install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install dar

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install dar

MacPorts ports tree · archivers/dar/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add dar

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dar · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install dar

Debian stable package indexes · dar · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install dar

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dar · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#dar

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/da/dar/package.nix · source: api.github.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install dar

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · dar · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Backup directory tree and files

Project links

Commands and aliases

dar
dar_cp
dar_manager
dar_slave
dar_split
dar_xform

history

Project history and usage

DAR, Disk ARchive, is a Unix backup and archiving suite designed as a disk-oriented alternative to tar, with slicing, catalogs, differential backups, compression, encryption, and libdar for applications.

Project history

DAR documentation frames the tool as a replacement for tar that can use direct access on disk media, while also evolving to support tape-like streaming use. Its authentication page records signed releases back to April 2002, and its source documentation says the project used RCS in 2002, CVS until Q1 2012, then Git.

Adoption history

DAR's adoption is visible in its packaging footprint and in the project's own list of tools using dar or libdar. The package appeals to Unix backup users who want archive slicing, isolated catalogs, strong verification, differential workflows, and scriptable command-line operation.

How it is used

Users commonly create, list, test, compare, extract, isolate, merge, repair, and transform archives with the dar suite, using /etc/darrc or ~/.darrc for defaults and options such as remote FTP/SFTP repositories when compiled with the needed libraries.

Why package nerds care

DAR is interesting packaging terrain because the feature matrix depends on optional libraries: compression codecs, libgcrypt and gpgme, librsync, libcurl, libssh, filesystem attributes, threading, Python bindings, and documentation generators all affect what a distro build can do.

Timeline

2002: DAR release signing and early RCS-era source history are documented.
2012: The project moved from CVS to Git in Q1 2012.
2017: DAR began cloning its Git repository to GitHub while keeping SourceForge updated.
2026: Generated Disk ARchive 2.8.x documentation remains published.

Related projects

DAR is related to tar, rsync-style delta workflows through librsync, par2/Parchive protection, AVFS, dar-backup tooling, and applications that consume libdar rather than shelling out to the dar command.

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:backup

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Installs with 8 runtime 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: /etc/darrc~/.darrc

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: ~/.netrc~/.ssh/id_rsa~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`dar`	cli	global executable
`dar_cp`	cli	global executable
`dar_manager`	cli	global executable
`dar_slave`	cli	global executable
`dar_split`	cli	global executable
`dar_xform`	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 version2.8.5

manager updated2026-05-01

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

http://dar.linux.free.fr/doc/index.html

infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.http://dar.linux.free.fr/doc/index.htmlnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:dar
Version	2.8.5
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/dar
Homepage	http://dar.linux.free.fr/doc/index.html
Repository	https://github.com/Edrusb/DAR
Upstream docs	https://dar.sourceforge.io/doc/from_sources.html
License	GPL-2.0-or-later
Source archive	https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/dar/dar/2.8.5/dar-2.8.5.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-05-01T11:43:47Z
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	argon2, gettext, libgcrypt, libgpg-error, lz4, lzo, xz, zstd
Uses from macOS	bzip2
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	dar
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

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%

dar 2.7.17-1+b13

Disk ARchive: Backup directory tree and files

Install dar with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper