# Install bibutils with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman Bibliography conversion utilities. Version 7.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:bibutils ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install bibutils ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install bibutils ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: tex/bibutils/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install bibutils ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: bibutils from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install bibutils ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: bibutils 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#bibutils ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bi/bibutils/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S bibutils ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: bibutils from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:bibutils - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 7.2 - **Source summary:** Bibliography conversion utilities - **Homepage:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-only - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - bib2xml (cli) - bibdiff (cli) - biblatex2xml (cli) - copac2xml (cli) - ebi2xml (cli) - end2xml (cli) - endx2xml (cli) - isi2xml (cli) - med2xml (cli) - modsclean (cli) - nbib2xml (cli) - ris2xml (cli) - wordbib2xml (cli) - xml2ads (cli) - xml2bib (cli) - xml2biblatex (cli) - xml2end (cli) - xml2isi (cli) - xml2nbib (cli) - xml2ris (cli) - xml2wordbib (cli) - bib2xml (alias) - bibdiff (alias) - biblatex2xml (alias) - copac2xml (alias) - ebi2xml (alias) - end2xml (alias) - endx2xml (alias) - isi2xml (alias) - med2xml (alias) - modsclean (alias) - nbib2xml (alias) - ris2xml (alias) - wordbib2xml (alias) - xml2ads (alias) - xml2bib (alias) - xml2biblatex (alias) - xml2end (alias) - xml2isi (alias) - xml2nbib (alias) - xml2ris (alias) - xml2wordbib (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 7.2 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://sourceforge.net/p/bibutils/home/Bibutils/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage bibutils is a suite of Unix-style bibliography conversion filters that translate between formats through a common MODS XML intermediate representation. ### Project history The official SourceForge wiki describes bibutils as a program set for interconverting bibliography formats using MODS XML as a common intermediate, reducing the number of converters needed for many input and output formats. The documented development history groups changes by major versions: version 5 changed the default input and output character set to UTF-8 and added the ability to write MODS XML in multiple character sets, while later major versions reflect library changes. ### Adoption history bibutils is available across Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, and other package managers, which matches its role as a reusable command-line conversion toolkit for scripts. Because it supports BibTeX, BibLaTeX, RIS, EndNote, ISI, PubMed/NBIB, Word bibliography, ADS, and MODS workflows, it is useful to users moving references among citation managers, library metadata systems, and publishing tools. ### How it is used Users chain format-specific converters such as ris2xml followed by xml2bib, or bib2xml followed by xml2ris, using MODS XML as the intermediate format. The tools are intentionally command-line filters, making them suitable for shell pipelines, automated metadata cleanup, and larger bibliographic projects. ### Why package nerds care bibutils is a tidy example of Unix filter design applied to bibliography metadata: instead of maintaining N-squared pairwise converters, it centralizes conversion through MODS. Package nerds care because it is one of those small, durable utilities that quietly make citation-manager and library-metadata interoperability scriptable. ### Timeline - Version 2: Official development history records an early major-version line. - Version 5: Default input and output character set changes to UTF-8, with MODS XML output in multiple character sets. - Version 6: Major version changes because of library changes. - Version 7: Major version changes again because of library changes. ### Related projects - MODS, the Library of Congress Metadata Object Description Schema, is the intermediate format used by bibutils. - BibTeX and BibLaTeX are both supported through bib2xml, biblatex2xml, xml2bib, and xml2biblatex. - RIS, EndNote, PubMed/NBIB, ISI, ADS, and Word bibliography formats are part of the conversion ecosystem documented by the project. ### Sources - - - source_facts.executables - 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:** bibutils - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - bibutils - 7.2-3+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: bibutils from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | interconvert various bibliographic data formats | https://sourceforge.net/projects/bibutils/ - Debian apt - libbibutils-dev - 7.2-3+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libbibutils-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | bibliography file converter, development kit | https://sourceforge.net/projects/bibutils/ - Debian apt - libbibutils8 - 7.2-3+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libbibutils8 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | bibliography file converter, shared library | https://sourceforge.net/projects/bibutils/ - Nix - bibutils: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bi/bibutils/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - bibutils - 7.2-3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: bibutils from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | interconvert various bibliographic data formats | https://sourceforge.net/projects/bibutils/ - Ubuntu apt - libbibutils-dev - 7.2-3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libbibutils-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | bibliography file converter, development kit | https://sourceforge.net/projects/bibutils/ - Ubuntu apt - libbibutils8 - 7.2-3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libbibutils8 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | bibliography file converter, shared library | https://sourceforge.net/projects/bibutils/ - dnf - bibutils - 7.2-13.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: bibutils from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Bibliography conversion tools | http://sourceforge.net/p/bibutils/home/Bibutils/ - dnf - bibutils-devel - 7.2-13.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: bibutils-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Development files for bibutils | http://sourceforge.net/p/bibutils/home/Bibutils/ - dnf - bibutils-libs - 7.2-13.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: bibutils-libs from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Bibutils library | http://sourceforge.net/p/bibutils/home/Bibutils/ - pacman - bibutils - 7.2-4: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: bibutils from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Bibliography format interconversion | http://sourceforge.net/p/bibutils/home/Bibutils - MacPorts - bibutils: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: tex/bibutils/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. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Productivity CLI packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/productivity-cli-packages/) - Matched curated productivity category metadata from av.db. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [bibtex2html](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bibtex2html/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: bibliography, bibtex, cli, converter, productivity. - [bibclean](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bibclean/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: bibliography, bibtex, cli, productivity. - [papis](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/papis/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: bibliography, bibtex, cli, productivity. - [hayagriva](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hayagriva/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: bibliography, cli, productivity. - [bib-tool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bib-tool/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: bibliography, bibtex, cli, productivity. - [bibtexconv](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bibtexconv/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: bibtex, cli, converter, productivity. - [biber](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/biber/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: bibliography, cli, productivity. - [mhonarc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mhonarc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, converter, productivity. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/bibutils.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/bibutils.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