# Install blink1 with Homebrew, Nix, scoop Control blink(1) indicator light. Version 2.5.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-18. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:blink1 ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install blink1 ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#blink1-tool ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bl/blink1-tool/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install main/blink1-tool ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/blink1-tool.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:blink1 - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.5.0 - **Source summary:** Control blink(1) indicator light - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** CC-BY-SA-4.0 OR MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-18T02:22:18Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - blink1-tool (cli) - blink1-tool (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.5.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-18 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/todbot/blink1-tool - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage blink(1) is ThingM's USB RGB notification light, and `blink1-tool` is the official command-line and C/C++ tooling for controlling it. The Homebrew package represents the Unix-friendly side of a physical status indicator: scriptable color, blink, pattern, and firmware/device operations. ### Project history The upstream README calls the repository the official collection of C/C++ command-line tools for the blink(1) USB RGB LED. It lists `blink1-tool`, `blink1-tiny-server`, `blink1control-tool`, `blink1-lib`, `blink1-mini-tool`, and `blink1raw` as current tools. GitHub releases show continued maintenance from the 2.x line through 2026, including releases for both `blink1-tool` and `blink1-tiny-server`. ### Adoption history blink(1) was adopted by developers and operations users as a physical notifier for builds, alerts, chat status, and ambient monitoring. Package-manager facts list Homebrew, Nix, and Scoop, which matches a cross-platform hardware utility used from scripts rather than a single desktop app. ### How it is used `blink1-tool` can list devices, set RGB/HSB colors, blink or flash, play/write/read patterns, save startup behavior, query firmware, select device IDs, and run quiet or verbose for scripts. Linux users may need udev rules so non-root processes can access the USB HID device. The tooling supports macOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Raspberry Pi OS, BeagleBone, OpenWRT/DD-WRT, and other systems with GNU Make and a C compiler, with HIDAPI and simpler HIDDATA/libusb-oriented build options. ### Why package nerds care blink(1) is a neat package-manager artifact because installing one CLI turns a USB gadget into a Unix endpoint. It bridges shell scripts, CI systems, and physical computing without a daemon or cloud service. It is also a tiny example of hardware packaging done right: udev rules, static-build concerns, HID backend choices, release binaries, a C library, and a CLI all live close together. ### Timeline - 2018-05-12: v2.0.1 release published on GitHub. - 2022-01-27: v2.3.0 release published on GitHub. - 2025-11-24: v2.4.0 release published on GitHub. - 2026-04-16: v2.5.0 release published for blink1-tool and blink1-tiny-server. ### Related projects - Related projects include Blink1Control, `blink1-tiny-server`, HIDAPI, libusb, udev-based Linux device access, and other USB notification-light integrations used by build and monitoring systems. ### Sources - - - - input source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for blink1. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL. ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** blink1 - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - blink1-tool: installed executable or alias match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bl/blink1-tool/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Scoop - main/blink1-tool: installed executable or alias match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/blink1-tool.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/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. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Matched curated package taxonomy and local package facts. - [blink](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/blink/) - Package name indicates the same formula family. - [cyme](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cyme/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, hardware, system, usb. - [lsusb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lsusb/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, hardware, system, usb. - [rkflashtool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rkflashtool/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, hardware, system, usb. - [sispmctl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sispmctl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, hardware, system, usb. - [uhubctl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/uhubctl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, hardware, system, usb. - [usbutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/usbutils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, hardware, system, usb. - [bootloadhid](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bootloadhid/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, usb. - [dcled](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dcled/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, hardware, system, usb. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/blink1.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/blink1.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