macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install distroboxlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install distrobox with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, zypper
Use any Linux distribution inside your terminal. Version 1.8.2.5 via Homebrew; verified 2026-04-27.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add distroboxAlpine Linux edge package indexes · distrobox · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install distroboxDebian stable package indexes · distrobox · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install distroboxFedora Rawhide package metadata · distrobox · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#distroboxnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/di/distrobox/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S distroboxArch Linux sync databases · distrobox · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install distroboxopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · distrobox · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Use any Linux distribution inside your terminal
Project links
Commands and aliases
- distrobox
- distrobox-assemble
- distrobox-create
- distrobox-enter
- distrobox-ephemeral
- distrobox-export
- distrobox-generate-entry
- distrobox-host-exec
- distrobox-init
- distrobox-list
- distrobox-rm
- distrobox-stop
- distrobox-upgrade
history
Project history and usage
distrobox is a container-based system utility for running one Linux distribution's userland inside another while keeping terminal, home directory, GUI, audio, devices, and host integration close at hand. It became especially relevant as immutable and image-based Linux desktops made mutable development environments more valuable.
Project history
The project was created in late 2021 and released 1.0.0 in December 2021. Its documentation describes the original implementation as shell-oriented and based on the same broad ideas introduced by containers/toolbox, while keeping host integration and wide distribution compatibility as central goals.
Adoption history
Official docs include packaging-status badges and a featured-articles section that points to use on Fedora Atomic desktops, SteamOS, Clear Linux, and other host distributions. The 2026 Distrobox Next announcement says the project had received contributions from more than 200 developers, which marks a substantial community for a system CLI.
How it is used
Users create and enter named distroboxes with subcommands such as distrobox-create and distrobox-enter, export applications back to the host, and use distrobox-assemble with a distrobox.ini manifest for batch container creation. The tool wraps Podman, Docker, or lilipod rather than being a container runtime itself.
Why package nerds care
distrobox is important to package-manager users because it loosens the bond between host distribution and package availability. A user can keep a stable or immutable host while installing development stacks from Arch, Fedora, Debian, Ubuntu, or another containerized userland.
Timeline
- 2021: GitHub repository created.
- 2021: Distrobox 1.0.0 released.
- 2022: Distrobox appears in talks and articles for immutable-desktop and multi-distro workflows.
- 2026: Distrobox Next release candidates introduce a Go rewrite for the v2 line.
Related projects
- containers/toolbox is the closest conceptual predecessor named by the official docs.
- Podman, Docker, and lilipod are supported container managers used underneath Distrobox.
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 1 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.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
./distrobox.ini
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
distrobox | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-assemble | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-create | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-enter | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-ephemeral | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-export | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-generate-entry | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-host-exec | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-init | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-list | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-rm | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-stop | cli | global executable | |
distrobox-upgrade | 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 version1.8.2.5
manager updated2026-04-27
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/89luca89/distrobox
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/89luca89/distroboxnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:distrobox |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.8.2.5 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/distrobox |
| Homepage | https://distrobox.privatedns.org/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/89luca89/distrobox |
| Upstream docs | https://distrobox.it/ |
| License | GPL-3.0-only |
| Source archive | https://github.com/89luca89/distrobox/archive/refs/tags/1.8.2.5.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-04-27T15:49:18Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | available (on all) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
| Caveats | Distrobox requires one of podman or docker. Do brew install podman or consult the documentation for details. |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | distrobox |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Requirements |
|
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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%
distrobox 1.8.1.2-1
Another tool for containerized command line environments on Linux
sudo apt install distrobox- Section: admin
- Architecture: all
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
Nix95%
distrobox
nix profile install nixpkgs#distrobox- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
Ubuntu apt95%
distrobox 1.7.0-1
Another tool for containerized command line environments on Linux
sudo apt install distrobox- Section: universe/admin
- Architecture: all
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
apk95%
distrobox 1.8.2.5-r0
Use any Linux distribution inside your terminal
sudo apk add distrobox- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: distrobox
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
apk95%
distrobox-bash-completion 1.8.2.5-r0
Bash completions for distrobox
sudo apk add distrobox-bash-completion- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: distrobox
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
apk95%
distrobox-doc 1.8.2.5-r0
Use any Linux distribution inside your terminal (documentation)
sudo apk add distrobox-doc- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: distrobox
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
apk95%
distrobox-zsh-completion 1.8.2.5-r0
Zsh completions for distrobox
sudo apk add distrobox-zsh-completion- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: distrobox
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
dnf95%
distrobox 1.8.2.5-1.fc45
Another tool for containerized command line environments on Linux
https://github.com/89luca89/distrobox
sudo dnf install distrobox- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: distrobox
- 7 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
pacman95%
distrobox 1.8.2.5-1
Use any linux distribution inside your terminal.
sudo pacman -S distrobox- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Architecture: any
- 2 dependencies
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
zypper95%
distrobox 1.8.2.5-3.1
Use any linux distribution inside your terminal
https://github.com/89luca89/distrobox
sudo zypper install distrobox- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: distrobox
- 6 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
zypper95%
distrobox-bash-completion 1.8.2.5-3.1
Bash completion for distrobox
https://github.com/89luca89/distrobox
sudo zypper install distrobox-bash-completion- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: distrobox
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
zypper95%
distrobox-branding-openSUSE 1.8.2.5-3.1
Distrobox branding package for openSUSE
https://github.com/89luca89/distrobox
sudo zypper install distrobox-branding-openSUSE- License: GPL-3.0-only
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: distrobox
- 1 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Distrobox
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 configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment