# Install gnu-getopt with Homebrew, zypper, Nix Command-line option parsing utility. Version 2.42.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-16. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:gnu-getopt ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install gnu-getopt ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install gnu-getopt ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: gnu-getopt from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#getopt ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ge/getopt/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:gnu-getopt - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.42.2 - **Source summary:** Command-line option parsing utility - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-16T16:47:43Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-09T07:20:21+00:00 ## Executables - getopt (cli) - getopt (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-09 - Package-manager version: 2.42.2 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-16 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage `gnu-getopt` packages util-linux's enhanced `getopt(1)` command, a shell-facing option parser that uses GNU `getopt(3)` behavior and is commonly installed separately where the base system ships a less capable `getopt`. ### Project history The upstream project is util-linux, described by its README as a collection of Linux utilities. util-linux carried the name util-linux-ng from 2006 through 2010, then continued under the util-linux name with kernel.org as the primary source location and GitHub as a backup web interface. The util-linux NEWS file records `getopt` updates in the 2.11 and 2.13 development era, including replacement with getopt 1.1.3 by Frodo Looijaard and an update to 1.1.4. The man page identifies the command as the enhanced `getopt`, focused on parsing command options for shell procedures. ### Adoption history As part of util-linux, enhanced `getopt` is part of the broad Linux userland toolbox. On macOS, Homebrew packages it as `gnu-getopt` and marks it keg-only because macOS provides BSD `getopt`; on Linux, the formula also avoids conflict with the full util-linux package. That packaging split is the main reason the Homebrew package name differs from the upstream project name. ### How it is used Practitioners use `getopt` in shell scripts to normalize short and long options, detect invalid arguments, preserve whitespace through shell quoting, and test whether the enhanced implementation is present. The `-T` probe is explicitly documented for distinguishing this implementation from older `getopt(1)` variants. ### Why package nerds care The package matters because option parsing is a portability trap in shell scripts. Installing `gnu-getopt` gives macOS and other non-GNU environments the util-linux behavior many Linux-oriented scripts expect, while Homebrew's keg-only status prevents accidental replacement of the system utility. ### Timeline - 2001-era util-linux 2.11z: NEWS records replacement with getopt 1.1.3 by Frodo Looijaard. - 2007: util-linux-ng 2.13-pre6 NEWS records update to getopt 1.1.4. - 2006-2010: util-linux project used the util-linux-ng name. - 2026: util-linux README described kernel.org as primary repository and GitHub as backup. ### Related projects - GNU `getopt(3)` supplies the parsing behavior used by util-linux `getopt(1)`. - BSD `getopt` is the system utility that Homebrew avoids shadowing on macOS. - util-linux is the upstream userland utility collection that contains the command. ### Sources - - - - ## Security Notes No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for gnu-getopt. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL. ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** gnu-getopt - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** yes - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - zypper - gnu-getopt - 1.0.14-2.7: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: gnu-getopt from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Java getopt Implementation | https://www.urbanophile.com/arenn/hacking/download.html - zypper - gnu-getopt-javadoc - 1.0.14-2.7: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: gnu-getopt-javadoc from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Javadoc for gnu.getopt | https://www.urbanophile.com/arenn/hacking/download.html - Nix - getopt: installed executable or alias match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ge/getopt/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched curated package taxonomy and local package facts. - [beakerlib](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/beakerlib/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [git-now](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/git-now/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [pass](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pass/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [xmlto](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xmlto/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [util-linux](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/util-linux/) - Shares the same upstream source repository. - [csvprintf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/csvprintf/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: command-line, line, parsing. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/gnu-getopt.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/gnu-getopt.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph