macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install dosbox-staginglocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install dosbox-stagingMacPorts ports tree · emulators/dosbox-staging/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install dosbox-staging with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, scoop, winget
Modernized DOSBox soft-fork. Version 0.82.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-18.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add dosbox-stagingAlpine Linux edge package indexes · dosbox-staging · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install dosbox-stagingFedora Rawhide package metadata · dosbox-staging · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#dosbox-stagingnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/do/dosbox-staging/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Windows
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install extras/dosbox-stagingScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/dosbox-staging.json · source: api.github.com
Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id DOSBoxStaging.DOSBoxStaging -eWindows Package Manager source index · DOSBoxStaging.DOSBoxStaging · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com
overview
Package summary
Modernized DOSBox soft-fork
Project links
Commands and aliases
- dosbox-staging
history
Project history and usage
DOSBox Staging is a modern continuation of DOSBox focused on keeping classic DOS games and applications easy to run while updating the codebase, build tooling, documentation, audio/video behavior, and release practices.
Project history
The project presents itself as a mostly drop-in replacement for older DOSBox versions, with existing configurations expected to keep working while users gain newer features. Its README also documents a deliberate preservation role: upstream DOSBox SVN commits, abandoned fork code, and community patches from Vogons are imported into named branches for reference and maintenance.
DOSBox Staging's public release history on GitHub begins with pre-release artifacts in late 2019 and a 0.75.0 release in May 2020. Since then the project has continued on a regular release cadence while adopting contemporary C++ development infrastructure such as CMake, vcpkg, CI, static analysis, dynamic analysis, clang-format, and unit tests.
Adoption history
Adoption has been driven by retro-computing users who want DOSBox compatibility with more active maintenance and cross-platform packaging. The project publishes stable builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux on its own website, and Homebrew source facts list packages in apk, Homebrew, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Scoop, and winget.
The project also serves migrations from other DOSBox variants: its README directs first-time users and people migrating from other DOSBox variants to the getting-started guide.
How it is used
Users run dosbox-staging to launch DOS games and applications, mount directories or images, and use a DOSBox-style configuration file. Its appeal is compatibility with existing DOSBox workflows while shipping modern defaults and maintained packages.
For packagers and contributors, DOSBox Staging is notable because it treats old emulator history as source material while maintaining a conventional modern open-source workflow: release builds, development builds, CI, tests, and documented dependencies.
Why package nerds care
DOSBox Staging matters to package nerds because it is a soft fork that tries to make a beloved emulator easier to ship today. It is less about novelty than about maintainable builds, reproducible packaging, and keeping an important retro-gaming tool alive on current platforms.
The repo's imported SVN, fork, and Vogons patch branches are unusually explicit preservation infrastructure, useful for people tracking how DOSBox variants evolved and where old community patches came from.
Timeline
- 2019: Public pre-release artifacts appear for version 0.75.0-pre.
- 2020: Version 0.75.0 is released on GitHub.
- 2020s: The project publishes stable builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux and keeps development builds for main-branch commits.
- 2026: The project is preparing the 0.83/0.84 generation with release candidates and alpha releases.
Related projects
- DOSBox Staging is related to upstream DOSBox, DOSBox SVN, abandoned DOSBox forks imported into its repository, Vogons community patches, and optional ecosystem pieces such as dosbox-staging-ext for dynamically loaded dependencies.
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 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 11 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 3 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.
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.
- Linux
~/.config/dosbox/dosbox-staging.conf- macOS
~/Library/Preferences/DOSBox/dosbox-staging.conf- Windows
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\DOSBox\dosbox-staging.conf
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
dosbox-staging | 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 version0.82.2
manager updated2026-06-18
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv0.82.2
https://github.com/dosbox-staging/dosbox-staging
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:dosbox-staging |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.82.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/dosbox-staging |
| Homepage | https://dosbox-staging.github.io/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/dosbox-staging/dosbox-staging |
| Upstream docs | https://www.dosbox-staging.org/getting-started |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/dosbox-staging/dosbox-staging/archive/refs/tags/v0.82.2.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-18T02:28:56-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | fluid-synth, glib, iir1, libpng, libslirp, mt32emu, opusfile, sdl2-compat, sdl2_image, sdl2_net, speexdsp |
| Build dependencies | meson, ninja, pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, 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 | dosbox-staging |
| 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 |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Nix95%
dosbox-staging
nix profile install nixpkgs#dosbox-staging- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dosbox Staging
apk95%
dosbox-staging 0.82.2-r1
revitalized dosbox DOS-emulator
https://dosbox-staging.github.io/
sudo apk add dosbox-staging- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: dosbox-staging
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dosbox Staging
apk95%
dosbox-staging-doc 0.82.2-r1
revitalized dosbox DOS-emulator (documentation)
https://dosbox-staging.github.io/
sudo apk add dosbox-staging-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: dosbox-staging
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dosbox Staging
dnf95%
dosbox-staging 0.82.2-5.fc44
Modern continuation of DOSBox with advanced features
https://www.dosbox-staging.org/
sudo dnf install dosbox-staging- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND Unlicense AND (MIT-0 OR Unlicense) AND MIT AND GPL-3.0-or-later AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain AND Fair AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: dosbox-staging
- 20 dependencies
- 5 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dosbox Staging
MacPorts95%
dosbox-staging
sudo port install dosbox-staging- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dosbox Staging
Scoop95%
extras/dosbox-staging
scoop install extras/dosbox-staging- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dosbox Staging
winget95%
DOSBoxStaging.DOSBoxStaging
winget install --id DOSBoxStaging.DOSBoxStaging -e- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dosbox Staging
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