# Install e2tools with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix Utilities to read, write, and manipulate files in ext2/3/4 filesystems. Version 0.1.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:e2tools ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install e2tools ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add e2tools ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: e2tools from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install e2tools ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: e2tools from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install e2tools ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: e2tools from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#e2tools ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/e2/e2tools/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:e2tools - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.1.2 - **Source summary:** Utilities to read, write, and manipulate files in ext2/3/4 filesystems - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-only - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - e2cp (cli) - e2ln (cli) - e2ls (cli) - e2mkdir (cli) - e2mv (cli) - e2rm (cli) - e2tail (cli) - e2tools (cli) - e2cp (alias) - e2ln (alias) - e2ls (alias) - e2mkdir (alias) - e2mv (alias) - e2rm (alias) - e2tail (alias) - e2tools (alias) ## Dependencies - e2fsprogs ## Build dependencies - autoconf - automake - pkgconf ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.1.2 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/e2tools/e2tools - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage e2tools is a small GPL command suite for reading, writing, and manipulating files inside ext2, ext3, and ext4 filesystem images without mounting them. It wraps libext2fs from e2fsprogs and exposes familiar file operations through commands such as `e2cp`, `e2ls`, `e2mkdir`, `e2rm`, `e2mv`, `e2ln`, and `e2tail`. ### Project history The ChangeLog shows active development by Keith W. Sheffield in the early 2000s, with core commands such as `e2ln`, `e2mv`, `e2rm`, and `e2tail` appearing through 2002 and build/documentation updates continuing into 2004. The GitHub repository was created in 2015 for the current public hosting lineage, but the project itself predates that import. Its README keeps the original motivation clear: copy files into a Linux filesystem from a machine that does not have ext2 support, or manipulate disk images on Linux without mounting them or requiring root. ### Adoption history e2tools occupies a smaller niche than e2fsprogs but has durable packaging value: the README points to Repology for distribution packages, and the input package facts list packages across Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Alpine, Nix, and other ecosystems. The GitHub API showed 40 stars and 17 forks on 2026-06-30, matching a utility that is not fashionable but remains useful wherever build systems, embedded workflows, installers, or forensic tasks need direct edits to ext filesystem images. ### How it is used The command syntax treats an ext filesystem image or device plus a path as `filesystem:directory_path`. The README demonstrates making an image with `dd`, formatting it with `mkfs.ext2`, creating a directory with `e2mkdir`, listing with `e2ls`, copying with `e2cp`, and removing with `e2rm`. Its key use case is avoiding a mount step. On non-Linux systems it can access ext filesystems where the OS lacks native support; on Linux it can manipulate images or floppies without loopback mounting or root access. ### Why package nerds care e2tools is package-nerd significant because it is a thin, practical companion to e2fsprogs: not a replacement for `fsck` or `mkfs`, but a file-level toolbox for ext images. That makes it attractive in reproducible image builds, cross-platform repair kits, and minimal automation scripts. The README's alternatives section explains the tradeoff against kernel mounting and fuse2fs: e2tools uses the same e2fsprogs codebase, handles filesystem block sizes independently of kernel page size, and does not require mount privileges. ### Timeline - 2002-03-05: ChangeLog records early command work, including `e2ln` integration. - 2002-04-10: ChangeLog records `e2rm` as a new feature. - 2002-08-08: ChangeLog records `e2tail` as a new feature suggested by Ralf Spenneberg. - 2004-04-06: ChangeLog records basic user documentation added to the README. - 2015-09-08: Current public GitHub repository created. - 2024-09-15: GitHub API showed the repository had a recent push in September 2024. ### Related projects - e2tools is directly related to e2fsprogs because it requires e2fsprogs 1.27 or later and uses libext2fs for direct filesystem access. - The README compares e2tools with the Linux kernel ext2 driver and fuse2fs, framing it as the no-mount, no-root option for file-level access to ext filesystem images. ### 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:** e2tools - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - e2tools - 0.1.2-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: e2tools from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | utilities for manipulating files in an ext2/ext3 filesystem | https://e2tools.github.io - Nix - e2tools: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/e2/e2tools/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - e2tools - 0.1.0-3build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: e2tools from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | utilities for manipulating files in an ext2/ext3 filesystem | https://e2tools.github.io - apk - e2tools - 0.1.2-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: e2tools from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Utilities for manipulating files in an ext2/ext3 filesystem | https://e2tools.github.io/ - apk - e2tools-doc - 0.1.2-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: e2tools-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Utilities for manipulating files in an ext2/ext3 filesystem (documentation) | https://e2tools.github.io/ - dnf - e2tools - 0.1.0-15.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: e2tools from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Manipulate files in unmounted ext2/ext3 filesystems | https://e2tools.github.io/ ## 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. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Media and graphics packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/media-graphics-tools/) - Matched media, image, audio, video, or graphics metadata. - [e2fsprogs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/e2fsprogs/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [autoconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autoconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [automake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/automake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ext4fuse](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ext4fuse/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, ext4, filesystem, filesystems, system. - [btfs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/btfs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, filesystems, system. - [btrfs-progs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/btrfs-progs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, filesystems, system. - [dosfstools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dosfstools/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, filesystems, system. - [dwarfs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dwarfs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, filesystems, system. - [dysk](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dysk/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, filesystems, system. - [erdtree](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/erdtree/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, filesystems, system. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/e2tools.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/e2tools.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