install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install ggshield

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#ggshield

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/gg/ggshield/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Scanner for secrets and sensitive data in code

Project links

Commands and aliases

ggshield

history

Project history and usage

ggshield is GitGuardian's open-source command-line scanner for detecting hardcoded secrets and sensitive data before they reach source-control history or CI artifacts.

Project history

GitGuardian opened the ggshield repository in April 2020 and published the early 1.0.x release line soon afterward. The project is built as the local and CI-facing companion to GitGuardian's secret-detection service, using the GitGuardian public API through the py-gitguardian client.

Adoption history

The tool gained adoption through several security workflows rather than one single editor or platform: local scans, pre-commit and pre-push hooks, CI/CD jobs, GitHub Actions, GitLab, Jenkins, Docker-image scans, package scans, and packaged distribution through PyPI, Homebrew, Chocolatey, Cloudsmith packages, and standalone installers.

How it is used

Practitioners authenticate with `ggshield auth login` or an API key, then scan paths, repositories, staged changes, Docker images, package artifacts, or CI workspaces. Teams commonly install it as a pre-commit, pre-push, or pre-receive hook so leaked credentials are blocked before they enter shared repositories.

Why package nerds care

For package ecosystems, ggshield is notable because it packages a SaaS-backed security control as a normal developer CLI: it can be installed by a package manager, run in a hook, and produce exit codes that fit standard CI pipelines.

Timeline

2020: The GitGuardian ggshield repository was created.
2020: The 1.0.x release line appeared in the GitHub release feed.
2026: The release feed showed the 1.52 series.

Related projects

ggshield is closely tied to GitGuardian's public API and py-gitguardian client, and it overlaps operationally with pre-commit, CI/CD systems, and repository-hosting security workflows.

Sources

security posture

No protected-tool coverage found yet

No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for ggshield. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Installs with 6 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.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: ~/.gitguardian.yaml./.gitguardian.yaml
Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.gitguardian.yaml.\.gitguardian.yaml

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`ggshield`	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 version1.52.2

manager updated2026-06-21

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://www.gitguardian.com

infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.gitguardian.comnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:ggshield
Version	1.52.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ggshield
Homepage	https://www.gitguardian.com
Upstream docs	https://docs.gitguardian.com/ggshield-docs/getting-started
License	MIT
Source archive	https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/9d/f9/3f2b594156cda7ed2afba978daec90fc0fad5023a1896aacf120f259f9a1/ggshield-1.52.2.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-21T14:25:28Z
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	certifi, cryptography, libyaml, openssl@3, pydantic, python@3.14
Build dependencies	pkgconf, rust
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	ggshield
Version Scheme	0
Revision	1
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

ggshield

nix profile install nixpkgs#ggshield

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ggshield

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/gg/ggshield/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

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.

combined/ggshield.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install ggshield with Homebrew, Nix