install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install brook

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install brook

MacPorts ports tree · net/brook/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#brook

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S brook

Arch Linux sync databases · brook · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

overview

Package summary

Cross-platform strong encryption and not detectable proxy. Zero-Configuration

Project links

Commands and aliases

brook

history

Project history and usage

Brook is TxThinking's cross-platform programmable network tool, packaged as a Go-based proxy/VPN-style command-line program with clients for desktop, mobile, Linux, and OpenWrt. Its public positioning has shifted from a simple encrypted proxy toward a broader programmable network layer.

Project history

The official GitHub repository describes Brook as a cross-platform programmable network tool and documents a basic server/client workflow around commands such as `brook server` and `brook link`. Its tag history includes date-stamped releases starting in 2017, showing a long-running release model rather than a one-off proxy experiment.

The current official product page emphasizes system-level networking, TCP/UDP/IPv4/IPv6 coverage, client-side and server-side programmability, DNS and routing control, packet capture, MITM HTTP/HTTPS capabilities, and cross-platform clients for iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and Linux.

Adoption history

Brook's adoption is strongest in the privacy, proxy, and programmable-networking niche. GitHub shows a large open-source audience with thousands of stars and forks, while the input package facts show distribution through Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, and other Unix-like package channels.

How it is used

Common use starts with a Brook server listening on a port and a client or generated link carrying connection parameters. Later Brook workflows extend into system-wide routing, DNS policy, destination rewriting, application-level controls, and OpenWrt or mobile clients.

Why package nerds care

Brook is notable in package-manager history as one of several post-Shadowsocks-era Go networking tools that package cleanly into a single binary while covering a wide surface area: proxying, VPN-like routing, mobile clients, DNS policy, and traffic inspection. Its date-based release tags also make it recognizable in rolling-release packaging.

Timeline

2017-03-16: Earliest public release tag observed in the official Git repository.
2017-2020s: Brook evolves through frequent date-stamped releases.
2025-12-31: GitHub lists v20260101 as the latest release at the time researched.

Related projects

Related networking packages include Shadowsocks, V2Ray/Xray, sing-box, gost, WireGuard, OpenVPN, and OpenWrt proxy tooling. Brook differs by combining proxy transport, programmable policy, and cross-platform commercial-style clients around the same project.

Sources

https://github.com/txthinking/brook#readme
https://www.txthinking.com/brook.html
source_facts.package-manager

security posture

Risk level: blue

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

Risk classifier

blue risk · medium confidence · tool

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal

Signals

text:encrypt

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
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.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`brook`	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 version20260101

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/txthinking/brook

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/txthinking/brooknone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:brook
Version	20260101
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/brook
Homepage	https://brook.app/
Repository	https://github.com/txthinking/brook
Upstream docs	https://www.txthinking.com/brook.html
License	GPL-3.0-only
Source archive	https://github.com/txthinking/brook/archive/refs/tags/v20260101.tar.gz
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	brook
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%

brook

nix profile install nixpkgs#brook

normalized package name match
Matched by: Brook

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

pacman95%

brook 20240214-1

A cross-platform proxy/vpn software

https://github.com/txthinking/brook

sudo pacman -S brook

License: GPL
Architecture: x86_64
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Brook

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: brook from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

MacPorts95%

brook

sudo port install brook

normalized package name match
Matched by: Brook

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: net/brook/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.

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/brook.yml

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

Install brook with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, pacman