Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install deheader with Homebrew, apt, Nix, zypper

Analyze C/C++ files for unnecessary headers. Version 1.12 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install deheader

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install deheader

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

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#deheader

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install deheader

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

overview

Package summary

Analyze C/C++ files for unnecessary headers

Commands and aliases

  • deheader

history

Project history and usage

deheader is a C and C++ source analysis tool that finds include directives which can be removed while the file still compiles.

Project history

The official project page describes deheader as a tool for removing unneeded includes, improving compilation time on large C++ projects, and exposing hidden dependencies and cohesion problems. The README says it is commonly packaged as `deheader`.

The NEWS file gives a long maintenance record beginning with 0.1 on 2010-12-01. Later releases added summary output, portability checks, duplicate include detection, Python 2/3 compatibility, Makefile-friendly exit status, GCC compatibility updates, and continued documentation and hardening fixes through 1.12 in 2026.

Adoption history

deheader is packaged by Homebrew and appears upstream as a named package on the official project page. Its low-level C/C++ focus makes it more of a maintainer and build-hygiene tool than an end-user application.

How it is used

The package is used during source maintenance to test whether headers are actually required. Because it verifies removals by compilation, it belongs in the same toolbox as static-analysis and build-cleanup utilities rather than pure text linters.

Why package nerds care

deheader matters to package nerds because header bloat affects compile time, portability, and dependency clarity. It is especially relevant when distributions and maintainers need source trees to build cleanly across compilers, standard libraries, and Unix variants.

Timeline

  • 2010: 0.1 initial release.
  • 2016: 1.5 adds exit status behavior useful in Makefiles.
  • 2022: 1.8 changes the shebang to Python 3.
  • 2026: 1.12 is released.

Related projects

  • The project is adjacent to C and C++ compiler toolchains, build systems, and static-analysis utilities that reduce unnecessary source dependencies.

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 1 platform targets.
  • Build metadata lists 1 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
deheadercliglobal 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 version1.12
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

http://www.catb.org/~esr/deheader/

  • infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
  • infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.http://www.catb.org/~esr/deheader/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:deheader
Version1.12
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/deheader
Homepagehttp://www.catb.org/~esr/deheader/
Repositoryhttps://gitlab.com/esr/deheader
Upstream docshttp://www.catb.org/~esr/deheader
LicenseBSD-2-Clause
Source archivehttps://gitlab.com/esr/deheader/-/archive/1.12/deheader-1.12.tar.bz2
Build dependenciesasciidoctor
Uses from macOSpython
Bottleavailable (on all)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namedeheader
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.

Debian apt95%

deheader 1.11-1

Find and remove unnecessary includes in C or C++ source files

http://www.catb.org/~esr/deheader/

sudo apt install deheader
  • Section: devel
  • Architecture: all
  • 2 dependencies
  • 2 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Deheader
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: deheader from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

deheader

nix profile install nixpkgs#deheader
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Deheader
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/de/deheader/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

deheader 1.10-1

Find and remove unnecessary includes in C or C++ source files

http://www.catb.org/~esr/deheader/

sudo apt install deheader
  • Section: universe/devel
  • Architecture: all
  • 2 dependencies
  • 2 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Deheader
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: deheader from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
zypper95%

deheader 1.11-1.2

Find and optionally remove unneeded includes in C or C++ sourcefiles

http://www.catb.org/~esr/deheader/

sudo zypper install deheader
  • License: BSD-2-Clause
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: noarch
  • Source Package: deheader
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Deheader
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: deheader 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

Same workflow

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  • pmccabeShares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, cpp, developer-tools, static-analysis.
  • abi-dumperShares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, cpp, developer-tools.
  • cbmcShares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, static-analysis.
  • ccheckShares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, static-analysis.

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