macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install clairlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install clair with Homebrew, Nix, zypper
Vulnerability Static Analysis for Containers. Version 4.8.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-15.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#clairnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/cl/clair/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install clairopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · clair · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Vulnerability Static Analysis for Containers
Project links
Commands and aliases
- clair
history
Project history and usage
Clair is Quay's open source service for static analysis of vulnerabilities in application container images, including OCI and Docker images. It is notable in package-manager culture because it made vulnerability metadata, image indexing, and registry-side security scanning part of the ordinary container toolchain.
Project history
The public repository was created in November 2015 and its README describes the project goal as making container-based infrastructure more transparent. Clair later evolved into the v4 architecture documented in the Clair book, with separate indexer, matcher, notifier, and combo operating modes configured by YAML or JSON.
Adoption history
Clair is distributed as a Homebrew formula and appears in other package sets in the supplied input, while its README also points users to stable GitHub releases and a Quay container image. Its adoption path is tied to container registries and CI systems that need image vulnerability matching against known vulnerability feeds.
How it is used
Clients use the Clair API to index container images and match indexed contents against vulnerability data. Operators run Clair with a structured configuration file, commonly under /etc/clair, and select a service mode such as indexer, matcher, notifier, or combo.
Why package nerds care
Clair matters to package nerds because it connects OS-package and language-package vulnerability databases to container layers. It sits at the point where package manifests, distribution advisories, OCI images, and registry policy meet.
Timeline
- 2015: Public GitHub repository created and initial public release v0.0.1 published.
- 2016: v1 releases established Clair as a container vulnerability analysis service.
- 2020: Clair v4 line documented a service-oriented architecture with indexer, matcher, and notifier modes.
- 2024: v4.7.0 added documented drop-in configuration file support.
- 2025: v4.9.0 release published.
Related projects
- Related projects include Quay, OCI image tooling, Docker image tooling, vulnerability databases consumed by Clair matchers, and other image scanners such as Trivy and Grype.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: orange
infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal.
Risk classifier
orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure
Why
- infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal
Signals
- text:container
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 8 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.
- Unix
/etc/clair/config.yaml/etc/clair/config.json
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
clair | 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 version4.8.0
manager updated2026-06-15
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv4.8.0
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:clair |
|---|---|
| Version | 4.8.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/clair |
| Homepage | https://quay.github.io/clair/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/quay/clair |
| Upstream docs | https://quay.github.io/clair |
| License | Apache-2.0 |
| Source archive | https://github.com/quay/clair/archive/refs/tags/v4.8.0.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-15T10:20:12-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Build dependencies | go |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, 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 | clair |
| 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 |
|
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%
clair
nix profile install nixpkgs#clair- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Clair
zypper95%
clair 4.9.0-1.2
Vulnerability Static Analysis for Containers
sudo zypper install clair- License: Apache-2.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: clair
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Clair
zypper95%
clairctl 4.9.0-1.2
CLI for the Clair Vulnerability scanner
sudo zypper install clairctl- License: Apache-2.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: clair
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Clair
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