# Install gist with Homebrew, apt, Nix, pacman Command-line utility for uploading Gists. Version 6.1.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-19. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:gist ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install gist ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install gist ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: gist from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#gist ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/gi/gist/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S gist ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: gist from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:gist - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 6.1.0 - **Source summary:** Command-line utility for uploading Gists - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-19T22:35:16Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - gist (cli) - gist (alias) ## Uses from macOS - ruby ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on all ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 6.1.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-19 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/defunkt/gist - Upstream latest detected: v6.1.0 (current) ## Project history and usage gist is a Ruby command-line client and library for uploading files or standard input to GitHub Gist. It is one of the older developer-shell bridges between local code snippets and GitHub's paste-sharing service. ### Project history The repository was opened in October 2008 by Chris Wanstrath, and RubyGems records 1.0.0 in February 2010. The README credits defunkt and indirect for versions 1 through 3, then rking and Conrad Irwin for version 4, showing a maintainer handoff pattern typical of long-lived GitHub-era command-line tools. The tool grew from simple snippet upload into a broader Gist client: it can upload multiple files, read from standard input, paste from the clipboard, create private gists, update existing gists, open or copy resulting URLs, list and read gists, and act as a Ruby library. ### Adoption history gist's adoption follows GitHub Gist's role as a lightweight code-sharing surface. The README documents installation through RubyGems, Bundler, Homebrew, FreeBSD ports, and Debian or Ubuntu packages, while RubyGems download counts show multi-million-install scale through the gem channel. ### How it is used Practitioners pipe command output into gist, upload one or more files, attach descriptions, request private gists, copy the resulting URL, or use the library API inside Ruby programs. Authentication evolved from username/password token exchange toward GitHub's device-code OAuth flow, with tokens stored in ~/.gist or per-enterprise token files. ### Why package nerds care gist is significant because it made GitHub's pastebin-like service feel native to the Unix pipeline. For package maintainers, it also carries the history of API authentication changes, GitHub Enterprise support, and binary-name conflict handling in distributions such as Debian. ### Timeline - 2008: The repository began on GitHub. - 2010: RubyGems records the 1.0.0 release. - 2015: 4.5.0 shipped during the maintained version-4 line. - 2020: 6.0.0 appeared after the version-5 series. - 2026: 6.1.0 was published on RubyGems. ### Related projects - gist sits beside GitHub Gist itself, GitHub Enterprise, RubyGems packaging, Homebrew packaging, and distro-packaged command-line paste clients. ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## 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. ## Credential files - Unix: ~/.gist, ~/.gist..[.] ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** gist - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - gist - 6.0.0-3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: gist from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Upload gists to gist.github.com | https://github.com/defunkt/gist - Nix - gist: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/gi/gist/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - gist - 6.0.0-3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: gist from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Upload gists to gist.github.com | https://github.com/defunkt/gist - pacman - gist - 6.0.0-2: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: gist from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Potentially the best command line gister | https://github.com/defunkt/gist ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Package publisher tools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/package-publishers/) - Belongs to a package publishing or registry command family. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [git-absorb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/git-absorb/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, code-sharing, developer-tools. - [gistit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gistit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, code-sharing, developer-tools, gist, github. - [imessage-ruby](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/imessage-ruby/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, ruby. - [selecta](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/selecta/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, ruby. - [ghi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ghi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, github, ruby. - [anycable-go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/anycable-go/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, ruby. - [brew-gem](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/brew-gem/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, ruby. - [chruby](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/chruby/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, ruby. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/gist.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/gist.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph