# Install bittwist with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, zypper Libcap-based Ethernet packet generator. Version 4.7 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:bittwist ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install bittwist ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install bittwist ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: net/bittwist/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install bittwist ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: bittwist from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install bittwist ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: bittwist from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:bittwist - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 4.7 - **Source summary:** Libcap-based Ethernet packet generator - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - bittwist (cli) - bittwiste (cli) - bittwist (alias) - bittwiste (alias) ## Uses from macOS - libpcap ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 4.7 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://bittwist.sourceforge.io - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage Bit-Twist is a libpcap-based Ethernet packet generator and packet editor maintained by Addy Yeow. Its official site presents it as a companion to tcpdump: capture traffic into pcap files, edit the packets, then regenerate that traffic on a live network. ### Project history The official changelog begins with version 0.1 on January 25, 2006, initially using libpcap and libnet and tested on FreeBSD. By version 0.2, the project removed the libnet dependency and centered on libpcap. The 2006 public release added man pages for bittwist, bittwistb, and bittwiste. Later releases consolidated the tool around the packet generator and editor, with version 2.0 in 2012 adding a Mac OS X distribution and ending the old web edition and bridge maintenance. ### Adoption history The input package-manager data lists Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, MacPorts, and openSUSE packaging, which matches Bit-Twist's official cross-platform positioning for Windows, Linux, BSD, and macOS. Version 4.x in 2024 refreshed distribution artifacts across Windows, Linux, BSD, and macOS and added modern network-test features such as jumbo frames and VLAN editing. ### How it is used Users typically combine bittwiste and bittwist: create or edit a pcap with bittwiste, then send it on an interface with bittwist. The official examples include throughput testing, firewall testing, SYN flood simulation, ARP-cache-poisoning demonstrations, and jumbo-frame testing in controlled networks. The tool is aimed at administrators and network testers who need repeatable packet streams for firewalls, IDS/IPS, routers, switches, load balancers, and troubleshooting. ### Why package nerds care Bit-Twist is package-nerd interesting because it is a small C-era Unix networking tool that survived across libpcap, WinPcap/Npcap, BSD, macOS, and Linux packaging rather than becoming a one-platform appliance utility. Its split between a pcap editor and a sender reflects classic command-line composability: tcpdump captures, bittwiste edits, bittwist replays. ### Timeline - 2006-01-25: Version 0.1 skeleton program released. - 2006-04-11: Version 0.7 public release with man pages. - 2007-10-26: Version 1.0 increased generator throughput option up to 10 Gbps. - 2012-04-21: Version 2.0 added Mac OS X distribution and revised platform support. - 2023-05-24: Version 3.0 updated homepage to bittwist.sourceforge.io. - 2024-11-01: Version 4.7 released with IEEE 802.1ad Q-in-Q VLAN editing support. ### Related projects - tcpdump is the capture-side tool Bit-Twist explicitly complements. - libpcap is the packet capture/transmission library Bit-Twist is built around. - Npcap is listed by the official site as the Windows prerequisite. ### 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 ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** bittwist - **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 - bittwist - 4.7+ds-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: bittwist from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | libpcap based Ethernet packet generator | https://bittwist.sourceforge.io - Ubuntu apt - bittwist - 3.8-1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: bittwist from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | libpcap based Ethernet packet generator | https://bittwist.sourceforge.io - zypper - bittwist - 3.8-2.6: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: bittwist from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | A libpcap-based Ethernet packet generator | https://bittwist.sourceforge.io - MacPorts - bittwist: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: net/bittwist/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. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer 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. - [daemonlogger](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/daemonlogger/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, packet-capture, pcap. - [libpcap](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libpcap/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, packet-capture. - [tcpreplay](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tcpreplay/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, network-testing, networking, pcap. - [dhcpdump](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dhcpdump/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, pcap. - [dnsperf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dnsperf/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, network-testing, networking. - [httpflow](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/httpflow/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, packet-capture, pcap. - [ipsumdump](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ipsumdump/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, pcap. - [miruo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/miruo/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, pcap. - [cdpr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cdpr/) - Local metadata places this package in an adjacent workflow. Shared terms: cli, network, networking, packet. - [fprobe](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fprobe/) - Local metadata places this package in an adjacent workflow. Shared terms: based, cli, network, networking. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/bittwist.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/bittwist.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