# Install clib with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix Package manager for C programming. Version 2.8.7 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:clib ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install clib ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install clib ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/clib/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#clib ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cl/clib/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:clib - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.8.7 - **Source summary:** Package manager for C programming - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-09T07:20:21+00:00 ## Executables - clib (cli) - clib-build (cli) - clib-configure (cli) - clib-init (cli) - clib-install (cli) - clib-search (cli) - clib-uninstall (cli) - clib-update (cli) - clib-upgrade (cli) - clib (alias) - clib-build (alias) - clib-configure (alias) - clib-init (alias) - clib-install (alias) - clib-search (alias) - clib-uninstall (alias) - clib-update (alias) - clib-upgrade (alias) ## Uses from macOS - curl ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-09 - Package-manager version: 2.8.7 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/clibs/clib - Upstream latest detected: 2.8.7 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage clib is a package manager for the C programming language, built around small standalone C libraries and a `clib.json` manifest. ### Project history The clib GitHub repository was created in October 2012 and presents the project as a package manager for C. The README describes it as a way to promote small C utilities, improve discovery, and avoid pulling large frameworks into C projects. clib's project model expects packages to describe themselves with `clib.json`, including fields such as name, version, repo, description, keywords, license, sources, and install commands. The wiki package listing acts as the registry and feeds `clib-search`. ### Adoption history The README documents installation through Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, and source builds on Ubuntu and Fedora, showing packaging across both macOS package managers and Unix-like source workflows. GitHub repository metadata showed thousands of stars at research time, and the project has continued publishing 2.x releases through 2024. That combination makes it one of the more recognizable attempts to give C a lightweight package-manager workflow. ### How it is used clib is used to initialize projects, install dependencies, update or uninstall packages, configure and build dependencies, and search the registry. The README recommends checking fetched files into the consuming repository so end users and contributors do not need clib installed. Common commands include `clib install clibs/ms clibs/commander`, installing packages into `./deps` or another output directory, and using `clib.json` to describe both libraries and executables. ### Why package nerds care clib is significant because C has no single dominant package manager comparable to npm or Cargo. clib's deliberately small model, GitHub-centered registry, vendored source expectation, and manifest format capture a practical answer to C's fragmented library-discovery problem. For package nerds, clib sits in the lineage of language package managers but keeps C's cultural preference for source files, makefiles, and minimal runtime assumptions. Its Homebrew/MacPorts/Nix availability also made it easy to try without adopting a whole new platform. ### Timeline - 2012: The GitHub repository is created. - 2017: GitHub release metadata records clib 1.8.1. - 2023: GitHub release metadata records clib 2.8.3 and 2.8.5. - 2024: GitHub release metadata records clib 2.8.7. ### Related projects - The clibs GitHub organization and clib wiki package list are related because the README describes them as the package registry. - Homebrew, MacPorts, and Nix are related distribution channels documented by the README and input package metadata. - libcurl is a build dependency named by the README. ### Sources - - - ## Security Notes infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal. - **Geiger risk:** orange / medium - infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal ## 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 - Unix: ./clib.json ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** clib - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - clib: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cl/clib/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - MacPorts - clib: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: devel/clib/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Package publisher tools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/package-publishers/) - Belongs to a package publishing or registry command family. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [conan](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/conan/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, package-management, package-manager. - [pdm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pdm/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, dependency-management, developer-tools, package-management, package-manager. - [poetry](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/poetry/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, dependency-management, developer-tools, package-management, package-manager. - [zigmod](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/zigmod/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, dependency-management, developer-tools, package-management, package-manager. - [akku](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/akku/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, package-management, package-manager. - [bower](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bower/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, package-management, package-manager. - [cabal-install](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cabal-install/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, package-management, package-manager. - [composer](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/composer/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, package-management, package-manager. - [cpanminus](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cpanminus/) - Local metadata places this package in an adjacent workflow. Shared terms: build, cli, developer, developer-tools, install. - [mint](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mint/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, dependency, developer, developer-tools, management. - [spago](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/spago/) - Local metadata places this package in an adjacent workflow. Shared terms: build, cli, developer, developer-tools, management. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/clib.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/clib.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - 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