macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install cpulimitlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install cpulimit with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, zypper
CPU usage limiter. Version 0.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add cpulimitAlpine Linux edge package indexes · cpulimit · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install cpulimitDebian stable package indexes · cpulimit · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install cpulimitFedora Rawhide package metadata · cpulimit · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#cpulimitnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/cp/cpulimit/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install cpulimitopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · cpulimit · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
CPU usage limiter
Project links
Commands and aliases
- cpulimit
history
Project history and usage
cpulimit is a small process-control utility that limits a process's observed CPU usage percentage without changing its nice value or scheduler priority.
Project history
The README credits Angelo Marletta as the developer and describes the tool's goal: prevent a process from running for more than a specified CPU time ratio. The official GitHub repository was created in 2012.
Adoption history
cpulimit has remained packaged as a straightforward Unix-style utility for administrators and users who need to tame batch jobs. The input package metadata shows distribution through Homebrew and several Linux package managers.
How it is used
cpulimit controls CPU consumption by sending SIGSTOP and SIGCONT POSIX signals. The README notes that child processes and threads of the selected process share the configured CPU percentage, and documents simple make-based builds for Linux, OS X, and FreeBSD.
Why package nerds care
The package is significant because it solves a familiar operational problem with a tiny C tool and no service manager dependency: package it once, expose a single executable, and users can apply soft CPU throttling to existing processes.
Timeline
- 2012: The opsengine/cpulimit repository was created.
- Repository era: v0.1 and v0.2 tags exist in the official GitHub repository.
- 2024: The official repository was still receiving updates.
Related projects
- cpulimit is related by purpose to Unix process-management tools such as nice and schedulers, but the README distinguishes it by controlling real CPU usage through stop/continue signals rather than priority.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 platform targets.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
cpulimit | 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 version0.2
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv0.2
https://github.com/opsengine/cpulimit
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:cpulimit |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/cpulimit |
| Homepage | https://github.com/opsengine/cpulimit |
| Repository | https://github.com/opsengine/cpulimit |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/opsengine/cpulimit#readme |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/opsengine/cpulimit/archive/refs/tags/v0.2.tar.gz |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, 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 | cpulimit |
| 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.
Debian apt95%
cpulimit 3.1-1
tool for limiting the CPU usage of a process
https://limitcpu.sourceforge.net/
sudo apt install cpulimit- Section: admin
- Architecture: amd64
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cpulimit
Nix95%
cpulimit
nix profile install nixpkgs#cpulimit- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cpulimit
Ubuntu apt95%
cpulimit 3.0-1
tool for limiting the CPU usage of a process
https://limitcpu.sourceforge.net/
sudo apt install cpulimit- Section: universe/admin
- Architecture: amd64
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cpulimit
apk95%
cpulimit 0.2-r4
CPU usage limiter for Linux
https://github.com/opsengine/cpulimit
sudo apk add cpulimit- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: cpulimit
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cpulimit
dnf95%
cpulimit 0.2^20151118gitf4d2682-4.fc44
CPU Usage Limiter for Linux
https://github.com/opsengine/cpulimit
sudo dnf install cpulimit- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: cpulimit
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cpulimit
zypper95%
cpulimit 3.2-1.3
Limit the CPU Usage of a Process
https://limitcpu.sourceforge.net
sudo zypper install cpulimit- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: System/Monitoring
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: cpulimit
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cpulimit
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 package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment