# Install avahi with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper Service Discovery for Linux using mDNS/DNS-SD. Version 0.9-rc5 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-25. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:avahi ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install avahi ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install avahi ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: net/avahi/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add avahi ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: avahi from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install avahi-autoipd ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: avahi-autoipd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install avahi ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: avahi from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#avahi ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/av/avahi/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S avahi ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: avahi from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install avahi ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: avahi from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:avahi - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.9-rc5 - **Source summary:** Service Discovery for Linux using mDNS/DNS-SD - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** LGPL-2.1-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-25T15:14:19Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - avahi-autoipd (cli) - avahi-browse (cli) - avahi-browse-domains (cli) - avahi-daemon (cli) - avahi-dnsconfd (cli) - avahi-publish (cli) - avahi-publish-address (cli) - avahi-publish-service (cli) - avahi-resolve (cli) - avahi-resolve-address (cli) - avahi-resolve-host-name (cli) - avahi-set-host-name (cli) - avahi-autoipd (alias) - avahi-browse (alias) - avahi-browse-domains (alias) - avahi-daemon (alias) - avahi-dnsconfd (alias) - avahi-publish (alias) - avahi-publish-address (alias) - avahi-publish-service (alias) - avahi-resolve (alias) - avahi-resolve-address (alias) - avahi-resolve-host-name (alias) - avahi-set-host-name (alias) ## Dependencies - dbus - expat - gdbm - glib - libcap - libdaemon - systemd ## Build dependencies - autoconf - automake - gettext - libtool - m4 - perl - pkgconf - xmltoman ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.9-rc5 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-25 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/avahi/avahi - Upstream latest detected: v0.9-rc5 (current) ## Project history and usage Avahi is a free LGPL implementation of multicast DNS and DNS Service Discovery, compatible with Apple's Bonjour/Zeroconf stack and primarily targeted at Linux. It provides the daemon, D-Bus API, libraries, compatibility layers, command-line utilities, and service-file conventions used for local-network discovery. ### Project history The upstream README names Lennart Poettering and Trent Lloyd among the authors and describes Avahi as a DNS-SD over mDNS implementation compatible with Apple Bonjour. The official site says it is primarily targeted at Linux, runs on many BSD-like systems, and is not ported to Windows. Avahi's architecture matters because it is not only a daemon. The source tree includes client libraries, core libraries, D-Bus API documentation, compatibility layers for Howl and Bonjour-style DNS-SD APIs, Python and UI utilities, service type databases, man pages, and XML service definitions. The modern project infrastructure moved from older hosting patterns toward GitHub. The official site notes that in December 2023 the repositories moved from the lathiat namespace to the avahi organization namespace, and that avahi.org itself moved to GitHub Pages. ### Adoption history Avahi became the default service-discovery stack for many Linux distributions because it solved the practical need for `.local` hostnames, printer discovery, file-sharing discovery, and application service announcements without Apple's proprietary Bonjour implementation. The official site explicitly says it ships by default in most distributions. Package adoption is broad and split by component: distributions package the daemon, utilities, libraries, autoipd, compatibility libraries, and development headers. The input records packages in Homebrew, Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora, Alpine, Arch, MacPorts, Nix, and zypper ecosystems, with Debian and Ubuntu exposing `avahi-autoipd` as a named package entry for this formula mapping. ### How it is used Typical user-facing tools include `avahi-browse`, `avahi-publish`, `avahi-resolve`, `avahi-set-host-name`, `avahi-daemon`, and `avahi-autoipd`. Services can be published through D-Bus APIs or by placing XML service definitions in `/etc/avahi/services`. Configuration centers on `avahi-daemon.conf`, installed under the package system configuration directory, commonly `/etc/avahi/avahi-daemon.conf`. The man page also documents user browse domains through `$AVAHI_BROWSE_DOMAINS` or `~/.config/avahi/browse-domains`. ### Why package nerds care Avahi is one of those packages whose importance is larger than the visible command line. It touches init systems, D-Bus activation, NSS integration through nss-mdns, C libraries, desktop printer discovery, service publication, firewall behavior, and network-manager assumptions. For maintainers, Avahi is a compatibility and integration package: it needs correct defaults, split subpackages, service files, optional UI bindings, and careful coexistence with other mDNS stacks. Its release notes regularly mention distribution-facing changes such as systemd integration, default configuration updates, API additions, and compatibility fixes for FreeBSD, Solaris, musl, and containers. ### Timeline - 2004: Copyright range in the upstream README begins, marking the early Avahi development era. - 2010-2012: 0.6.x bugfix releases continued distribution hardening and system integration. - 2016: Avahi 0.6.32 released with configuration-default changes and bug fixes. - 2017: Avahi 0.7 released with binary TXT records in XML service files and gobject context support. - 2020: Avahi 0.8 released with D-Bus/API additions, Qt5 and libevent mainloop integration, and CVE-2017-6519 mitigation. - 2023: Official repositories moved to the avahi GitHub organization and the website moved to GitHub Pages. ### Related projects - nss-mdns: upstream companion project for resolving `.local` hostnames through NSS. - Apple Bonjour/Zeroconf: compatible technology referenced by the official site. - D-Bus: primary API transport for most Avahi usage. - systemd and Linux distribution init systems: frequent integration points in release notes. ### Sources - - - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## 