Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install axel with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

Light UNIX download accelerator. Version 2.17.14 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-22.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install axel

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install axel

MacPorts ports tree · net/axel/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add axel

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · axel · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install axel

Debian stable package indexes · axel · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install axel

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · axel · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#axel

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ax/axel/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S axel

Arch Linux sync databases · axel · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install axel

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · axel · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Light UNIX download accelerator

Commands and aliases

  • axel

history

Project history and usage

Axel is a lightweight command-line download accelerator for HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and FTPS. Its core trick is old-school and Unix-friendly: split a file across multiple connections, write directly into the destination file, and keep the program small enough for constrained systems.

Project history

The current official GitHub repository was created in August 2015 under the axel-download-accelerator organization. The README credits Wilmer van der Gaast as the original developer and notes that the project has had contributors over the years, reflecting a continuation of an older Unix utility rather than a brand-new 2015 tool.

The project has stayed intentionally narrow. The official manual page describes a program that downloads through multiple connections, supports mirror URLs, can search for mirrors, and reads simple system-wide and per-user rc files. The README still points users to the man page rather than a large web documentation site.

Adoption history

Axel's adoption is visible in its packaging footprint. The batch input lists packages across Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora/DNF, openSUSE/Zypper, Arch/Pacman, Alpine/APK, MacPorts, Nix, and Chocolatey. That spread is characteristic of a mature small CLI: it is not a platform product, but it is useful enough to be available almost everywhere package nerds look first.

How it is used

Users run `axel` with one or more URLs, choose connection counts with `--num-connections`, limit bandwidth with `--max-speed`, resume interrupted transfers from state, and optionally configure defaults in `/etc/axelrc` or `~/.axelrc`. The man page also documents proxy, protocol, output, progress, and timeout flags.

Why package nerds care

Axel matters in package-manager culture because it represents the tiny C utility lane next to heavier downloaders such as aria2. It gives maintainers a low-dependency, autotools-built downloader with a stable CLI, a man page, and config files in conventional Unix locations.

Its long packaging tail also makes it a useful compatibility check for distro maintainers: TLS library choices, getopt behavior, rc-file locations, and documentation installation paths all matter more here than shiny features.

Timeline

  • 2015: Current official GitHub repository created.
  • 2017: GitHub releases include the v2.14 and v2.16 series.
  • 2019: v2.17 release series begins.
  • 2024: v2.17.14 release published.

Related projects

  • The official README lists aria2, hget, lftp, nugget, and pget as related projects.

Sources

  • GitHub releases API lists v2.14 in 2017, v2.17 in 2019, and v2.17.14 in 2024.
  • GitHub repository metadata: created_at 2015-08-13.
  • Official README credits original developer Wilmer van der Gaast and long-running contributors.
  • Official manpage documents purpose, protocols, rc files, and examples.
  • input.source_facts.package-manager lists broad distro and package-manager adoption.

security posture

Risk level: blue

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

Risk classifier

blue risk · medium confidence · tool

Why

  • broad file, network, media, or database tool signal

Signals

  • text:download

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.
  • Build metadata lists 1 build 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
/etc/axelrc~/.axelrc

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
axelcliglobal 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 version2.17.14
manager updated2026-05-22
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:axel
Version2.17.14
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/axel
Homepagehttps://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel
Repositoryhttps://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel
Upstream docshttps://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel#readme
LicenseGPL-2.0-or-later WITH cryptsetup-OpenSSL-exception
Source archivehttps://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/releases/download/v2.17.14/axel-2.17.14.tar.xz
Last updated2026-05-22T00:21:11+09:00
Pulseupdated
Dependenciesgettext, openssl@4
Build dependenciespkgconf
Bottleavailable (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Nameaxel
Version Scheme0
Revision1
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • head
  • stable

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%

axel 2.17.14-2

light command line download accelerator

https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel

sudo apt install axel
  • Section: web
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Axel
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: axel from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

axel

nix profile install nixpkgs#axel
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Axel
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ax/axel/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

axel 2.17.13-1build2

light command line download accelerator

https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel

sudo apt install axel
  • Section: universe/web
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Axel
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: axel from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

axel 2.17.14-r2

A multiple-connection concurrent downloader

https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel

sudo apk add axel
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: axel
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Axel
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: axel from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

axel-doc 2.17.14-r2

A multiple-connection concurrent downloader (documentation)

https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel

sudo apk add axel-doc
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: axel
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Axel
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: axel-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

axel 2.17.14-3.fc42

Light command line download accelerator for Linux and Unix

https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel

sudo dnf install axel
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: axel
  • 4 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Axel
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: axel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
pacman95%

axel 2.17.14-2

Light command line download accelerator

https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel

sudo pacman -S axel
  • License: GPL
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Axel
Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: axel from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz
zypper95%

axel 2.17.14-1.5

Lightweight Download Accelerator

https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel

sudo zypper install axel
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: axel
  • 3 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Axel
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: axel from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
MacPorts95%

axel

sudo port install axel
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Axel
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: net/axel/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Chocolatey95%

axel

choco install axel
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Axel
Chocolatey community package catalog · community.chocolatey.org · Chocolatey community package catalog: axel from http://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='6.5836','capture'

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Related tools

  • gettextRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • openssl@4Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • pkgconfBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.

Same workflow

  • aria2Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, download, http, networking.
  • wgetShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, download, http, networking.
  • wget2Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, download, http, networking.
  • apkeepShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, download, networking.
  • aresShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, download, networking.
  • bombardierShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, http, networking.

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.

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