install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install disktype

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install disktype

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

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install disktype

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

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install disktype

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

overview

Package summary

Detect content format of a disk or disk image

Project links

Commands and aliases

disktype

history

Project history and usage

disktype is an older C utility for identifying the content format of a disk or disk image by checking signatures for filesystems, partition tables, boot code, archives, compression formats, and disk image formats. It belongs to the toolbox tradition of small Unix inspection commands that answer one storage question clearly.

Project history

The upstream SourceForge site presents disktype as a self-contained C program intended to compile on modern Unix-like systems without special libraries in the common case. The project distributed numbered source tarballs on SourceForge, with the public file feed showing releases from version 1 in February 2003 through version 9 in June 2006.

Adoption history

The project page explicitly invited distribution packagers and noted Debian, Fink, and OpenCSW packaging. Later package-manager records in the input show continued availability through Homebrew, Debian, Fedora, MacPorts, and Ubuntu, which fits its role as a small storage-forensics helper rather than a frequently changing application.

How it is used

disktype is used when a user has a block device, image file, or recovered blob and wants a fast guess at the structures inside it. The official documentation emphasizes both command usage and background notes on recognized formats, making it useful as a practical detector and a reference for interpreting output.

Why package nerds care

For package nerds, disktype is a fossil from the SourceForge-era Unix utility ecosystem: a tiny C program, versioned tarballs, CVS-era project hosting, and enough utility to remain packaged long after its most active release period.

Timeline

2003-02: version 1 source tarball published
2003-2006: official documentation copyright range
2006-06: version 9 source tarball published

Related projects

Related tools include `file` for general magic-based identification, filesystem-specific inspection tools, and recovery-oriented utilities such as the gpart-style tools linked from the upstream site.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: blue

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

Risk classifier

blue risk · medium confidence · tool

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal

Signals

text:image

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 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
`disktype`	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 version9

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://disktype.sourceforge.net/

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://disktype.sourceforge.net/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:disktype
Version	9
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/disktype
Homepage	https://disktype.sourceforge.net/
Repository	https://sourceforge.net/p/disktype/disktype
Upstream docs	https://disktype.sourceforge.net/
License	MIT
Source archive	https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/disktype/disktype/9/disktype-9.tar.gz
Bottle	available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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	disktype
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	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%

disktype 9-13

detection of content format of a disk or disk image

http://disktype.sf.net

sudo apt install disktype

Section: utils
Architecture: amd64
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Disktype

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: disktype from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Ubuntu apt95%

disktype 9-12

detection of content format of a disk or disk image

http://disktype.sf.net

sudo apt install disktype

Section: universe/utils
Architecture: amd64
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Disktype

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: disktype from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

dnf95%

disktype 9-47.fc44

Detect the content format of a disk or disk image

http://disktype.sourceforge.net/

sudo dnf install disktype

License: MIT
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: disktype
3 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Disktype

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

MacPorts95%

disktype

sudo port install disktype

normalized package name match
Matched by: Disktype

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/disktype/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/disktype.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 disktype with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts