macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install cvslocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install cvsMacPorts ports tree · devel/cvs/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install cvs with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, zypper
Version control system. Version 1.12.13 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-19.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add cvsAlpine Linux edge package indexes · cvs · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install cvsDebian stable package indexes · cvs · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install cvsFedora Rawhide package metadata · cvs · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#cvsnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/cv/cvs/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S cvsArch Linux sync databases · cvs · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install cvsopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · cvs · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install main/cvsScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/cvs.json · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Version control system
Project links
Commands and aliases
- cvs
- cvsbug
- rcs2log
history
Project history and usage
CVS, the Concurrent Versions System, is one of the classic networked version-control tools: it records source-file history in RCS-style files while adding shared repositories, remote clients, modules, branches, and multi-developer workflows.
Project history
The official CVS manual traces the project back to shell scripts by Dick Grune posted to comp.sources.unix in July 1986, then to Brian Berliner's April 1989 design and implementation, with Jeff Polk later helping shape module and vendor-branch support.
Adoption history
The CVS project page describes CVS as a production-quality system used around the world, including by many free software projects. That combination of anonymous read-only access, central repositories, and Unix-friendly command-line operation made it a normal part of open-source development before distributed systems became dominant.
How it is used
CVS users check out working directories, edit locally, then update, diff, commit, tag, branch, merge, import vendor drops, and inspect history through the cvs command. Administrators maintain repository-side CVSROOT files for policy, logging, access, and server behavior.
Why package nerds care
For package maintainers, CVS matters both as a historical dependency and as an archival interface: many older upstreams and import histories were built around CVS modules, RCS files, vendor branches, and anonymous pserver checkouts.
Timeline
- 1986: Dick Grune posts CVS shell scripts to comp.sources.unix.
- 1989: Brian Berliner designs and codes CVS.
- 1990s-2000s: CVS becomes a common free-software source-control system.
- 2019: The nongnu.org CVS project page remains the official project and documentation hub.
Related projects
- CVS builds on RCS file storage and influenced later centralized version-control workflows; CVS Utilities and CVSync are companion tools for working copies and repository mirroring.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:version control
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 3 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
~/.cvsrc$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/config
Credential files
Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.
- Unix
~/.cvspass$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/passwd
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
cvs | cli | global executable | |
cvsbug | cli | global executable | |
rcs2log | 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 version1.12.13
manager updated2026-06-19
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.nongnu.org/cvs/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:cvs |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.12.13 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/cvs |
| Homepage | https://www.nongnu.org/cvs/ |
| Repository | https://savannah.nongnu.org/cvs?group=cvs |
| Upstream docs | https://www.gnu.org/software/trans-coord/manual/cvs/cvs.html |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/non-gnu/cvs/source/feature/1.12.13/cvs-1.12.13.tar.bz2 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-19T12:30:04-07:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | gettext |
| Build dependencies | autoconf, automake, gettext |
| Uses from macOS | krb5, libxcrypt |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, 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 | cvs |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 4 |
| 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%
cvs 2:1.12.13+real-30
Concurrent Versions System
sudo apt install cvs- Section: vcs
- Architecture: amd64
- 7 dependencies
- 3 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
Nix95%
cvs
nix profile install nixpkgs#cvs- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
Ubuntu apt95%
cvs 2:1.12.13+real-30build1
Concurrent Versions System
sudo apt install cvs- Section: universe/devel
- Architecture: amd64
- 7 dependencies
- 3 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
apk95%
cvs 1.12.13-r3
Concurrent Versions System
sudo apk add cvs- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: cvs
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
apk95%
cvs-doc 1.12.13-r3
Concurrent Versions System (documentation)
sudo apk add cvs-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: cvs
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
dnf95%
cvs 1.11.23-77.fc44
Concurrent Versions System
sudo dnf install cvs- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-1.0-or-later AND Latex2e-translated-notice AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: cvs
- 10 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
dnf95%
cvs-contrib 1.11.23-77.fc44
Unsupported contributions collected by CVS developers
sudo dnf install cvs-contrib- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND check-cvs
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: cvs
- 5 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
dnf95%
cvs-doc 1.11.23-77.fc44
Additional documentation for Concurrent Versions System
sudo dnf install cvs-doc- License: GPL-1.0-or-later AND Latex2e-translated-notice
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: cvs
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
pacman95%
cvs 1.11.23-16
Source control
sudo pacman -S cvs- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 1 dependencies
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
zypper95%
cvs 1.12.13-5.3
Concurrent Versions System
sudo zypper install cvs- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Development/Tools/Version Control
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: cvs
- 10 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
zypper95%
cvs-doc 1.12.13-5.3
Info pages and Open Source Development with CVS, 2nd Edition Book
sudo zypper install cvs-doc- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Development/Tools/Version Control
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: cvs
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
MacPorts95%
cvs
sudo port install cvs- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
Scoop95%
main/cvs
scoop install main/cvs- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cvs
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