install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install ddrescue

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install ddrescue

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/ddrescue/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add ddrescue

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

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install ddrescue

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#ddrescue

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S ddrescue

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install dd_rescue

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

overview

Package summary

GNU data recovery tool

Project links

Commands and aliases

ddrescue
ddrescuelog

history

Project history and usage

GNU ddrescue is a data-recovery command-line tool for copying data from failing disks, optical media, or files while tracking progress in a mapfile. Its package identity is built around one job: rescue readable blocks first, keep a resumable record, and return for the difficult areas later.

Project history

GNU ddrescue was written by Antonio Diaz Diaz and became part of the GNU software collection. The official manual describes its automatic rescue operation, non-truncating output behavior, and mapfile-driven resume strategy, all of which distinguish it from simpler dd-style copying.

Adoption history

The tool became a standard package in recovery-oriented Unix toolkits because it is scriptable, resumable, and cautious around damaged input. Official GNU release announcements continued through the 1.x line, including the 1.30 release announcement in January 2026.

How it is used

Typical usage images a damaged device to a safer target while writing a mapfile, then reruns the command to retry missing or bad areas. The companion ddrescuelog tool works with mapfiles for inspecting, converting, and managing rescue state.

Why package nerds care

ddrescue matters to package nerds because it is the recovery tool people hope they installed before hardware starts failing. It also sits in a confusing namespace with similarly named tools, so the GNU package name, executable names, manual, and Savannah source location are important for correct curation.

Timeline

2004: GNU ddrescue's early public release era begins.
2007: GNU ddrescue is already established enough for public interviews and release announcements around the 1.x line.
2024: GNU ddrescue 1.28 appears in downstream package-update announcements.
2026: GNU ddrescue 1.30 announced on the GNU info list.

Related projects

ddrescuelog is distributed with GNU ddrescue for mapfile inspection and manipulation.
dd_rescue and dd-rhelp are historically related names often contrasted with GNU ddrescue.
GNU coreutils dd is the simpler block-copying tool whose limitations often motivate use of ddrescue.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

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

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

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`ddrescue`	cli	global executable
`ddrescuelog`	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 version1.30

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://www.gnu.org/software/ddrescue/ddrescue.html

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.gnu.org/software/ddrescue/ddrescue.htmlnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:ddrescue
Version	1.30
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ddrescue
Homepage	https://www.gnu.org/software/ddrescue/ddrescue.html
Repository	https://savannah.gnu.org/cvs?group=ddrescue
Upstream docs	https://www.gnu.org/software/ddrescue/ddrescue.html
License	GPL-2.0-or-later
Source archive	https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnu/ddrescue/ddrescue-1.30.tar.lz
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	ddrescue
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.

Nix95%

ddrescue

nix profile install nixpkgs#ddrescue

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddrescue

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dd/ddrescue/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

apk95%

ddrescue 1.30-r0

Data recovery tool for block devices with errors

https://www.gnu.org/s/ddrescue/ddrescue.html

sudo apk add ddrescue

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: ddrescue
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddrescue

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ddrescue from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

ddrescue-doc 1.30-r0

Data recovery tool for block devices with errors (documentation)

https://www.gnu.org/s/ddrescue/ddrescue.html

sudo apk add ddrescue-doc

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: ddrescue
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddrescue

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ddrescue-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

dnf95%

ddrescue 1.30-3.fc44

Data recovery tool trying hard to rescue data in case of read errors

http://www.gnu.org/software/ddrescue/ddrescue.html

sudo dnf install ddrescue

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: ddrescue
5 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddrescue

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ddrescue from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

pacman95%

ddrescue 1.30-2

GNU data recovery tool

https://www.gnu.org/software/ddrescue/ddrescue.html

sudo pacman -S ddrescue

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
3 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddrescue

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: ddrescue from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

zypper95%

dd_rescue 1.99.22-1.3

Data copying in the presence of I/O Errors

http://www.garloff.de/kurt/linux/ddrescue/

sudo zypper install dd_rescue

License: GPL-2.0-only OR GPL-3.0-only
Category: System/Base
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: dd_rescue
2 dependencies
4 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddrescue

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dd_rescue from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

ddrescue

sudo port install ddrescue

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddrescue

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/ddrescue/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

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

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.

combined/ddrescue.yml

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

Install ddrescue with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper