install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install boring

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#boring

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

overview

Package summary

Simple command-line SSH tunnel manager that just works

Project links

Commands and aliases

boring

history

Project history and usage

boring is a small Go CLI for managing SSH tunnels from a TOML file, positioned as a simpler way to keep local, remote, SOCKS, and reverse SOCKS forwards organized.

Project history

The public GitHub repository was created in September 2024, and its earliest GitHub release in the public release feed is 0.4.0 from October 2024. The official site describes it as a simple command-line SSH tunnel manager with TOML configuration, ssh_config compatibility, and automatic reconnections.

The project keeps its scope narrow: it manages tunnel definitions and process lifecycle around SSH rather than trying to replace OpenSSH or become a general VPN system.

Adoption history

Adoption is early and package-manager-focused. The batch input records Homebrew and Nix packaging, which is typical for a modern single-binary CLI aimed at developers who frequently need repeatable port forwards.

Because boring delegates authentication and host identity to SSH configuration, it fits into existing developer workflows without asking users to maintain a separate credential store.

How it is used

Users define named tunnels in a TOML file, then use the CLI to list, open, close, and group them. The README documents local, remote, SOCKS, and socks-remote modes plus fields for host, user, identity, port, keep-alive, and grouping.

The tool reads standard SSH configuration where possible and falls back to familiar defaults such as the current user, port 22, ssh-agent, and standard identity files.

Why package nerds care

boring is package-nerd interesting because it is a deliberately small wrapper around a ubiquitous system tool: it packages as one CLI, but its real value is making OpenSSH port-forwarding state reproducible and inspectable.

Its platform-specific default config paths are a useful curation detail, since Linux follows XDG while macOS and Windows use a home-directory TOML file.

Timeline

2024-09: Official GitHub repository metadata shows the public repository created.
2024-10: GitHub release metadata shows release 0.4.0 published.
2026: Repository metadata and package input show ongoing development and packaging in Homebrew and Nix.

Related projects

OpenSSH is the underlying transport and tunneling mechanism.
ssh_config is part of the expected configuration workflow because boring can match hosts against SSH config.
autossh and other SSH tunnel managers are adjacent tools, but boring focuses on named TOML-managed tunnels.

Sources

https://alebeck.github.io/boring/
https://api.github.com/repos/alebeck/boring
https://api.github.com/repos/alebeck/boring/releases?per_page=100
https://github.com/alebeck/boring
source_facts.package-manager

security posture

No protected-tool coverage found yet

No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for boring. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.

Install behavior

Homebrew declares a post-install hook for this formula.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
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.

Linux: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/boring/.boring.toml~/.config/boring/.boring.toml
macOS: ~/.boring.toml
Windows: ~/.boring.toml

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`boring`	cli	global 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 version0.16.1

manager updated2026-07-04

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv0.16.1

https://github.com/alebeck/boring

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:boring
Version	0.16.1
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/boring
Homepage	https://alebeck.github.io/boring/
Repository	https://github.com/alebeck/boring
Upstream docs	https://alebeck.github.io/boring
License	MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/alebeck/boring/archive/refs/tags/v0.16.1.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-07-04T14:08:56Z
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	boring
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
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.

Nix95%

boring

nix profile install nixpkgs#boring

normalized package name match
Matched by: Boring

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bo/boring/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

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

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.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/boring.yml

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

Install boring with Homebrew, Nix