# Install cpulimit with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, zypper CPU usage limiter. Version 0.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:cpulimit ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install cpulimit ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add cpulimit ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cpulimit from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install cpulimit ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: cpulimit from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install cpulimit ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: cpulimit 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#cpulimit ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cp/cpulimit/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install cpulimit ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: cpulimit from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:cpulimit - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.2 - **Source summary:** CPU usage limiter - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - cpulimit (cli) - cpulimit (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.2 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/opsengine/cpulimit - Upstream latest detected: v0.2 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## 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 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:** cpulimit - **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 - Debian apt - cpulimit - 3.1-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: cpulimit from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | tool for limiting the CPU usage of a process | https://limitcpu.sourceforge.net/ - Nix - cpulimit: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cp/cpulimit/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - cpulimit - 3.0-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: cpulimit from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | tool for limiting the CPU usage of a process | https://limitcpu.sourceforge.net/ - apk - cpulimit - 0.2-r4: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cpulimit from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | CPU usage limiter for Linux | https://github.com/opsengine/cpulimit - dnf - cpulimit - 0.2^20151118gitf4d2682-4.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: cpulimit from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | CPU Usage Limiter for Linux | https://github.com/opsengine/cpulimit - zypper - cpulimit - 3.2-1.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: cpulimit from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Limit the CPU Usage of a Process | https://limitcpu.sourceforge.net ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [daemon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/daemon/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system. - [daemonize](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/daemonize/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system. - [gruyere](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gruyere/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system. - [killport](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/killport/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system. - [lockrun](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lockrun/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system. - [procps](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/procps/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, linux, process-management, system. - [supervisor](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/supervisor/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system. - [detach](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/detach/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system. - [procs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/procs/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, management, process, process-management, system. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/cpulimit.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/cpulimit.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