install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install asimov

local Homebrew formula metadata

overview

Package summary

Automatically exclude development dependencies from Time Machine backups

Project links

Commands and aliases

asimov

history

Project history and usage

Asimov is a macOS command-line utility that excludes development dependency directories from Time Machine backups. It is deliberately narrow: scan for restorable dependency trees such as `node_modules`, then ask Apple's `tmutil` to exclude them so backups waste less space.

Project history

The GitHub repository was created in October 2017. The README presents the motivating problem for developers using Time Machine: project dependency directories can be large, generated, and recoverable from package manifests, so backing them up is often unnecessary.

Release metadata shows v0.1.0 in October 2017, v0.2.0 in November 2017, and v0.3.0 in June 2020. The README continues to describe a small shell-oriented utility rather than a daemon-heavy system service.

Adoption history

Asimov's adoption is Homebrew-centered. The official README calls Homebrew the easiest installation route, documents `brew install asimov`, and shows `sudo brew services start asimov` for running the scheduled job automatically once a day.

The input facts list only Homebrew packaging, which matches the macOS-only scope. It is a package-manager convenience wrapper around native macOS backup controls rather than a cross-platform backup system.

How it is used

Users either run `asimov` on demand or install it as a Homebrew service. Asimov scans for recognized dependency directories next to corresponding project files, checks whether they are already excluded, and uses `tmutil` to mark them as excluded from Time Machine.

Why package nerds care

Asimov matters to package nerds because it encodes a practical truth about dependency managers: generated dependency directories are expensive to back up and cheap to recreate. It turns that convention into a small macOS maintenance package.

Timeline

2017: GitHub repository created.
2017: v0.1.0 and v0.2.0 releases published.
2020: v0.3.0 release published.
2024: Repository still received pushes.

Related projects

Apple Time Machine is the backup system Asimov configures.
`tmutil` is the native macOS command Asimov wraps.
Homebrew services is documented as the scheduled-run installation path.

Sources

https://api.github.com/repos/stevegrunwell/asimov/releases
https://github.com/stevegrunwell/asimov
source_facts.package-manager

security posture

Risk level: orange

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. formula declares a Homebrew service.

Risk classifier

orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
formula declares a Homebrew service

Signals

metadata:service
text:backup

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Formula metadata declares a service or daemon block.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 platform targets.

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
`asimov`	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 version0.3.0

manager updated2026-06-10

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv0.3.0

https://github.com/stevegrunwell/asimov

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:asimov
Version	0.3.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/asimov
Homepage	https://github.com/stevegrunwell/asimov
Repository	https://github.com/stevegrunwell/asimov
Upstream docs	https://github.com/stevegrunwell/asimov#readme
License	MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/stevegrunwell/asimov/archive/refs/tags/v0.3.0.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-10T09:06:09Z
Pulse	updated
Bottle	available (on all)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	asimov
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

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/asimov.yml

Used sources

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

Install asimov with Homebrew