationship graph
  • package version freshness
  • package-page enrichment