# Install dexter with Homebrew, Nix Automatic indexer for Postgres. Version 0.6.3 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:dexter ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install dexter ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#dexter ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/de/dexter/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:dexter - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.6.3 - **Source summary:** Automatic indexer for Postgres - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:03:09-07:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - dexter (cli) - dexter (alias) ## Dependencies - libpq - ruby ## 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: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.6.3 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-22 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/ankane/dexter - Upstream latest detected: v0.6.3 (current) ## Project history and usage Dexter is an automatic index recommender for PostgreSQL that analyzes query sources and proposes indexes using HypoPG before optionally creating them. ### Project history The official tag history starts in 2017, and the changelog shows a steady 0.x series focused on safer index suggestions, more input sources, PostgreSQL compatibility, Docker and Linux packaging, and support for newer Ruby and PostgreSQL versions. ### Adoption history Dexter entered the PostgreSQL performance-tool niche as a command-line utility that can read pg_stat_statements, live activity, log files, SQL files, and stdin. Its README documents installation through RubyGems, Docker, Homebrew, and Linux packages. ### How it is used A typical run points Dexter at a database and a query source, such as `dexter -d dbname --pg-stat-statements`. By default it reports candidate indexes; creating indexes requires an explicit `--create` flag. ### Why package nerds care The package is notable because it bridges application-level package managers and database-server extension packaging: the CLI is easy to install, but useful operation also depends on HypoPG being present and enabled on the PostgreSQL server. ### Timeline - 2017: v0.1.0 appears in the official tag history. - 2017: early releases add pg_stat_statements, psql-style connection options, CSV input, multicolumn indexes, and schema support. - 2023: v0.5.0 adds normalized-query support and changes several input and HypoPG safety defaults. - 2025: v0.6.0 adds Linux packages for Ubuntu 24.04 and Debian 12 while dropping older runtime support. ### Related projects - Dexter is tightly related to PostgreSQL, pg_stat_statements, pg_stat_activity, server log analysis, pg_query, and the HypoPG extension for hypothetical indexes. ### Sources - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** dexter - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 1 - **Conflicts With:** dexter-lsp - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - dexter: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/de/dexter/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [libpq](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libpq/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ruby](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ruby/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [doltgres](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/doltgres/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, data, database, postgresql. - [groonga](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/groonga/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, data, database, indexing. - [kitchen-sync](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/kitchen-sync/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, data, database, postgresql. - [lazysql](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lazysql/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, data, database, postgresql. - [pex](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pex/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, data, database, postgresql. - [postgis](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/postgis/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, data, database, postgresql. - [whodb-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/whodb-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, data, database, postgresql. - [automysqlbackup](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/automysqlbackup/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, data, database. - [pgslice](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pgslice/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, data, database, libpq, postgres. - [pgsync](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pgsync/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, data, database, libpq, postgres. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/dexter.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/dexter.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