# Install asimov with Homebrew Automatically exclude development dependencies from Time Machine backups. Version 0.3.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-10. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:asimov ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install asimov ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:asimov - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.3.0 - **Source summary:** Automatically exclude development dependencies from Time Machine backups - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-10T09:06:09Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - asimov (cli) - asimov (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Service: declared - Bottle: available on all ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.3.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-10 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/stevegrunwell/asimov - Upstream latest detected: v0.3.0 (current) ## 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 - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. formula declares a Homebrew service. - **Geiger risk:** orange / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal - formula declares a Homebrew service ## 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:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## 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. - [Archive and compression packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/archive-compression-tools/) - Matched archive or compression metadata. - [afio](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/afio/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system. - [autorestic](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autorestic/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system. - [backupninja](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/backupninja/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system. - [bacula-fd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bacula-fd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system. - [bareos-client](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bareos-client/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system. - [borgbackup](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/borgbackup/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system. - [borgmatic](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/borgmatic/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system. - [bup](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bup/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: backup, cli, system. - [httm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/httm/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: backup, cli, machine, system, time. - [rsync-time-backup](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rsync-time-backup/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: backup, cli, machine, system, time. - [timedog](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/timedog/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: backup, cli, machine, system, time. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/asimov.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/asimov.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 - cross-ecosystem install command graph