# Install cfitsio with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper, winget C access to FITS data files with optional Fortran wrappers. Version 4.6.4 via Homebrew; verified 2026-04-28. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:cfitsio ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install cfitsio ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install cfitsio ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: science/cfitsio/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add cfitsio ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cfitsio from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install fitsverify ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: fitsverify from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install cfitsio ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: cfitsio from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#cfitsio ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cf/cfitsio/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S cfitsio ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: cfitsio from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - Ubuntu apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install libcfitsio-bin ``` Evidence: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libcfitsio-bin from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install cfitsio ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: cfitsio from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ### Windows - winget (92%): ```sh winget install --id kooyoseb.VideoSpeedConversionTool -e ``` Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: kooyoseb.VideoSpeedConversionTool from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:cfitsio - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 4.6.4 - **Source summary:** C access to FITS data files with optional Fortran wrappers - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** CFITSIO - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-04-28T22:16:58Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - fitscopy (cli) - fitsverify (cli) - fpack (cli) - funpack (cli) - imcopy (cli) - smem (cli) - speed (cli) - fitscopy (alias) - fitsverify (alias) - fpack (alias) - funpack (alias) - imcopy (alias) - smem (alias) - speed (alias) ## Build dependencies - cmake ## 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: 4.6.4 - Package-manager updated: 2026-04-28 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/software/fitsio/fitsio.html - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage CFITSIO is NASA HEASARC's machine-independent C library for reading and writing FITS astronomy data files, with Fortran-callable wrappers and command-line utilities such as `fitscopy`, `fitsverify`, `fpack`, and `funpack`. ### Project history The CFITSIO User's Reference Guide says the package was initially developed by HEASARC to convert various high-energy astrophysics data sets into FITS format and to analyze data already in FITS format. The guide also documents that the Fortran wrappers replaced an older Fortran FITSIO interface. ### Adoption history The input package facts show CFITSIO packaged across Homebrew, Alpine, Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, and openSUSE ecosystems. That breadth matches its role as a shared astronomy data I/O dependency rather than a single application. ### How it is used The README documents the standard Unix build flow with `./configure`, `make`, `make check`, and `make install`, plus CMake support. The User's Guide documents every user-callable routine, while bundled utilities cover copying, verifying, compressing, and unpacking FITS files. ### Why package nerds care CFITSIO is the kind of package that quietly props up a scientific stack: a C ABI, headers, shared libraries, Fortran wrappers, and utility binaries that downstream astronomy tools expect to find in system package managers. ### Timeline - Initial development: HEASARC developed CFITSIO for high-energy astrophysics FITS conversion and analysis. - CFITSIO 2.0: User's Guide notes plug-in I/O drivers introduced in v2.0. - 2023: Official GitHub repository metadata records public repository creation. - 2026: Official release metadata shows CFITSIO 4.6.4. ### Related projects - FTOOLS is called out by the User's Guide as a related package for manipulating and analyzing FITS files. - CCFITS is the C++ interface associated with CFITSIO support contacts. ### Sources - - - - - - ## 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:** cfitsio - **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 - fitsverify - 4.22+cfitsio4.6.2-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: fitsverify from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | transitional dummy package | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/fitsio.html - Debian apt - libcfitsio-bin - 4.6.2-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libcfitsio-bin from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | CFITSIO based utilities | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/fitsio.html - Debian apt - libcfitsio-dev - 4.6.2-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libcfitsio-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | library for I/O with FITS format data files (development files) | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/fitsio.html - Debian apt - libcfitsio-doc - 4.6.2-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libcfitsio-doc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | documentation for CFITSIO | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/fitsio.html - Debian apt - libcfitsio10t64 - 4.6.2-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libcfitsio10t64 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | shared library for I/O with FITS format data files | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/fitsio.html - Nix - cfitsio: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cf/cfitsio/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - libcfitsio-bin - 4.3.1-1.1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libcfitsio-bin from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | CFITSIO based utilities | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/fitsio.html - Ubuntu apt - libcfitsio-dev - 4.3.1-1.1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libcfitsio-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | library for I/O with FITS format data files (development files) | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/fitsio.html - Ubuntu apt - libcfitsio-doc - 4.3.1-1.1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libcfitsio-doc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | documentation for CFITSIO | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/fitsio.html - Ubuntu apt - libcfitsio10t64 - 4.3.1-1.1build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libcfitsio10t64 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | shared library for I/O with FITS format data files | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/fitsio.html - apk - cfitsio - 4.6.4-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cfitsio from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Library reading and writing data files in Flexible Image Transport System data format | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/ - apk - cfitsio-dev - 4.6.4-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cfitsio-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Library reading and writing data files in Flexible Image Transport System data format (development files) | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/ - dnf - cfitsio - 4.6.4-1.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: cfitsio from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Library for manipulating FITS data files | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/ - dnf - cfitsio-devel - 4.6.4-1.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: cfitsio-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Headers required when building programs against cfitsio | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/ - dnf - cfitsio-docs - 4.6.4-1.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: cfitsio-docs from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Documentation for cfitsio | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/ - dnf - cfitsio-static - 4.6.4-1.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: cfitsio-static from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Static cfitsio library | https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio/ ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - 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Shared terms: astronomy, cfitsio, cli, science. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/cfitsio.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/cfitsio.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