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Install flamebearer with Homebrew
Blazing fast flame graph tool for V8 and Node. Version 2.1.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-27.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Blazing fast flame graph tool for V8 and Node
Project links
Commands and aliases
- flamebearer
history
Project history and usage
flamebearer is a JavaScript CPU trace analysis CLI for Chrome DevTools performance recordings and Node `.cpuprofile` files. The current README positions it as a compact text-summary tool rather than an HTML flame-graph renderer.
Project history
The official GitHub repository was created in 2018 and was formerly available under Mapbox; GitHub now redirects the Mapbox URL to mourner/flamebearer. The README says version 1 generated an HTML flamegraph for Node traces, then the project lay dormant after 2018.
In 2026 the project was revived with a new purpose: a CLI-oriented analyzer for performance optimization loops, especially useful for agents and humans reading CPU traces without opening a GUI.
Adoption history
The package's adoption niche is Node and browser performance work. It can be installed globally with npm, used through `flamebearer-node` to profile a script, or pointed at Chrome trace and Node CPU profile files.
Its README explicitly leaves GUI flamegraph browsing to Speedscope and instead optimizes for one-page terminal summaries, drill-down flags, source-map support, hot source lines, and long-task visibility.
How it is used
Typical commands include `flamebearer-node bench.js`, `flamebearer profile.json.gz`, and `flamebearer CPU.*.cpuprofile`. Drill-down flags restrict stacks, threads, row counts, and time ranges.
The tool does not document a persistent config file or credentials file; usage is command-line and profile-file driven.
Why package nerds care
flamebearer is interesting because it changed identity without abandoning the package: from a Node HTML flamegraph generator inspired by earlier profiling tools into a fast textual trace summarizer aimed at modern command-line workflows.
It sits in the flamegraph family tree but intentionally chooses a terminal-first UX, which makes it attractive for CI logs, scripted profiling runs, and automated performance investigations.
Timeline
- 2018: Official repository created.
- 2018: Version 1 era generated HTML flamegraphs for Node traces, according to the README.
- 2026: Project revived as a CLI CPU trace analysis tool for agents and humans.
Related projects
- Brendan Gregg's FlameGraph is credited for the flamegraph concept.
- 0x is credited as the original inspiration for the project.
- Speedscope is named as the GUI flamegraph viewer that flamebearer does not try to replace.
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.
- Installs with 1 runtime 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
flamebearer | 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 version2.1.0
manager updated2026-06-27
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/mapbox/flamebearer
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/mapbox/flamebearernone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:flamebearer |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.1.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/flamebearer |
| Homepage | https://github.com/mapbox/flamebearer |
| Repository | https://github.com/mapbox/flamebearer |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/mourner/flamebearer#readme |
| License | ISC |
| Source archive | https://registry.npmjs.org/flamebearer/-/flamebearer-2.1.0.tgz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-27T12:34:32Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | node |
| Bottle | available (on all) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | flamebearer |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment