macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install chronylocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install chronyMacPorts ports tree · sysutils/chrony/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install chrony with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Versatile implementation of the Network Time Protocol (NTP). Version 4.8 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-11.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add chronyAlpine Linux edge package indexes · chrony · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install chronyDebian stable package indexes · chrony · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install chronyFedora Rawhide package metadata · chrony · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#chronynixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ch/chrony/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S chronyArch Linux sync databases · chrony · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install chronyopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · chrony · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Versatile implementation of the Network Time Protocol (NTP)
Project links
Commands and aliases
- chronyc
- chronyd
history
Project history and usage
chrony is a long-running GPLv2 implementation of NTP with a daemon, chronyd, and a control CLI, chronyc, designed for accurate clock synchronization under difficult real-world network and hardware conditions.
Project history
The official site says chrony was originally written by Richard Curnow and is currently maintained by Miroslav Lichvar. Its release archive reaches back to the 1.x series, and the current source repository is hosted on GitLab.
chrony was designed to work well with intermittent network access, congested networks, temperature-sensitive clocks, systems that suspend or do not run continuously, and virtual machines.
Adoption history
The official download page says most Linux distributions and BSD systems provide a chrony package and recommends using those packages because they are integrated with service files and networking scripts. The supplied package facts list broad packaging across apk, Homebrew, Debian, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, Ubuntu, and zypper.
How it is used
chronyd runs as the time-synchronization daemon, while chronyc monitors and changes daemon parameters. A common configuration points chrony.conf at NTP servers or pools, stores drift, allows initial clock stepping, and may use /etc/chrony.keys for symmetric-key authentication.
Why package nerds care
chrony is a classic system package: small, daemon-oriented, security-sensitive, and heavily integrated with init systems and distribution defaults. It is also one of the packages where downstream packaging choices matter because service users, default config paths, network-online behavior, and crypto support affect the correctness of the system clock.
Timeline
- 2000s: 1.x tarballs available in the official release archive.
- 2020: 4.0 series began after the 3.x line.
- 2024: 4.6 added newer NTP and PTP-related configuration options.
- 2025: 4.7 added systemd Type=notify support and other daemon improvements.
- 2025: 4.8 released as the latest stable release on the official download page.
Related projects
- Related projects and alternatives include ntp, ntpsec, OpenNTPD, systemd-timesyncd, pool.ntp.org, GPS/PPS reference-clock tooling, and Network Time Security implementations.
Sources
security posture
No protected-tool coverage found yet
No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for chrony. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
- 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.
- Unix
/etc/chrony.conf
Credential files
Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.
- Unix
/etc/chrony.keys
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
chronyc | cli | global executable | |
chronyd | 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 version4.8
manager updated2026-05-11
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://chrony-project.orgnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:chrony |
|---|---|
| Version | 4.8 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/chrony |
| Homepage | https://chrony-project.org |
| Repository | https://gitlab.com/chrony/chrony |
| Upstream docs | https://chrony-project.org/doc/latest/chrony.conf.html |
| License | GPL-2.0-only |
| Source archive | https://chrony-project.org/releases/chrony-4.8.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-05-11T18:07:37Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | gnutls, nettle |
| Build dependencies | pkgconf |
| Uses from macOS | libedit |
| 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 | chrony |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 1 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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%
chrony 4.6.1-3+deb13u1
Versatile implementation of the Network Time Protocol
sudo apt install chrony- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- 10 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
Nix95%
chrony
nix profile install nixpkgs#chrony- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
Ubuntu apt95%
chrony 4.5-1ubuntu4
Versatile implementation of the Network Time Protocol
sudo apt install chrony- Section: admin
- Architecture: amd64
- 11 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
apk95%
chrony 4.8-r5
NTP client and server programs (without NTS and SHA/AES)
sudo apk add chrony- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: chrony
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
apk95%
chrony-common 4.8-r5
NTP client and server programs (common files)
sudo apk add chrony-common- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: chrony
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
apk95%
chrony-dbg 4.8-r5
NTP client and server programs (debug symbols)
sudo apk add chrony-dbg- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: chrony
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
apk95%
chrony-doc 4.8-r5
NTP client and server programs (documentation)
sudo apk add chrony-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: chrony
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
apk95%
chrony-nts 4.8-r5
NTP client and server programs (with NTS and SHA/AES)
sudo apk add chrony-nts- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: chrony
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
apk95%
chrony-openrc 4.8-r5
NTP client and server programs (OpenRC init scripts)
sudo apk add chrony-openrc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: chrony
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
dnf95%
chrony 4.8-5.fc44
An NTP client/server
sudo dnf install chrony- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: chrony
- 15 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
pacman95%
chrony 4.8-3
Lightweight NTP client and server
sudo pacman -S chrony- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- 11 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
zypper95%
chrony 4.8-1.3
System Clock Synchronization Client and Server
sudo zypper install chrony- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Productivity/Networking/Other
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: chrony
- 14 dependencies
- 5 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
zypper95%
chrony-pool-empty 4.8-1.3
Empty pool preconfiguration for chrony
sudo zypper install chrony-pool-empty- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Productivity/Networking/Other
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: chrony
- 1 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
zypper95%
chrony-pool-openSUSE 4.8-1.3
Chrony preconfiguration for openSUSE
sudo zypper install chrony-pool-openSUSE- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Productivity/Networking/Other
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: chrony
- 1 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
zypper95%
chrony-pool-suse 4.8-1.3
Chrony preconfiguration for SUSE
sudo zypper install chrony-pool-suse- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Productivity/Networking/Other
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: chrony
- 1 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
MacPorts95%
chrony
sudo port install chrony- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Chrony
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.
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