# Install cvs-fast-export with Homebrew, apk, apt, MacPorts, Nix Export an RCS or CVS history as a fast-import stream. Version 2.3 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-06. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:cvs-fast-export ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install cvs-fast-export ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install cvs-fast-export ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/cvs-fast-export/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add cvs-fast-export ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cvs-fast-export from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install cvs-fast-export ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: cvs-fast-export from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#cvs-fast-export ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cv/cvs-fast-export/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:cvs-fast-export - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.3 - **Source summary:** Export an RCS or CVS history as a fast-import stream - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-06T21:40:12Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - cvs-fast-export (cli) - cvsconvert (cli) - cvssync (cli) - cvs-fast-export (alias) - cvsconvert (alias) - cvssync (alias) ## Build dependencies - asciidoctor - go ## Uses from macOS - python ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.3 - Package-manager updated: 2026-07-06 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: http://www.catb.org/~esr/cvs-fast-export/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage cvs-fast-export converts RCS or CVS repository history into a Git fast-import stream. Its official README says it analyzes RCS master files, emits a fast-import history when possible, warns on histories it cannot represent, and can also visualize the resulting commit DAG. ### Project history The official hacker's guide says the program began as Keith Packard's one-off `parsecvs` hack in early 2006 during the X repository migration from CVS to Git. Bart Massey briefly maintained it before Eric S. Raymond took over in late 2012, added the fast-export output stage, renamed the project, and later made the parser re-entrant and parallelized master-file ingestion. ### Adoption history The tool belongs to the post-CVS migration era, where package maintainers and project archivists needed trustworthy conversion of old CVS and RCS histories into Git. The official resource page explicitly notes that it is commonly packaged as cvs-fast-export and that related package names include cvs-fast-export-tools and cvs-fast-export-doc. ### How it is used Users point cvs-fast-export at CVS or RCS master files and pipe or save the generated stream for Git import. The distribution also ships `cvssync` for fetching remote CVS masters, `cvsconvert` for trial conversion and content-mismatch checks against the original CVS, and `cvsstrip` for reducing bug reports to metadata-only trees. ### Why package nerds care For package-history work, cvs-fast-export is unusually meta: it exists to rescue the history behind older packages. Its NEWS file documents years of edge-case fixes around CVS timestamps, vendor branches, ignore files, branch topology, fast-export compatibility, and in 2026 a port from C to Go intended to eliminate chronic memory-corruption failure modes. ### Timeline - 2006: Originated as Keith Packard's `parsecvs` during the X CVS-to-Git migration. - 2012: Eric S. Raymond took over maintenance and added fast-export output. - 2015: GitLab project created and release 1.32 noted a source type declaration for reposurgeon. - 2020: buildprep script added to simplify source builds. - 2026: Version 2.0 ported the code to Go. - 2026: Version 2.2 released on June 21. ### Related projects - The README and hacker's guide connect cvs-fast-export to Git fast-import, CVS, RCS, Graphviz DOT output, reposurgeon, cvssync, cvsconvert, and cvsstrip. ### Sources - - - - - - ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** cvs-fast-export - **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 - cvs-fast-export - 1.59-1+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: cvs-fast-export from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Export an RCS or CVS history as a fast-import stream | http://www.catb.org/esr/cvs-fast-export/ - Nix - cvs-fast-export: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cv/cvs-fast-export/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - cvs-fast-export - 1.59-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: cvs-fast-export from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Export an RCS or CVS history as a fast-import stream | http://www.catb.org/esr/cvs-fast-export/ - apk - cvs-fast-export - 1.68-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cvs-fast-export from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Export RCS or CVS history as a fast-import stream | http://www.catb.org/esr/cvs-fast-export/ - apk - cvs-fast-export-doc - 1.68-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cvs-fast-export-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Export RCS or CVS history as a fast-import stream (documentation) | http://www.catb.org/esr/cvs-fast-export/ - apk - cvs-fast-export-tools - 1.68-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cvs-fast-export-tools from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Export RCS or CVS history as a fast-import stream (extra tools) | http://www.catb.org/esr/cvs-fast-export/ - MacPorts - cvs-fast-export: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: devel/cvs-fast-export/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. - [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. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [asciidoctor](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/asciidoctor/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [cvs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cvs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cvs, developer-tools, version-control. - [cvsutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cvsutils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cvs, developer-tools, version-control. - [cvsync](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cvsync/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cvs, developer-tools, version-control. - [git-svn-abandon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/git-svn-abandon/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, migration, version-control. - [src](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/src/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, rcs, version-control. - [braid](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/braid/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, version-control. - [breezy](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/breezy/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, version-control. - [codeberg-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/codeberg-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, version-control. - [reposurgeon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/reposurgeon/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, control, developer, developer-tools, git. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/cvs-fast-export.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/cvs-fast-export.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