Install atuin-server with Homebrew, apk, pacman

Project links

• Homepage
• Repository
• Upstream docs
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

• atuin-server

Project history

The Atuin repository was created in October 2020 and describes the project as replacing traditional shell history with a SQLite database plus extra command context. Its README presents sync as optional and fully encrypted, with users able to rely on the hosted service, self-host, or run entirely without sync.

The server moved from being started through the main `atuin` binary to a separate `atuin-server` binary before v18.12.0. The current self-hosting guide documents that upgrade boundary and states that every release publishes prebuilt `atuin-server` binaries and installer scripts.

Adoption history

Atuin's README advertises support for zsh, bash, fish, nushell, xonsh, and PowerShell, which put the client in the daily path of shell users rather than only in a backend role. The same repository publishes release assets for both `atuin` and `atuin-server` across Linux, macOS, Windows, and musl targets, giving package managers a clear split between the interactive CLI and the deployable sync service.

The Homebrew package metadata in this batch shows `atuin-server` packaged separately from `atuin`, while the same source facts list Alpine, Homebrew, and Arch packages. That separate formula tracks the upstream split: users who only need the local shell-history UI install `atuin`, while operators who want private sync install `atuin-server`.

How it is used

A self-hosted server can be started with `atuin-server start` and configured through `~/.config/atuin/server.toml` or environment variables. The documented server configuration includes listen host, port, open-registration behavior, and `db_uri`, with PostgreSQL 14+ and SQLite 3+ documented as supported storage backends.

The server is used by configuring clients with a `sync_address`, then registering, logging in, and running `atuin sync`. The sync guide emphasizes that the history is end-to-end encrypted before it reaches the server, so the server package is infrastructure for storage and synchronization rather than a plaintext command-history database.

Why package nerds care

For package maintainers, `atuin-server` is a neat example of a Rust project that outgrew a single CLI binary and exposed a second artifact with different runtime expectations: service management, database configuration, network binding, reverse-proxy TLS, and persistent storage. That makes it a distinct package even though it shares the upstream repository and release train with Atuin.

The package also shows why formula splits matter. Installing the server on a workstation is unnecessary for most Atuin users, while bundling it into only the main CLI would make self-hosting less obvious for operators. Separate packaging lets Homebrew, Alpine, and Arch users install just the role they need.

Timeline

• 2020: The Atuin repository was created on GitHub.
• 2021: Early GitHub releases in the 0.6 series were published.
• 2022: Atuin moved through v0.10 and then jumped to v11.
• 2024: The 18.x release line began.
• 2026: v18.16.x releases shipped separate `atuin` and `atuin-server` artifacts.

Related projects

• Atuin client: the interactive shell-history CLI that records, searches, imports, and syncs history.
• PostgreSQL and SQLite: supported backing stores for self-hosted sync servers.
• Shell history systems in zsh, bash, fish, nushell, xonsh, and PowerShell: the native history layers Atuin augments or replaces.

Sources

• https://api.github.com/repos/atuinsh/atuin
• https://api.github.com/repos/atuinsh/atuin/releases
• https://docs.atuin.sh/cli/guide/sync/
• https://docs.atuin.sh/cli/self-hosting/server-setup/
• https://github.com/atuinsh/atuin#readme