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 - Unix: /etc/avahi/avahi-daemon.conf, /etc/avahi/services/*.service, ~/.config/avahi/browse-domains ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** avahi - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Requirements:** linux - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - avahi-autoipd - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: avahi-autoipd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Avahi IPv4LL network address configuration daemon | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - avahi-daemon - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: avahi-daemon from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD daemon | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - avahi-discover - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: avahi-discover from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Service discover user interface for avahi | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - avahi-dnsconfd - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: avahi-dnsconfd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Avahi DNS configuration tool | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - avahi-ui-utils - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: avahi-ui-utils from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Avahi GTK+ utilities | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - avahi-utils - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: avahi-utils from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Avahi browsing, publishing and discovery utilities | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - gir1.2-avahi-0.6 - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: gir1.2-avahi-0.6 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | GObject introspection data for Avahi | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - libavahi-client-dev - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libavahi-client-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Development files for the Avahi client library | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - libavahi-client3 - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libavahi-client3 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Avahi client library | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - libavahi-common-data - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libavahi-common-data from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Avahi common data files | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - libavahi-common-dev - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libavahi-common-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Development files for the Avahi common library | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - libavahi-common3 - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libavahi-common3 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Avahi common library | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - libavahi-compat-libdnssd-dev - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libavahi-compat-libdnssd-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Development headers for the Avahi Apple Bonjour compatibility library | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - libavahi-compat-libdnssd1 - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libavahi-compat-libdnssd1 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Avahi Apple Bonjour compatibility library | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - libavahi-core-dev - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libavahi-core-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Development files for Avahi's embeddable mDNS/DNS-SD library | https://avahi.org/ - Debian apt - libavahi-core7 - 0.8-16: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libavahi-core7 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Avahi's embeddable mDNS/DNS-SD library | https://avahi.org/ ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [dbus](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dbus/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [expat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/expat/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [gdbm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gdbm/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [glib](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/glib/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libcap](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libcap/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [systemd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/systemd/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [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. - [gettext](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gettext/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libtool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libtool/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [aerleon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aerleon/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking. - [ahcpd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ahcpd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking. - [airshare](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/airshare/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking. - [assh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/assh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking. - [autossh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autossh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking. - [bbftp-client](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bbftp-client/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking. - [bind](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bind/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking. - [bore-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bore-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking. - [slirp4netns](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/slirp4netns/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, glib, libcap, networking. - [nsd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nsd/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, daemon, dns, name, networking. - [gensio](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gensio/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, glib, networking. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/avahi.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/avahi.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - 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