macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install gawklocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install gawkMacPorts ports tree · lang/gawk/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install gawk with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, zypper
GNU awk utility. Version 5.4.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add gawkAlpine Linux edge package indexes · gawk · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install gawkDebian stable package indexes · gawk · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install gawkFedora Rawhide package metadata · gawk · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#gawknixpkgs package indexes · gawk · source: raw.githubusercontent.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S gawkArch Linux sync databases · gawk · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install gawkopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · gawk · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Chocolateyverified · 92%
choco install gawkChocolatey community package catalog · gawk · source: community.chocolatey.org
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install main/gawkScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/gawk.json · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
GNU awk utility
Project links
Commands and aliases
- gawk
- gawk-5.4.0
- gawkbug
history
Project history and usage
GNU Awk, usually packaged as `gawk`, is the GNU implementation of the AWK text-processing language. It is both a POSIX-style command-line utility and a scripting language for scanning records, matching patterns, and running actions over structured text.
Project history
AWK originated at Bell Labs and is named for Alfred Aho, Peter Weinberger, and Brian Kernighan. GNU Awk carries that language into the GNU system, implementing standard awk behavior along with GNU extensions, internationalization support, networking features, extension mechanisms, and extensive documentation.
Adoption history
gawk became the default awk implementation in many GNU/Linux environments and is packaged across the major Unix-like package managers. Its broad package coverage reflects awk's status as part of the everyday Unix text-processing toolkit, used in shell scripts, build systems, log processing, reports, and one-liners.
How it is used
Users commonly invoke `awk` or `gawk` with short programs such as pattern-action rules on the command line, or with script files for larger transformations. The GNU manual documents command-line invocation, regular expressions, fields, records, arrays, functions, internationalization, debugging, profiling, and compatibility modes.
Why package nerds care
gawk is one of the canonical packages that makes a Unix userland feel complete. Package maintainers care about it because countless scripts assume an awk implementation, while GNU Awk specifically exposes GNU behavior that may differ from minimalist awks, mawk, BusyBox awk, or platform awk implementations.
Timeline
- 1970s: AWK was created at Bell Labs by Aho, Weinberger, and Kernighan.
- 1980s: GNU Awk began as the GNU project's implementation of awk.
- 1990s-2000s: gawk expanded beyond traditional awk with GNU extensions and a comprehensive Texinfo manual.
- 2020s: gawk remains maintained through GNU and Savannah and widely packaged as the GNU awk utility.
Related projects
- gawk is related to the original awk and nawk implementations, POSIX awk, mawk, BusyBox awk, and other GNU text-processing tools such as sed and grep. The GNU project hosts the official source repository on Savannah.
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 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
gawk | cli | global executable | |
gawk-5.4.0 | cli | global executable | |
gawkbug | 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 version5.4.0
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:gawk |
|---|---|
| Version | 5.4.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/gawk |
| Homepage | https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/ |
| Repository | https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/gawk.git |
| Upstream docs | https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/manual |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnu/gawk/gawk-5.4.0.tar.xz |
| Dependencies | gettext, gmp, mpfr, readline |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
| Caveats | GNU "awk" has been installed as "gawk". If you need to use it as "awk", you can add a "gnubin" directory to your PATH from your ~/.bashrc and/or ~/.zshrc like: PATH="$HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/gawk/libexec/gnubin:$PATH" |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | gawk |
| 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%
gawk 1:5.2.1-2+b1
GNU awk, a pattern scanning and processing language
http://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/
sudo apt install gawk- Section: interpreters
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: gawk
- 1 provides
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
Nix95%
gawk
nix profile install nixpkgs#gawk- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
Ubuntu apt95%
gawk 1:5.2.1-2build3
GNU awk, a pattern scanning and processing language
http://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/
sudo apt install gawk- Section: interpreters
- Architecture: amd64
- 1 provides
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
apk95%
gawk 5.3.2-r2
GNU awk pattern-matching language
https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/gawk.html
sudo apk add gawk- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gawk
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
apk95%
gawk-doc 5.3.2-r2
GNU awk pattern-matching language (documentation)
https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/gawk.html
sudo apk add gawk-doc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gawk
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
dnf95%
gawk 5.4.0-3.fc45
The GNU version of the AWK text processing utility
https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/
sudo dnf install gawk- License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND BSD-3-Clause
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: gawk
- 8 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
dnf95%
gawk-all-langpacks 5.4.0-3.fc45
Additional localisation files for gawk utility
https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/
sudo dnf install gawk-all-langpacks- License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND BSD-3-Clause
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gawk
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
dnf95%
gawk-devel 5.4.0-3.fc45
Header file for gawk extensions development
https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/
sudo dnf install gawk-devel- License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND BSD-3-Clause
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: gawk
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
dnf95%
gawk-doc 5.4.0-3.fc45
Additional documentation for gawk utility
https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/
sudo dnf install gawk-doc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND BSD-3-Clause
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: gawk
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
pacman95%
gawk 5.4.0-1
GNU version of awk
https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/
sudo pacman -S gawk- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 3 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
zypper95%
gawk 5.4.0-1.1
Domain-specific language for text processing
https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/
sudo zypper install gawk- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Productivity/Text/Utilities
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gawk
- 6 dependencies
- 5 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
MacPorts95%
gawk
sudo port install gawk- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
Chocolatey95%
gawk
choco install gawk- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
Scoop95%
main/gawk
scoop install main/gawk- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gawk
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