install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install addlicense

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#addlicense

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ad/addlicense/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Scan directories recursively to ensure source files have license headers

Project links

Commands and aliases

addlicense

history

Project history and usage

addlicense is a Google-maintained Go command that recursively scans source trees and adds or checks copyright license headers. It is deliberately simple: run it over patterns, choose a supported license template or file, and optionally fail CI with -check.

Project history

The official GitHub repository was created in June 2016. Its README describes a Go program that modifies source files in place, avoids duplicating headers that already exist, and supports Apache, BSD, MIT, and MPL-style headers plus custom license files.

The project is hosted under the google organization but explicitly says it is not an official Google product. The official tag list shows stable v1.x tags, and the README now documents Go installation, a GitHub Container Registry image, and pre-commit integration.

Adoption history

addlicense fits the common open-source maintenance workflow where license headers are enforced in presubmit, CI, or pre-commit rather than by hand. The supplied package-manager metadata shows Homebrew and Nix packaging, while the README documents go install, Docker, and an official pre-commit hook.

How it is used

Typical use is addlicense . or addlicense with multiple file and directory patterns. Important package-maintainer flags include -check for verification-only runs, -ignore for vendored or generated files, -l for the license family, -f for custom text, -s for SPDX identifiers, and -c/-y for copyright holder and year.

Why package nerds care

For package and release engineers, addlicense is a boring tool in the best sense: it makes source-header policy reproducible and automatable. It is useful in repos where license conformance needs to be enforced before vendoring, releasing, or importing code into downstream packaging.

Timeline

2016-06: GitHub repository created.
v1.0.0: First stable tag appears in the official tag list.
Current README: Go install, container, and pre-commit workflows are documented.

Related projects

pre-commit is documented as an official hook consumer.
doublestar is referenced by the README for ignore-pattern semantics.

Sources

https://api.github.com/repos/google/addlicense
https://api.github.com/repos/google/addlicense/tags?per_page=100
https://github.com/google/addlicense#readme
source_facts.package-manager

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 8 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.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`addlicense`	cli	global 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 version1.2.0

manager updated2026-05-26

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv1.2.0

https://github.com/google/addlicense

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:addlicense
Version	1.2.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/addlicense
Homepage	https://github.com/google/addlicense
Repository	https://github.com/google/addlicense
Upstream docs	https://github.com/google/addlicense#readme
License	Apache-2.0
Source archive	https://github.com/google/addlicense/archive/refs/tags/v1.2.0.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-05-26T23:37:49-04:00
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	addlicense
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
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.

Nix95%

addlicense

nix profile install nixpkgs#addlicense

normalized package name match
Matched by: Addlicense

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ad/addlicense/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/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.

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.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/addlicense.yml

Used sources

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

Install addlicense with Homebrew, Nix