macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install git-secretslocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install git-secrets with Homebrew, apt, dnf, Nix
Prevents you from committing sensitive information to a git repo. Version 1.3.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install git-secretsDebian stable package indexes · git-secrets · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install git-secretsFedora Rawhide package metadata · git-secrets · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#git-secretsnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/gi/git-secrets/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Prevents you from committing sensitive information to a git repo
Project links
Commands and aliases
- git-secrets
history
Project history and usage
git-secrets is an AWS Labs command-line tool that installs Git hooks and scans commits for prohibited secret patterns. Its best-known workflow is preventing AWS credentials and other sensitive strings from entering Git history.
Project history
AWS Labs released git-secrets in 2015 as a hook-driven local scanner. The README documents pre-commit, commit-msg, and prepare-commit-msg hooks, as well as repository and global Git configuration for prohibited and allowed patterns.
The changelog shows rapid maturation after the initial release: 1.1.0 added full-history scanning, `.gitallowed`, cached/no-index/untracked scan modes, and staged-file scanning in hooks; 1.3.0 refined provider output handling, Windows path behavior, and IAM key detection.
Adoption history
git-secrets became a recognizable package because it came from AWS Labs and addressed a common Git failure mode with no server dependency. Homebrew and Linux distribution packaging made it easy to add to developer workstations and repository templates.
How it is used
Practitioners run `git secrets --install` inside a repository, often followed by `git secrets --register-aws`, so commits are blocked when configured patterns are detected. They also run `git secrets --scan-history` before publishing a repository or add custom providers for organization-specific patterns.
Why package nerds care
The package is important in Git tooling culture because it turns secret scanning into local hooks and plain Git config. It is small, scriptable, and easy to wire into templates, which made it useful before and alongside hosted secret-scanning services.
Timeline
- 2015: Repository created under AWS Labs.
- 2015: 1.0.0 initial release.
- 2016: 1.1.0 added full-history scans, `.gitallowed`, and more scan modes.
- 2016: 1.2.x fixed path and provider-command handling.
- 2019: 1.3.0 improved IAM key scanning and Windows path handling.
Related projects
- Related tools and concepts include Git hooks, AWS credential files, organization-specific secret providers, repository templates, and other secret scanners used in pre-commit workflows.
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 1 platform targets.
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
.git/config~/.gitconfig~/.config/git/config/etc/gitconfig
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
git-secrets | 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 version1.3.0
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected1.3.0
https://github.com/awslabs/git-secrets
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:git-secrets |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.3.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/git-secrets |
| Homepage | https://github.com/awslabs/git-secrets |
| Repository | https://github.com/awslabs/git-secrets |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/awslabs/git-secrets#readme |
| License | Apache-2.0 |
| Source archive | https://github.com/awslabs/git-secrets/archive/refs/tags/1.3.0.tar.gz |
| Bottle | available (on all) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | git-secrets |
| 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%
git-secrets 1.3.0-7
Prevents accidental commits of credentials
https://github.com/awslabs/git-secrets
sudo apt install git-secrets- Section: vcs
- Architecture: all
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Git Secrets
Nix95%
git-secrets
nix profile install nixpkgs#git-secrets- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Git Secrets
Ubuntu apt95%
git-secrets 1.3.0-7
Prevents accidental commits of credentials
https://github.com/awslabs/git-secrets
sudo apt install git-secrets- Section: universe/vcs
- Architecture: all
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Git Secrets
dnf95%
git-secrets 1.3.0-17.fc44
Prevents committing secrets and credentials into git repos
https://github.com/awslabs/git-secrets/
sudo dnf install git-secrets- License: Apache-2.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: git-secrets
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Git Secrets
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 configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment