macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install atari800local Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install atari800MacPorts ports tree · emulators/atari800/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install atari800 with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix
Atari 8-bit machine emulator. Version 7.0.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-27.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add atari800Alpine Linux edge package indexes · atari800 · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install atari800Debian stable package indexes · atari800 · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install atari800Fedora Rawhide package metadata · atari800 · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#atari800nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/at/atari800/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Atari 8-bit machine emulator
Project links
Commands and aliases
- atari800
- cart
history
Project history and usage
Atari800 is a long-running free and portable emulator for Atari 8-bit computers and the Atari 5200 console. It matters to package managers because it is both a retro-gaming executable and a preservation/development tool that spans Unix, Linux, Windows, DOS, Amiga, Atari, Dreamcast, Android, Raspberry Pi, SDL, curses, and embeddable library builds.
Project history
The official README credits David Firth for the original 1995 emulator and the Atari800 Development Team from 1998 onward. Its stated goal is a freely distributable portable emulator with source available, covering machines from the Atari 400/800 through XL/XE models, XE Game System, and 5200 SuperSystem.
The project accumulated a wide emulation surface: cycle-exact 6502, ANTIC, GTIA, POKEY behavior; many RAM expansions; disk, cartridge, cassette, printer, H: host filesystem, R: serial/network, MIO and Black Box emulation; save states; screenshots; audio/video recording; and libatari800 for embedding. The version 7.0.0 docs show the project still being actively modernized in 2026.
Adoption history
Atari800’s adoption predates GitHub; the current Git history starts in 2000 with imported project history and early tagged releases such as ATARI800_0_8_7. In package-manager terms it is a classic portable C project that became easy to build across Unix-like systems, then accumulated Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Alpine, MacPorts, and Nix packaging in the supplied metadata.
Its importance is not only playing games. The emulator is part of Atari 8-bit software development workflows because it can load executables, disk images, cartridge images, BASIC programs, tapes, and save states; it also cooperates with assemblers and cross-development tooling.
How it is used
Typical users run `atari800 [options] [filenames]`, passing ATR/XFD/DCM/PRO/ATX disk images, XEX/COM/BAS/LST programs, cartridge ROM/CART files, CAS tapes, or saved states. The emulator requires Atari ROM images unless using newer auto-download behavior, and the first run creates or discovers configuration so ROM paths can be reused.
Version 7.0.0 added built-in Internet downloads for missing OS/BASIC ROMs and zipped disk images, portable mode, and a documented config search order covering explicit `--config`, portable executable-local config, the home default, fallback, and system-wide config.
Why package nerds care
Atari800 is the sort of package that exposes the whole history of open-source packaging: generated configure scripts, optional zlib/libpng/libmp3lame features, SDL target migration, platform-specific front ends, ROM licensing caveats, and a CLI that doubles as a desktop emulator and automated retro-computing test bed.
Timeline
- 1995: David Firth copyright and original Atari800 emulator lineage.
- 1998: Atari800 Development Team copyright period begins.
- 2000: Imported Git history begins with early emulator revisions.
- 2026: v6.0.0 made SDL2 the primary SDL target and added NetSIO/FujiNet support.
- 2026: v7.0.0 added built-in Internet downloads, portable mode, and revised config search order.
Related projects
- Related projects and formats include Atari800Win, Atari++, Altirra-style development workflows, FujiNet/NetSIO, Atari 8-bit ROM and disk-image collections, and cross-assemblers such as ATasm.
Sources
- Official git metadata from https://github.com/atari800/atari800.git
- https://github.com/atari800/atari800/blob/master/DOC/INSTALL
- https://github.com/atari800/atari800/blob/master/DOC/README
- https://github.com/atari800/atari800/blob/master/DOC/USAGE
- https://github.com/atari800/atari800/releases.atom
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 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
<path passed to -config><portable executable directory>/.atari800.cfg~/.atari800.cfg/etc/atari800.cfg
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
atari800 | cli | global executable | |
cart | 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 version7.0.0
manager updated2026-06-27
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/atari800/atari800
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/atari800/atari800none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:atari800 |
|---|---|
| Version | 7.0.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/atari800 |
| Homepage | https://atari800.github.io/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/atari800/atari800 |
| Upstream docs | https://atari800.github.io/ |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/atari800/atari800/releases/download/ATARI800_7_0_0/atari800-7.0.0-src.tgz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-27T14:48:55Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | libpng, sdl2-compat |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, 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 | atari800 |
| 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 |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
atari800 5.2.0-2
Atari 8-bit emulator for SDL
sudo apt install atari800- Section: contrib/otherosfs
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Atari800
Nix95%
atari800
nix profile install nixpkgs#atari800- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Atari800
Ubuntu apt95%
atari800 5.0.0-1build2
Atari 8-bit emulator for SDL
sudo apt install atari800- Section: multiverse/otherosfs
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Atari800
apk95%
atari800 5.2.0-r0
Atari 8-bit computer emulator
sudo apk add atari800- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: atari800
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Atari800
apk95%
atari800-doc 5.2.0-r0
Atari 8-bit computer emulator (documentation)
sudo apk add atari800-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: atari800
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Atari800
dnf95%
atari800 5.2.0-9.fc44
An emulator of 8-bit Atari personal computers
sudo dnf install atari800- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: atari800
- 6 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Atari800
MacPorts95%
atari800
sudo port install atari800- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Atari800
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.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment