macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install exiv2local Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install exiv2MacPorts ports tree · graphics/exiv2/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install exiv2 with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, winget, zypper
EXIF and IPTC metadata manipulation library and tools. Version 0.28.8 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-25.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add exiv2Alpine Linux edge package indexes · exiv2 · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install exiv2Debian stable package indexes · exiv2 · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install exiv2Fedora Rawhide package metadata · exiv2 · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#exiv2nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ex/exiv2/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S exiv2Arch Linux sync databases · exiv2 · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install exiv2openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · exiv2 · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id Exiv2.Exiv2 -eWindows Package Manager source index · Exiv2.Exiv2 · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com
overview
Package summary
EXIF and IPTC metadata manipulation library and tools
Project links
Commands and aliases
- exiv2
history
Project history and usage
Exiv2 is a C++ image metadata library and command-line utility for Exif, IPTC, XMP, image comments, ICC profiles, thumbnails, previews, and vendor makernotes. Its niche is narrower than ExifTool's, but it is important because it gives C and C++ photo applications a native metadata engine and a scriptable CLI.
Project history
The Exiv2 project history says Andreas Huggel originally created Exiv2 to fix photos with incorrect Exif timestamps, then turned it into a proof of concept for reading and writing Exif makernotes after discussion with people at Kodak. Andreas first published it on the Internet in 2004.
The project grew from a personal utility into a library and toolchain. Early contributors added IPTC support, Microsoft Visual C++ project files, an I/O abstraction layer, a generalized image class, public bug tracking, and repository hosting. Later work added broader format support, CMake and Visual Studio build support, ICC profile handling, file-dump features, and documentation around the Exiv2 architecture.
Adoption history
Exiv2's own project-history page names UFRaw and digiKam as notable early adopters, and says GIMP, Shotwell, Darktable, and PhotoFlow use libexiv2. That places Exiv2 in the desktop photography and raw-image workflow world rather than only in command-line batch processing.
The project also developed a wrapper and ecosystem story: the history page mentions pyexiv2 as a separate Python wrapper project, and the manual points users to the GitHub source, sample programs, metadata tables, architecture book, and contributor graph.
How it is used
The exiv2 command reads, writes, modifies, extracts, inserts, deletes, adjusts, renames, and prints metadata across supported image formats. The manual emphasizes Exif, IPTC, XMP, makernote tags, comments, ICC profiles, thumbnails, and previews, with optional conversion between metadata families according to relevant standards and Metadata Working Group guidance.
Exiv2 has a small user configuration surface: an optional .exiv2 file on Unix-like systems and exiv2.ini on Windows, searched first in the current directory and then in the user's home directory. That file lets users add lens definitions for translated metadata output.
Why package nerds care
Package maintainers care about Exiv2 because image metadata parsers sit on hostile file boundaries: desktop applications, photo managers, and batch tools may all parse camera files downloaded from elsewhere. Exiv2 packages therefore tend to be watched both for feature coverage and for parser/security fixes.
Exiv2 is also a useful comparison point with ExifTool. The Exiv2 FAQ says Exiv2's C++ implementation makes it faster and easier to integrate into C, C++, and Objective-C applications, while ExifTool has the broader feature set. That tradeoff explains why both tools coexist in package repositories.
Timeline
- 2004: Andreas Huggel first published Exiv2 on the Internet.
- 2012-2013: Google Summer of Code contributors added video support and Web Ready functionality.
- 2014: Robin Mills retired and Exiv2 v0.25 added a build server.
- 0.26: Maintenance release focused on CMake, Visual Studio support, ICC profiles, and file-dump features.
Related projects
- ExifTool is the common comparison point: broader metadata coverage, implemented in Perl.
- UFRaw, digiKam, GIMP, Shotwell, Darktable, and PhotoFlow are named by Exiv2's history page as users of libexiv2.
- pyexiv2 is the Python wrapper project mentioned by Exiv2's project history.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
library-like package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- library-like package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:library-like
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 4 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 2 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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
exiv2 | 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 version0.28.8
manager updated2026-06-25
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv0.28.8
https://github.com/Exiv2/exiv2
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:exiv2 |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.28.8 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/exiv2 |
| Homepage | https://exiv2.org/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/Exiv2/exiv2 |
| Upstream docs | https://exiv2.org/ |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/Exiv2/exiv2/archive/refs/tags/v0.28.8.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-25T13:37:40+02:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | brotli, gettext, inih, libssh |
| Build dependencies | cmake, gettext |
| Uses from macOS | curl, expat |
| 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 | exiv2 |
| 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.
Debian apt95%
exiv2 0.28.5+dfsg-1
EXIF/IPTC/XMP metadata manipulation tool
sudo apt install exiv2- Section: graphics
- Architecture: amd64
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
Debian apt95%
libexiv2-28 0.28.5+dfsg-1
EXIF/IPTC/XMP metadata manipulation library
sudo apt install libexiv2-28- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: exiv2
- 8 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
Debian apt95%
libexiv2-data 0.28.5+dfsg-1
EXIF/IPTC/XMP metadata manipulation library - shared data
sudo apt install libexiv2-data- Section: graphics
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: exiv2
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
Debian apt95%
libexiv2-dev 0.28.5+dfsg-1
EXIF/IPTC/XMP metadata manipulation library - development files
sudo apt install libexiv2-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: exiv2
- 1 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
Debian apt95%
libexiv2-doc 0.28.5+dfsg-1
EXIF/IPTC/XMP metadata manipulation library - HTML documentation
sudo apt install libexiv2-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: exiv2
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
Nix95%
exiv2
nix profile install nixpkgs#exiv2- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
Ubuntu apt95%
exiv2 0.27.6-1build1
EXIF/IPTC/XMP metadata manipulation tool
sudo apt install exiv2- Section: universe/graphics
- Architecture: amd64
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
Ubuntu apt95%
libexiv2-27 0.27.6-1build1
EXIF/IPTC/XMP metadata manipulation library
sudo apt install libexiv2-27- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: exiv2
- 5 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
Ubuntu apt95%
libexiv2-dev 0.27.6-1build1
EXIF/IPTC/XMP metadata manipulation library - development files
sudo apt install libexiv2-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: exiv2
- 1 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
Ubuntu apt95%
libexiv2-doc 0.27.6-1build1
EXIF/IPTC/XMP metadata manipulation library - HTML documentation
sudo apt install libexiv2-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: exiv2
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
apk95%
exiv2 0.28.7-r0
Exif and Iptc metadata manipulation library and tools.
sudo apk add exiv2- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: exiv2
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
apk95%
exiv2-dev 0.28.7-r0
Exif and Iptc metadata manipulation library and tools. (development files)
sudo apk add exiv2-dev- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: exiv2
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
apk95%
exiv2-doc 0.28.7-r0
Exif and Iptc metadata manipulation library and tools. (documentation)
sudo apk add exiv2-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: exiv2
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
apk95%
exiv2-libs 0.28.7-r0
Exif and Iptc metadata manipulation library and tools. (libraries)
sudo apk add exiv2-libs- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: exiv2
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
dnf95%
exiv2 0.28.6-3.fc44
Exif, IPTC and XMP metadata manipulation library
sudo dnf install exiv2- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND BSD-3-Clause AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: exiv2
- 6 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
dnf95%
exiv2-devel 0.28.6-3.fc44
Header files, libraries and development documentation for exiv2
sudo dnf install exiv2-devel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND BSD-3-Clause AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: exiv2
- 5 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Exiv2
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 package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment