macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install gflagslocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install gflagsMacPorts ports tree · devel/gflags/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install gflags with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Library for processing command-line flags. Version 2.3.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add gflagsAlpine Linux edge package indexes · gflags · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libgflags-devDebian stable package indexes · libgflags-dev · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install gflagsFedora Rawhide package metadata · gflags · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#gflagsnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/gf/gflags/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S gflagsArch Linux sync databases · gflags · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install gflagsopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · gflags · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Library for processing command-line flags
Project links
Commands and aliases
- gflags_completions.sh
history
Project history and usage
gflags is the open-source C++ command-line flags library that began as Google Commandline Flags. Its distinguishing design is that flag definitions can live in the source file that uses them, with the library collecting, parsing, validating, and documenting those flags for an executable.
Project history
The changelog records a Google Inc. 0.1 release in December 2006, followed by 1.0 in October 2008 and several google-gflags releases through 2011. In January 2012, the project was renamed from google-gflags to gflags as Google stepped back from ownership and Andreas Schuh became maintainer.
Adoption history
gflags spread through C++ infrastructure because it offered a Google-style alternative to getopt-like parsers: each library or translation unit could declare its own flags, while users still received unified help output and parsing behavior. Later releases emphasized package and build-system integration, including CMake, Bazel, pkg-config, Homebrew, Debian/Ubuntu packages, and vcpkg.
How it is used
Practitioners add `DEFINE_*` and `DECLARE_*` macros in C++ code, link the library, call the parser during program startup, and then read `FLAGS_name` variables from the relevant code. The installation docs cover use through distro packages, Homebrew, Bazel, vcpkg, and CMake.
Why package nerds care
gflags matters to package maintainers because it is both a runtime library and a build-system integration target for many C++ projects. The long namespace transition from `google` to `gflags`, plus compatibility for projects such as glog, made ABI and include-path behavior unusually important.
Timeline
- 2006: Google Inc. released google-gflags 0.1.
- 2008: google-gflags 1.0 was released.
- 2012: google-gflags was renamed to gflags and community ownership began.
- 2014: Version 2.1 switched the build configuration to CMake and changed the default namespace to `gflags`.
- 2015: Version 2.1.2 completed the move from Google Code to GitHub.
- 2025: Version 2.3.0 added maintenance fixes for Bazel, CMake, QNX, and option processing.
Related projects
- The README points Abseil users to Abseil Flags, noting that an internal fork of the library was re-released as part of Abseil. The gflags organization also includes python-gflags history, which moved to Google's Python repository and later to Abseil Python guidance.
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.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
gflags_completions.sh | 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 version2.3.0
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv2.3.0
https://github.com/gflags/gflags
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:gflags |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.3.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/gflags |
| Homepage | https://gflags.github.io/gflags/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/gflags/gflags |
| Upstream docs | https://gflags.github.io/gflags |
| License | BSD-3-Clause |
| Source archive | https://github.com/gflags/gflags/archive/refs/tags/v2.3.0.tar.gz |
| Build dependencies | cmake |
| 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 | gflags |
| 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%
libgflags-dev 2.2.2-2
commandline flags module for C++ (development files)
https://gflags.github.io/gflags/
sudo apt install libgflags-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: gflags
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
Debian apt95%
libgflags-doc 2.2.2-2
documentation of gflags
https://gflags.github.io/gflags/
sudo apt install libgflags-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: gflags
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
Debian apt95%
libgflags2.2 2.2.2-2
commandline flags module for C++ (shared library)
https://gflags.github.io/gflags/
sudo apt install libgflags2.2- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: gflags
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
Nix95%
gflags
nix profile install nixpkgs#gflags- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
Ubuntu apt95%
libgflags-dev 2.2.2-2build1
commandline flags module for C++ (development files)
https://gflags.github.io/gflags/
sudo apt install libgflags-dev- Section: universe/libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: gflags
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
Ubuntu apt95%
libgflags-doc 2.2.2-2build1
documentation of gflags
https://gflags.github.io/gflags/
sudo apt install libgflags-doc- Section: universe/doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: gflags
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
Ubuntu apt95%
libgflags2.2 2.2.2-2build1
commandline flags module for C++ (shared library)
https://gflags.github.io/gflags/
sudo apt install libgflags2.2- Section: universe/libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: gflags
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
apk95%
gflags 2.3.0-r0
The gflags package contains a C++ library that implements commandline flags processing.
https://gflags.github.io/gflags/
sudo apk add gflags- License: BSD-3-Clause
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gflags
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
apk95%
gflags-dev 2.3.0-r0
The gflags package contains a C++ library that implements commandline flags processing. (development files)
https://gflags.github.io/gflags/
sudo apk add gflags-dev- License: BSD-3-Clause
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gflags
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
dnf95%
gflags 2.2.2-19.fc44
Library for commandline flag processing
https://gflags.github.io/gflags/
sudo dnf install gflags- License: LicenseRef-Callaway-BSD
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: gflags
- 5 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
dnf95%
gflags-devel 2.2.2-19.fc44
Development files for gflags
https://gflags.github.io/gflags/
sudo dnf install gflags-devel- License: LicenseRef-Callaway-BSD
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: gflags
- 5 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
pacman95%
gflags 2.2.2-6
C++ Library for commandline flag processing
https://github.com/schuhschuh/gflags
sudo pacman -S gflags- License: BSD-3-Clause
- Architecture: x86_64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
zypper95%
gflags 2.2.2-4.5
Library for commandline flag processing
https://github.com/gflags/gflags
sudo zypper install gflags- License: BSD-3-Clause
- Category: Development/Libraries/C and C++
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gflags
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
zypper95%
gflags-devel 2.2.2-4.5
Development files for the dynamic gflags library
https://github.com/gflags/gflags
sudo zypper install gflags-devel- License: BSD-3-Clause
- Category: Development/Libraries/C and C++
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gflags
- 2 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
zypper95%
libgflags2_2 2.2.2-4.5
Library for commandline flag processing
https://github.com/gflags/gflags
sudo zypper install libgflags2_2- License: BSD-3-Clause
- Category: Development/Libraries/C and C++
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gflags
- 4 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
MacPorts95%
gflags
sudo port install gflags- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gflags
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