# 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 ```sh sudo av install brew:dash-shell ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install dash-shell ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install dash ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: shells/dash/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add dash ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dash from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install dash ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: dash from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install dash ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: dash 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#dash ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/da/dash/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S dash ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: dash from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz - Ubuntu apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install ash ``` Evidence: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ash from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install dash ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dash from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:dash-shell - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.5.13.4 - **Source summary:** POSIX-compliant descendant of NetBSD's ash (the Almquist SHell) - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** BSD-3-Clause - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-24T15:18:04Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-09T07:20:21+00:00 ## Executables - dash (cli) - dash (alias) ## Build dependencies - autoconf - automake ## Uses from macOS - libedit ## 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: 2026-07-09 - Package-manager version: 0.5.13.4 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-24 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## 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. ### Sources - - - ## Security Notes generalized runtime or code generation signal. - **Geiger risk:** yellow / medium - generalized runtime or code generation signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** dash-shell - **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 - MacPorts - dash: installed executable or alias match | MacPorts ports tree: shells/dash/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Debian apt - dash - 0.5.12-12: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: dash from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | POSIX-compliant shell | http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ - Nix - dash: installed executable or alias match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/da/dash/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - ash - 0.5.12-6ubuntu5: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ash from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | compatibility package for dash | http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ - Ubuntu apt - dash - 0.5.12-6ubuntu5: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: dash from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | POSIX-compliant shell | http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ - apk - dash - 0.5.13.1-r2: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dash from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Small and fast POSIX-compliant shell | http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ - apk - dash-binsh - 0.5.13.1-r2: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dash-binsh from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | dash as /bin/sh | http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ - apk - dash-dbg - 0.5.13.1-r2: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dash-dbg from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Small and fast POSIX-compliant shell (debug symbols) | http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ - apk - dash-doc - 0.5.13.1-r2: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dash-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Small and fast POSIX-compliant shell (documentation) | http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ - dnf - dash - 0.5.13.2-1.fc45: installed executable or alias match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: dash from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Small and fast POSIX-compliant shell | http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ - pacman - dash - 0.5.13.4-1: installed executable or alias match | Arch Linux sync databases: dash from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz | POSIX compliant shell that aims to be as small as possible | http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ - zypper - dash - 0.5.13.1-1.2: installed executable or alias match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dash from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | POSIX-compliant Implementation of /bin/sh | http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ - zypper - dash-sh - 0.5.13.1-1.2: installed executable or alias match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dash-sh from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Handle behaviour of /bin/sh | http://gondor.apana.org.au/~herbert/dash/ ## Related links - [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. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [autoconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autoconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [automake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/automake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [bash](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bash/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, command-interpreter, shell, system, unix. - [brush](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/brush/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, command-interpreter, shell, system. - [nsh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nsh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, posix, shell, system. - [posh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/posh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, posix, shell, system. - [tcsh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tcsh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, shell, system, unix. - [bashish](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bashish/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, shell, system. - [elvish](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/elvish/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, shell, system. - [etsh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/etsh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, posix, shell, system, unix. - [yash](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/yash/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, compliant, posix, posix-compliant, shell. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/dash-shell.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/dash-shell.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