install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install gnupg

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add gnupg

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · gnupg · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install gnupg

Debian stable package indexes · gnupg · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install gnupg2

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · gnupg2 · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#gnupg

nixpkgs package indexes · gnupg · source: raw.githubusercontent.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S gnupg

Arch Linux sync databases · gnupg · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install gpg2

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · gpg2 · source: download.opensuse.org

Windows

Chocolateyverified · 92%

choco install gnupg

Chocolatey community package catalog · gnupg · source: community.chocolatey.org

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/gnupg

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/gnupg.json · source: api.github.com

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%

winget install --id GnuPG.GnuPG -e

Windows Package Manager source index · GnuPG.GnuPG · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

overview

Package summary

GNU Privacy Guard (OpenPGP)

Project links

Commands and aliases

addgnupghome
applygnupgdefaults
dirmngr
dirmngr-client
gpg
gpg-agent
gpg-authcode-sign.sh
gpg-card
gpg-connect-agent
gpg-mail-tube
gpg-wks-client
gpg-wks-server
gpgconf
gpgparsemail
gpgscm
gpgsm
gpgsplit
gpgtar
gpgv
kbxutil
watchgnupg

history

Project history and usage

GnuPG, also known as GPG, is the GNU Privacy Guard: a free implementation of the OpenPGP standard used for encryption, signatures and key management.

Project history

GnuPG was introduced in 1997 as Free Software and became the GNU project's OpenPGP implementation. The project describes it as a complete and free implementation of OpenPGP, with command-line integration, key-management facilities and access modules for public-key directories.

The release-line history shows the 1.0 branch born in 1999, the 1.4 branch in 2004, the 2.0 branch in 2006 and later 2.x branches adding the more modular architecture around gpg-agent, dirmngr, gpgsm, smart-card support and supporting libraries.

Adoption history

GnuPG became a standard security tool in Unix-like systems and software-distribution workflows. The project download page notes that common Linux distributions such as Debian, Fedora, Red Hat and Ubuntu include GnuPG, while Gpg4win provides an integrated Windows distribution with a context menu tool, crypto manager and Outlook plugin.

Its ecosystem includes libraries and frontends as well as helper packages such as pinentry, GPGME, GPA and Scute. That surrounding stack made GnuPG a platform for applications needing OpenPGP operations rather than only an interactive command.

How it is used

Practitioners use GnuPG to encrypt and decrypt files or messages, create and verify signatures, manage public and private keys, fetch or publish keys through directory mechanisms, operate smart cards and verify downloaded source releases. Its command-line interface also makes it common in scripts, build systems and release automation.

Why package nerds care

For package users, GnuPG is foundational plumbing: it links archive signatures, maintainer keys, trust databases, agents, pinentry programs, smart-card daemons and language bindings. Installing it often means installing the small operational security stack around OpenPGP, not just the gpg binary.

Timeline

1997: GnuPG was introduced as Free Software.
1999: The 1.0 release branch was born.
2004: The 1.4 release branch was born.
2006: The 2.0 release branch was born.
2014: The 2.2 release branch was born.
2021: The 2.4 release branch was born.

Related projects

GnuPG implements OpenPGP and is related to PGP by protocol lineage. Its project ecosystem includes GPGME, pinentry, dirmngr, gpg-agent, gpgsm, Scute, GPA and Gpg4win.

Sources

security posture

No protected-tool coverage found yet

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

Install behavior

Homebrew declares a post-install hook for this formula.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Installs with 10 runtime dependencies.
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.

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: ~/.gnupg/gpg.conf~/.gnupg/gpg-agent.conf~/.gnupg/dirmngr.conf~/.gnupg/common.conf

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: ~/.gnupg/private-keys-v1.d/~/.gnupg/secring.gpg~/.gnupg/trustdb.gpg

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`addgnupghome`	cli	global executable
`applygnupgdefaults`	cli	global executable
`dirmngr`	cli	global executable
`dirmngr-client`	cli	global executable
`gpg`	cli	global executable
`gpg-agent`	cli	global executable
`gpg-authcode-sign.sh`	cli	global executable
`gpg-card`	cli	global executable
`gpg-connect-agent`	cli	global executable
`gpg-mail-tube`	cli	global executable
`gpg-wks-client`	cli	global executable
`gpg-wks-server`	cli	global executable
`gpgconf`	cli	global executable
`gpgparsemail`	cli	global executable
`gpgscm`	cli	global executable
`gpgsm`	cli	global executable
`gpgsplit`	cli	global executable
`gpgtar`	cli	global executable
`gpgv`	cli	global executable
`kbxutil`	cli	global executable
`watchgnupg`	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 version2.5.21

manager updated2026-07-02

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://gnupg.org/

infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://gnupg.org/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:gnupg
Version	2.5.21
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/gnupg
Homepage	https://gnupg.org/
Repository	https://dev.gnupg.org/source/gnupg.git
Upstream docs	https://gnupg.org/documentation/index.html
License	GPL-3.0-or-later
Source archive	https://gnupg.org/ftp/gcrypt/gnupg/gnupg-2.5.21.tar.bz2
Last updated	2026-07-02T18:06:04Z
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	gettext, gnutls, libassuan, libgcrypt, libgpg-error, libksba, libusb, npth, pinentry, readline
Build dependencies	pkgconf
Uses from macOS	bzip2, openldap, sqlite
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	gnupg
Aliases	gnupg@2.5 gpg gpg2
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	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.

Debian apt95%

gnupg 2.4.7-21+deb13u1

GNU privacy guard - a free PGP replacement

Install gnupg with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget, zypper