Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install bossa with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix

Flash utility for Atmel SAM microcontrollers. Version 1.9.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install bossa

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install bossa

MacPorts ports tree · cross/bossa/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install bossa

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

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#bossa

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

overview

Package summary

Flash utility for Atmel SAM microcontrollers

Commands and aliases

  • bossac
  • bossash

history

Project history and usage

BOSSA is ShumaTech's flash programming utility for Atmel SAM ARM microcontrollers, with bossac providing the command-line interface commonly packaged for developer and embedded workflows.

Project history

BOSSA was created by Scott Shumate as an open source replacement for Atmel's SAM-BA software. The name expands to Basic Open Source SAM-BA Application, reflecting the goal of a simpler programmer for SAM-family microcontrollers.

The GitHub repository dates to August 2011, and the README describes both the GUI-oriented BOSSA project and the command-line bossac tool. The project is BSD-licensed and written primarily in C++.

Adoption history

The batch input records packaging in Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, MacPorts, and Nix, which matches BOSSA's long tail as an embedded host tool used from developer laptops and build systems.

BOSSA also became familiar outside the original ShumaTech audience through development-board support; the README lists SAMD21 and SAMD51 among supported families and credits board contributions from Atmel, David Crocker, and Adafruit Industries.

How it is used

Developers use bossac to write binary images to the flash or ROM of supported Atmel SAM devices over USB or serial connections, and to inspect or dump target memory. GUI BOSSA covers interactive programming workflows, while bossac is better suited to scripts and IDE toolchains.

The tool is usually invoked after a device is placed into its SAM-BA bootloader mode, so it is packaged as a host-side flashing utility rather than as firmware.

Why package nerds care

BOSSA is package-nerd significant because a tiny-looking formula provides a critical bridge between general-purpose developer machines and microcontroller boot ROMs.

Its command names matter: users often search for bossac because IDEs and embedded build systems invoke that executable even though the upstream project name is BOSSA.

Timeline

  • 2011-08: Official GitHub repository metadata shows the BOSSA repository created.
  • 2016: GitHub release metadata shows 1.7.0 in the public release feed.
  • 2023: Repository metadata shows upstream activity continuing into the 1.9.x era.
  • 2026: Package-manager input records Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, MacPorts, and Nix availability.

Related projects

  • Atmel SAM-BA is the proprietary tool and boot-assistant ecosystem BOSSA was created to replace.
  • bossac is the command-line BOSSA frontend shipped by this package.
  • Atmel SAM device families such as SAMD21, SAMD51, SAM3, SAM4, and SAM7 are the target microcontroller families listed by the upstream README.

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

  • narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

  • metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 12 platform targets.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
bossaccliglobal executable
bossashcliglobal 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 version1.9.1
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected1.9.1

https://github.com/shumatech/BOSSA

  • infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:bossa
Version1.9.1
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/bossa
Homepagehttps://github.com/shumatech/BOSSA
Repositoryhttps://github.com/shumatech/BOSSA
Upstream docshttps://github.com/shumatech/BOSSA#readme
LicenseBSD-3-Clause
Source archivehttps://github.com/shumatech/BOSSA/archive/refs/tags/1.9.1.tar.gz
Bottleavailable (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namebossa
Version Scheme0
Revision0
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%

bossa 1.9.1-3+b6

Atmel SAM ARM microcontroller flash programming GUI

https://www.shumatech.com/web/products/bossa

sudo apt install bossa
  • Section: electronics
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: bossa
  • 5 dependencies
  • 1 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Bossa
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: bossa from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

bossa-cli 1.9.1-3+b6

Atmel SAM ARM microcontroller flash programming utility

https://www.shumatech.com/web/products/bossa

sudo apt install bossa-cli
  • Section: electronics
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: bossa
  • 4 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Bossa
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: bossa-cli from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

bossa

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

bossa 1.9.1-3ubuntu5

Atmel SAM ARM microcontroller flash programming GUI

https://www.shumatech.com/web/products/bossa

sudo apt install bossa
  • Section: universe/electronics
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 5 dependencies
  • 1 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Bossa
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: bossa from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

bossa-cli 1.9.1-3ubuntu5

Atmel SAM ARM microcontroller flash programming utility

https://www.shumatech.com/web/products/bossa

sudo apt install bossa-cli
  • Section: universe/electronics
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: bossa
  • 4 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Bossa
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: bossa-cli from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
MacPorts95%

bossa

sudo port install bossa
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Bossa
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: cross/bossa/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/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.

Same workflow

  • gpsimShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, embedded, microcontroller.
  • gputilsShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, embedded, microcontroller.
  • lpc21ispShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, embedded, microcontroller.
  • teensy_loader_cliShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, embedded, microcontroller.
  • elf2uf2-rsShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, embedded.
  • espflashShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, embedded.

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 package history
  • external package-manager database matches
  • package relationship graph
  • package version freshness
  • package-page enrichment