# Install disktype with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts Detect content format of a disk or disk image. Version 9 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:disktype ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install disktype ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install disktype ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/disktype/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install disktype ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: disktype from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install disktype ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: disktype from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:disktype - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 9 - **Source summary:** Detect content format of a disk or disk image - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - disktype (cli) - disktype (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 9 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://disktype.sourceforge.net/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## 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 Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## 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:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - disktype - 9-13: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: disktype from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | detection of content format of a disk or disk image | http://disktype.sf.net - Ubuntu apt - disktype - 9-12: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: disktype from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | detection of content format of a disk or disk image | http://disktype.sf.net - dnf - disktype - 9-47.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: disktype from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Detect the content format of a disk or disk image | http://disktype.sourceforge.net/ - MacPorts - disktype: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/disktype/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [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. - [device-mapper](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/device-mapper/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, storage, system. - [di](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/di/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, storage, system. - [dua-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dua-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, storage, system. - [duc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/duc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, storage, system. - [fio](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fio/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, storage, system. - [gdu](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gdu/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, storage, system. - [gptfdisk](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gptfdisk/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, storage, system. - [gsmartcontrol](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gsmartcontrol/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, storage, system. - [gptsync](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gptsync/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, storage, system. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/disktype.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/disktype.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