macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install gengetoptlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install gengetoptMacPorts ports tree · devel/gengetopt/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install gengetopt with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Generate C code to parse command-line arguments via getopt_long. Version 2.23 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add gengetoptAlpine Linux edge package indexes · gengetopt · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install gengetoptDebian stable package indexes · gengetopt · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install gengetoptFedora Rawhide package metadata · gengetopt · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#gengetoptnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ge/gengetopt/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S gengetoptArch Linux sync databases · gengetopt · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install gengetoptopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · gengetopt · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Generate C code to parse command-line arguments via getopt_long
Project links
Commands and aliases
- gengetopt
history
Project history and usage
GNU Gengetopt is a GNU programming tool that generates C command-line option parsers from declarative option descriptions. Its generated code uses getopt_long and fills a struct, saving C and C++ programmers from hand-writing the same option parsing, validation, help, and configuration-file plumbing.
Project history
The Savannah README says Gengetopt was originally written by Roberto Arturo Tena Sanchez and later maintained by Tomas Volf. The manual positions it as a tool for C and C++ programmers and documents .ggo input files, generated parsers, generated help output, configuration-file parsing, multiple parsers, and operation on systems without getopt_long.
Adoption history
Gengetopt's adoption came through the GNU toolchain ecosystem: GNU FTP hosted regular tarball releases from the early 2000s through the 2.23 release in 2019, and the tool appears in Unix package managers as a code generator for projects that want generated C parsers without taking on a larger framework.
How it is used
Practitioners write a .ggo file describing short and long options, defaults, required values, groups, modes, and help text, then run gengetopt to produce C source and header files. Autoconf and Automake projects use it when generated parser code is preferable to a hand-maintained getopt_long loop.
Why package nerds care
Gengetopt is a classic small GNU build dependency: it is rarely the star of a system, but it sits in source-release and distribution workflows where reproducible generated C code is easier to audit and package than bespoke argument parsers.
Timeline
- 2003: GNU FTP listed gengetopt 2.10 tarballs.
- 2009: version 2.22.4 switched the project repository from CVS to Git.
- 2012: version 2.22.6 added versiontext and strict-hidden support while fixing Mac OS X compilation.
- 2019: GNU FTP listed the 2.23 release.
Related projects
- Related tools and standards include getopt_long, GNU Coding Standards, GNU Autoconf, GNU Automake, and Doxygen comments in generated files.
Sources
- https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/gengetopt
- https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gengetopt/
- https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gengetopt.git/plain/NEWS?h=master
- https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gengetopt.git/plain/README?h=master
- https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/
- https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/gengetopt.html
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 13 platform targets.
- Build metadata lists 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
gengetopt | 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 version2.23
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:gengetopt |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.23 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/gengetopt |
| Homepage | https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/ |
| Upstream docs | https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnu/gengetopt/gengetopt-2.23.tar.xz |
| Build dependencies | texinfo |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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 | gengetopt |
| 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 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%
gengetopt 2.23+dfsg1-1
skeleton main.c generator
https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/
sudo apt install gengetopt- Section: devel
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gengetopt
Nix95%
gengetopt
nix profile install nixpkgs#gengetopt- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gengetopt
Ubuntu apt95%
gengetopt 2.23+dfsg1-1
skeleton main.c generator
https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/
sudo apt install gengetopt- Section: universe/devel
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gengetopt
apk95%
gengetopt 2.23-r2
Tool to write command line option parsing code for C programs
https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/
sudo apk add gengetopt- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gengetopt
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gengetopt
apk95%
gengetopt-dev 2.23-r2
Tool to write command line option parsing code for C programs (development files)
https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/
sudo apk add gengetopt-dev- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gengetopt
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gengetopt
apk95%
gengetopt-doc 2.23-r2
Tool to write command line option parsing code for C programs (documentation)
https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/
sudo apk add gengetopt-doc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gengetopt
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gengetopt
dnf95%
gengetopt 2.23-17.fc44
Tool to write command line option parsing code for C programs
http://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/
sudo dnf install gengetopt- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gengetopt
- 4 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gengetopt
pacman95%
gengetopt 2.23-4
A tool to write command line option parsing code for C programs
https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/gengetopt.html
sudo pacman -S gengetopt- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gengetopt
zypper95%
gengetopt 2.23-1.24
Commandline parser generator
https://www.gnu.org/software/gengetopt/
sudo zypper install gengetopt- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Development/Languages/C and C++
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gengetopt
- 4 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gengetopt
MacPorts95%
gengetopt
sudo port install gengetopt- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gengetopt
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