macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install deadfinderlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install deadfinder with Homebrew
Finds broken links. Version 2.0.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-15.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Finds broken links
Project links
Commands and aliases
- deadfinder
history
Project history and usage
DeadFinder is a command-line broken-link scanner for web pages, URL lists, and sitemaps. Its package-manager appeal is straightforward: it is a single-purpose audit tool that can run locally, in Docker, or inside CI.
Project history
The project began as a Ruby-gem lineage and later moved active development to a Crystal implementation for version 2.0.0 and later. The official changelog describes the Crystal rewrite, root-level Crystal project layout, compatibility harness against v1 Ruby output, and migration of the GitHub Action away from a Docker entrypoint toward a composite action that downloads release binaries.
Adoption history
The project documents Homebrew, Docker, prebuilt release binaries, Nix, source builds, distro release artifacts, AUR, and Snap as installation routes. It also ships an official GitHub Action interface, which made it natural for package users to wire dead-link checks into documentation and website workflows.
How it is used
Common CLI use is organized around subcommands for scanning a single URL, a sitemap, a file, or piped standard input. Output can be written as structured formats including JSON, YAML, TOML, CSV, and SARIF, with options for concurrency, timeouts, filtering, custom headers, proxy use, coverage reporting, and visualization.
Why package nerds care
DeadFinder sits in the practical overlap between web maintenance, SEO hygiene, security review, and CI automation. For package nerds, the v1-to-v2 runtime change is also a tidy example of a tool keeping its command-line contract while swapping implementation language and release packaging model.
Timeline
- 2025: 1.10.0 release continued the Ruby-gem lineage while noting active development had moved to the Crystal rewrite.
- 2026: 2.0.0 made the Crystal implementation the supported runtime and moved Ruby gem publishing to the legacy branch.
- 2026: 2.0.2 fixed composite GitHub Action release-asset handling.
Related projects
- Related link-checking and site-quality tools include generic HTTP link checkers, sitemap crawlers, and CI documentation validators; DeadFinder distinguishes itself with a small native CLI plus an official GitHub Action path.
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.
- Installs with 5 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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
deadfinder | 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 version2.0.2
manager updated2026-06-15
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected2.0.2
https://github.com/hahwul/deadfinder
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:deadfinder |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.0.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/deadfinder |
| Homepage | https://deadfinder.hahwul.com |
| Repository | https://github.com/hahwul/deadfinder |
| Upstream docs | https://deadfinder.hahwul.com |
| License | MIT |
| Source archive | https://github.com/hahwul/deadfinder/archive/refs/tags/2.0.2.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-15T10:20:14-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | bdw-gc, libevent, libyaml, openssl@3, pcre2 |
| Build dependencies | cmake, crystal, pkgconf |
| Uses from macOS | libxml2 |
| 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 | deadfinder |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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 package history
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment