# Install asn1c with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix, zypper Compile ASN.1 specifications into C source code. Version 0.9.29 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:asn1c ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install asn1c ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install asn1c ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: lang/asn1c/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install asn1c ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: asn1c from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#asn1c ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/as/asn1c/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install asn1c ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: asn1c from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:asn1c - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.9.29 - **Source summary:** Compile ASN.1 specifications into C source code - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** BSD-2-Clause - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T11:36:29Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - asn1c (cli) - crfc2asn1.pl (cli) - enber (cli) - unber (cli) - asn1c (alias) - crfc2asn1.pl (alias) - enber (alias) - unber (alias) ## Build dependencies - autoconf - automake - libtool ## 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: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.9.29 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-22 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/vlm/asn1c - Upstream latest detected: v0.9.29 (current) ## Project history and usage asn1c is Lev Walkin's ASN.1-to-C compiler, packaged as a command-line tool that turns ASN.1 module specifications into C and C++-compatible C code for BER, DER, OER, PER, XER, and related ASN.1 transfer syntaxes. Its upstream README frames it as a practical compiler for protocol implementers rather than a complete implementation of the entire ASN.1 standards family. ### Project history The project grew around the long-lived lionet.info ASN.1 compiler site and the vlm/asn1c source repository. The upstream documentation emphasizes code generation for native C structures, serializers, and deserializers, while the ChangeLog shows a 0.9 series active through at least the mid-2000s and 2010s with portability fixes, PER work, examples, OER support, and security fixes in generated code and tooling. asn1c's history is closely tied to real protocol work. Official examples and ChangeLog entries mention X.509, LDAP, 3GPP RRC, MEGACO/H.248.1, GSM TAP3, LTE RRC, IEEE 1609.2, and SAE J2735, which explains why the package persists in Unix package managers despite ASN.1 being a niche compiler domain. ### Adoption history The Homebrew input records asn1c in several Unix package ecosystems, including Homebrew, Debian, MacPorts, Nix, Ubuntu, and zypper. That breadth matches the upstream portability work visible in the ChangeLog, including C89/C99, MinGW, macOS, autoreconf, and generated-file permission fixes. The upstream README describes ASN.1 formats as widely used in HTTPS certificates, mobile-network control data, and intelligent transportation systems. For package users, asn1c tends to appear as a build-time or protocol-development dependency rather than an end-user application. ### How it is used The core usage is `asn1c module.asn1`, with multiple ASN.1 modules passed together when specifications have interdependencies. By default, the compiler emits multiple `.c` and `.h` files for ASN.1 types; `-P` prints generated output, while `-E` and `-EF` expose parser and semantic-fixer stages for debugging a specification. The generated C support code is used to encode and decode protocol data in BER/DER, OER, PER, and XER families. The bundled helper tools `enber` and `unber` support BER-oriented inspection workflows, and the `crfc2asn1.pl` script extracts ASN.1 modules from RFC text. ### Why package nerds care asn1c is one of those packages that matters because it sits at the boundary between formal telecom/security standards and C build systems. It is a small CLI in the package manager, but it can generate substantial source trees that become part of another project's ABI, memory-safety surface, and wire-format compatibility. Package maintainers care about asn1c versions because changes in generated code, codec support, and skeleton behavior can affect downstream protocol parsers. The ChangeLog's security notes for generated output make it more than a compiler binary: upgrades can change the safety of code already emitted into dependent projects. ### Timeline - 2005: 0.9.11 through 0.9.19 ChangeLog entries show active compiler, XER, circular-reference, and generated-code fixes. - 2006: 0.9.20 starts experimental PER implementation; 0.9.21 adds a first PER encoder and telecom examples. - 2008: 0.9.22 expands PER support and adds an OMA ULP decoder example. - 2014: 0.9.26 and 0.9.27 focus on documentation, defaults, portability, and debug behavior. - 2017: 0.9.28 records portability fixes and verification around a reported CVE. - 0.9.29: Adds Information Object Set driven generation, OER support, LTE RRC, IEEE 1609.2, SAE J2735 examples, and LibFuzzer-based tests. ### Related projects - asn1c is related to ASN.1 specifications and transfer syntax tooling rather than to a single peer package. Its upstream README points readers to ASN.1 standards material and examples involving X.509, mobile networking, and transportation protocols. ### Sources - - - - input.source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** asn1c - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - asn1c - 0.9.28+dfsg-5: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: asn1c from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | ASN.1 compiler for C | https://github.com/vlm/asn1c - Debian apt - asn1c-doc - 0.9.28+dfsg-5: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: asn1c-doc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Documentation for asn1c | https://github.com/vlm/asn1c - Nix - asn1c: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/as/asn1c/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - asn1c - 0.9.28+dfsg-5: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: asn1c from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | ASN.1 compiler for C | https://github.com/vlm/asn1c - Ubuntu apt - asn1c-doc - 0.9.28+dfsg-5: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: asn1c-doc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Documentation for asn1c | https://github.com/vlm/asn1c - zypper - asn1c - 0.9.28-2.22: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: asn1c from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | ASN.1 Compiler | http://lionet.info/asn1c/ - MacPorts - asn1c: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: lang/asn1c/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [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. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter 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. - [aarch64-elf-gcc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aarch64-elf-gcc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, developer-tools. - [adaptivecpp](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/adaptivecpp/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, developer-tools. - [alive2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/alive2/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, developer-tools. - [arm-none-eabi-gcc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/arm-none-eabi-gcc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, developer-tools. - [aspectj](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aspectj/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, developer-tools. - [babel](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/babel/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, developer-tools. - [bender](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bender/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, developer-tools. - [binaryen](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/binaryen/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, compiler, developer-tools. - [cppinsights](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cppinsights/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, code, compiler, developer, developer-tools. - [dhall-bash](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dhall-bash/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, code, compile, compiler, developer. - [ncc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ncc/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, compile, compiler, developer, developer-tools. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/asn1c.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/asn1c.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