# Install ancient with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, zypper Decompression routines for ancient formats. Version 2.3.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:ancient ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install ancient ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install ancient ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: archivers/ancient/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install ancient ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: ancient from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install ancient ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ancient from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install ancient ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: ancient from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:ancient - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.3.0 - **Source summary:** Decompression routines for ancient formats - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** BSD-2-Clause - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-09T07:20:21+00:00 ## Executables - ancient (cli) - ancient (alias) ## Build dependencies - autoconf - autoconf-archive - automake - libtool - pkgconf ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-09 - Package-manager version: 2.3.0 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/temisu/ancient - Upstream latest detected: v2.3.0 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage Ancient is a modern C++17 decompressor collection for old compression formats, especially formats from Amiga, Atari, and other 1980s and 1990s systems. It ships both a command-line application and a small API. ### Project history The public GitHub repository was created in March 2017. The README explains the motivation: old decompression algorithms may still be findable, but original implementations are often system-specific, incomplete, direct translations from M68K assembly, poorly licensed, or hard to reuse safely. Ancient's project goals are a clean modern implementation, BSD-style licensing, and test coverage against a cache of roughly ten thousand available files plus generated public-domain test files. The README also stresses that some old formats have undocumented corner cases and weak password protection, but the project is decompression-focused rather than cryptographic. The latest GitHub release observed for this batch is v2.3.0, published in September 2025. ### Adoption history Ancient sits at the intersection of software preservation, retrocomputing, and archive tooling. Its value is not broad user-interface adoption but format coverage: it preserves the ability to unpack data from old scenes, games, music modules, and system-specific compressors. The supplied package facts show Ancient packaged in Homebrew, Debian, Fedora/dnf, MacPorts, Ubuntu, and zypper. That distribution breadth is notable for a specialist decompressor library because it makes obscure formats available to scripts and preservation workflows without each user rebuilding from source. ### How it is used The README says simple usage is available through both the CLI and API, and that the compression algorithm is automatically detected in most cases. It also notes important boundaries: Ancient currently does not support archival files or self-extracting executables as primary built-in functionality. The format list is the package's main feature: it includes classic Unix `compress`/`pack` variants, bzip2 and gzip bitstreams, Amiga-oriented formats such as PowerPacker, XPK-encapsulated files, Disk Masher System, StoneCracker, Pack-Ice, and many others. ### Why package nerds care Ancient is significant because package managers can turn a preservation niche into a normal command-line capability. Once installed, old packed data can be tested or unpacked in automated pipelines without depending on questionable original binaries. It is also a nice example of 'boring modern C++ around weird old formats': the project replaces fragile historical code with a maintained, licensed, test-backed implementation. ### Timeline - 2017: GitHub repository created. - 2017 onward: Ancient grows as a C++17 library and CLI for legacy decompression formats. - 2025: Release v2.3.0 published. ### Related projects - PowerPacker, XPK, StoneCracker, Disk Masher System, Pack-Ice, and other legacy compressors listed by the README. - Lhasa: referenced by the README as a source for reimplementing rare LZH compressors without reusing code. - bzip2 and gzip: modern/Unix formats included alongside retro formats. ### Sources - - - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** ancient - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - ancient - 2.2.0-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: ancient from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | decompression routines for ancient formats | https://github.com/temisu/ancient - Debian apt - libancient-dev - 2.2.0-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libancient-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | decompression routines for ancient formats - development files | https://github.com/temisu/ancient - Debian apt - libancient2 - 2.2.0-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libancient2 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | decompression routines for ancient formats | https://github.com/temisu/ancient - Ubuntu apt - ancient - 2.1.0+ds-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ancient from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | decompression routines for ancient formats | https://github.com/temisu/ancient - Ubuntu apt - libancient-dev - 2.1.0+ds-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libancient-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | decompression routines for ancient formats - development files | https://github.com/temisu/ancient - Ubuntu apt - libancient2 - 2.1.0+ds-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libancient2 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | decompression routines for ancient formats | https://github.com/temisu/ancient - dnf - ancient - 2.3.0-3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ancient from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Modern decompressor for old data compression formats | https://github.com/temisu/ancient - dnf - ancient-devel - 2.3.0-3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ancient-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Library and header files for building applications to use libancient | https://github.com/temisu/ancient - dnf - ancient-libs - 2.3.0-3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ancient-libs from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Library files for libancient decompressor for old formats | https://github.com/temisu/ancient - zypper - ancient - 2.3.0-1.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: ancient from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Decompression routines for ancient formats | https://github.com/temisu/ancient/ - zypper - ancient-devel - 2.3.0-1.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: ancient-devel from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Development files for libancient | https://github.com/temisu/ancient/ - zypper - libancient2 - 2.3.0-1.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: libancient2 from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Decompression library for ancient formats | https://github.com/temisu/ancient/ - MacPorts - ancient: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: archivers/ancient/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [autoconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autoconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [automake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/automake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libtool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libtool/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ocp](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ocp/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [lhasa](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lhasa/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: archive, cli, compression, decompression, developer-tools. - [libdeflate](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libdeflate/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compression, developer-tools, library. - [py7zr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/py7zr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: archive, cli, compression, developer-tools. - [zip](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/zip/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: archive, cli, compression, developer-tools. - [advancecomp](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/advancecomp/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compression, developer-tools. - [brotli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/brotli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compression, developer-tools. - [exomizer](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/exomizer/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compression, developer-tools. - [libarchive](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libarchive/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: archive, cli, compression, developer-tools, library. - [pixz](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pixz/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: archive, cli, compression, developer, developer-tools. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/ancient.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/ancient.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph