Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install dash-shell with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

POSIX-compliant descendant of NetBSD's ash (the Almquist SHell). Version 0.5.13.4 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-24.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install dash-shell

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install dash

MacPorts ports tree · shells/dash/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add dash

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

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install dash

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

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install dash

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

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#dash

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S dash

Arch Linux sync databases · dash · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

Ubuntu aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install ash

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · ash · source: archive.ubuntu.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install dash

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

overview

Package summary

POSIX-compliant descendant of NetBSD's ash (the Almquist SHell)

Commands and aliases

  • dash

history

Project history and usage

dash is a small POSIX shell descended from the Almquist shell lineage. In package-manager culture it is the fast, minimal `/bin/sh` candidate: less interactive shell comfort than Bash, but a tighter target for scripts that claim POSIX portability.

Project history

dash descends from NetBSD's ash, the Almquist shell, and is maintained as a lightweight command interpreter for POSIX shell scripts. Its manual documents a shell focused on command execution, scripts, redirection, expansions, and built-ins rather than interactive user features.

The project became especially visible through Debian and Ubuntu system-shell work, where dash's speed and small size made it a candidate for `/bin/sh`. That history turned a modest shell implementation into an important compatibility test for shell scripts.

Adoption history

Debian's dash-as-bin-sh effort made dash part of everyday Linux packaging culture: maintainer scripts and `/bin/sh` scripts needed to stop relying on Bash-only behavior. The result was not just adoption of a shell, but pressure toward cleaner POSIX shell scripting across packages.

Homebrew packages it as `dash-shell` to avoid name ambiguity while still exposing the `dash` executable. Other Unix-like distributions package it simply as `dash`, often as a system scripting shell rather than an interactive login shell.

How it is used

Typical use is running POSIX shell scripts directly with `dash` or using it as `/bin/sh` on systems configured that way. It normally has no package-specific user config or credential store; shell startup behavior and scripts are governed by POSIX shell conventions and the system configuration.

Why package nerds care

dash matters because it catches accidental Bashisms. If a package maintainer script works under dash, it is more likely to be genuinely portable `/bin/sh`; if it breaks, the package has probably encoded an undeclared Bash dependency.

Timeline

  • Almquist shell era: ash provided the small POSIX shell lineage that dash descends from.
  • Debian dash-as-bin-sh era: dash became a prominent `/bin/sh` implementation for package scripts.
  • Present: dash is maintained in the kernel.org source tree and packaged across Unix-like systems.

Related projects

  • dash is related to ash, NetBSD sh, BusyBox ash, Bash in POSIX mode, and the broader family of `/bin/sh` implementations used by Unix package scripts.

security posture

Risk level: yellow

generalized runtime or code generation signal.

Risk classifier

yellow risk · medium confidence · runtime

Why

  • generalized runtime or code generation signal

Signals

  • text:shell

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
  • Build metadata lists 2 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.

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
dashcliglobal 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 version0.5.13.4
manager updated2026-05-24
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:dash-shell
Version0.5.13.4
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/dash-shell
Homepagehttp://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/
Repositoryhttps://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/utils/dash/dash.git
Upstream docshttps://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/utils/dash/dash.git/tree/src/dash.1
LicenseBSD-3-Clause
Source archivehttps://cdn.netbsd.org/pub/pkgsrc/distfiles/dash-0.5.13.4.tar.gz
Last updated2026-05-24T15:18:04Z
Pulseupdated
Build dependenciesautoconf, automake
Uses from macOSlibedit
Bottleavailable (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namedash-shell
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • head
  • 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.

MacPorts94%

dash

sudo port install dash
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: shells/dash/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Debian apt92%

dash 0.5.12-12

POSIX-compliant shell

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

sudo apt install dash
  • Section: shells
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 1 dependencies
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: dash from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix92%

dash

nix profile install nixpkgs#dash
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/da/dash/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt92%

ash 0.5.12-6ubuntu5

compatibility package for dash

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

sudo apt install ash
  • Section: universe/shells
  • Architecture: all
  • Source Package: dash
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ash from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt92%

dash 0.5.12-6ubuntu5

POSIX-compliant shell

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

sudo apt install dash
  • Section: shells
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 2 dependencies
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: dash from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk92%

dash 0.5.13.1-r2

Small and fast POSIX-compliant shell

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

sudo apk add dash
  • License: BSD-3-Clause AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: dash
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dash from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk92%

dash-binsh 0.5.13.1-r2

dash as /bin/sh

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

sudo apk add dash-binsh
  • License: BSD-3-Clause AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: dash
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dash-binsh from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk92%

dash-dbg 0.5.13.1-r2

Small and fast POSIX-compliant shell (debug symbols)

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

sudo apk add dash-dbg
  • License: BSD-3-Clause AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: dash
  • 1 dependencies
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dash-dbg from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk92%

dash-doc 0.5.13.1-r2

Small and fast POSIX-compliant shell (documentation)

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

sudo apk add dash-doc
  • License: BSD-3-Clause AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: dash
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dash-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf92%

dash 0.5.13.2-1.fc45

Small and fast POSIX-compliant shell

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

sudo dnf install dash
  • License: BSD-3-Clause AND GPL-2.0-or-later AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: dash
  • 3 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: dash from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
pacman92%

dash 0.5.13.4-1

POSIX compliant shell that aims to be as small as possible

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

sudo pacman -S dash
  • License: BSD-3-Clause AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • 3 dependencies
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: dash from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz
zypper92%

dash 0.5.13.1-1.2

POSIX-compliant Implementation of /bin/sh

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

sudo zypper install dash
  • License: BSD-3-Clause AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Category: System/Shells
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: dash
  • 2 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dash from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
zypper92%

dash-sh 0.5.13.1-1.2

Handle behaviour of /bin/sh

http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/

sudo zypper install dash-sh
  • License: BSD-3-Clause AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Category: System/Shells
  • Architecture: noarch
  • Source Package: dash
  • 1 dependencies
  • 3 provides
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Dash
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dash-sh from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Related tools

  • autoconfBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • automakeBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.

Same workflow

  • bashShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, command-interpreter, shell, system, unix.
  • brushShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, command-interpreter, shell, system.
  • nshShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, posix, shell, system.
  • poshShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, posix, shell, system.
  • tcshShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, shell, system, unix.
  • bashishShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, shell, system.

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.

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