macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install gpsbabellocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install gpsbabelMacPorts ports tree · textproc/gpsbabel/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install gpsbabel with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Converts/uploads GPS waypoints, tracks, and routes. Version 1.10.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add gpsbabelAlpine Linux edge package indexes · gpsbabel · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install gpsbabelDebian stable package indexes · gpsbabel · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install gpsbabelFedora Rawhide package metadata · gpsbabel · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#gpsbabelnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/gp/gpsbabel/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S gpsbabelArch Linux sync databases · gpsbabel · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install gpsbabelopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · gpsbabel · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Converts/uploads GPS waypoints, tracks, and routes
Project links
Commands and aliases
- gpsbabel
history
Project history and usage
GPSBabel is a long-running command-line and graphical utility for moving GPS waypoints, tracks, and routes between consumer GPS devices, GPX, geocaching files, mapping programs, and many vendor-specific formats.
Project history
Robert Lipe describes GPSBabel as growing out of his own frustration in late 2001 with Unix and Linux tools for transferring waypoints to a Magellan 330 for geocaching. The idea was to normalize the small set of information needed to represent a waypoint, then connect readers and writers for many formats around that common model.
The first public GPSBabel release was made on SourceForge in July 2002. Lipe's history page says that release was Unix-only and supported ten formats: Geocaching.com LOC, GPSman, GPX 1.0, Magellan Serial, Mapsend, Mapsource, PCX, GPSUtil, Tiger, and CSV.
The project later moved source development to GitHub while the gpsbabel.org site remained the authoritative documentation and release surface. Its change log shows years of format support, GPX/KML work, Garmin handling, GUI and build-system maintenance, and cross-platform packaging.
Adoption history
GPSBabel became a standard bridge in geocaching, mapping, and GPS-device workflows because it solved the unglamorous but persistent problem of converting proprietary GPS data into portable formats such as GPX and KML.
Lipe's project history notes use by Google Earth and GSAK, plus coverage in mapping and GPS books and Linux publications. The package appears in many Unix-like package managers, reflecting its role as a reusable plumbing tool rather than a single-vendor application.
How it is used
Package users generally invoke the `gpsbabel` executable in scripts or shell pipelines to read one GPS/file format, apply filters, and write another format. Typical jobs include downloading waypoints from older GPS receivers, converting geocache files, exporting tracks to GPX, and preparing KML for map viewers.
The official capabilities page is central to real use: users pick a supported reader/writer pair, then consult the generated HTML documentation for options specific to a device or file format.
Why package nerds care
GPSBabel matters to package-manager culture because it is classic Unix glue: a small executable with many format adapters that lets old devices, proprietary vendor formats, GPX, KML, GIS tools, and geocaching workflows coexist.
It is also a useful packaging stress test. Builds have historically needed USB/Garmin support, Qt GUI pieces, platform-specific installers, and a large matrix of format tests while still exposing a simple CLI.
Timeline
- 2001: Robert Lipe buys a Magellan 330 and starts from waypoint-transfer frustration.
- 2002: First public GPSBabel release appears on SourceForge with ten supported formats.
- 2010: GPSBabel 1.4.0 release series includes continued GUI and format work.
- 2014: GPSBabel 1.5.0 release series continues GPX, NMEA, device, and GUI maintenance.
- 2016: GPSBabel 1.5.4 release notes include GPX metadata and device fixes.
- 2019: Change-log maintenance folds 2017-2019 development entries into the public changes page.
Related projects
- GPX is a major interchange format in GPSBabel workflows.
- Google Earth and KML are recurring GPSBabel targets in the official history and change log.
- GSAK is named by the project history as a program using GPSBabel.
- OpenStreetMap-style workflows commonly depend on GPX conversion, even when GPSBabel is only one step in the toolchain.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:upload
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 4 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 3 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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
gpsbabel | 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 version1.10.0
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/GPSBabel/gpsbabel
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/GPSBabel/gpsbabelnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:gpsbabel |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.10.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/gpsbabel |
| Homepage | https://www.gpsbabel.org/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/GPSBabel/gpsbabel |
| Upstream docs | https://www.gpsbabel.org/htmldoc-1.10.0/index.html |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/GPSBabel/gpsbabel/archive/refs/tags/gpsbabel_1_10_0.tar.gz |
| Dependencies | libusb, qt5compat, qtbase, shapelib |
| Build dependencies | cmake, pkgconf, qtserialport |
| 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 | gpsbabel |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| 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%
gpsbabel 1.10.0+ds-1
GPS file conversion plus transfer to/from GPS units
sudo apt install gpsbabel- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 8 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
Debian apt95%
gpsbabel-doc 1.10.0+ds-1
GPS file conversion plus transfer to/from GPS units - documentation
sudo apt install gpsbabel-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: gpsbabel
- 3 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
Debian apt95%
gpsbabel-gui 1.10.0+ds-1
GPS file conversion plus transfer to/from GPS units - GUI
sudo apt install gpsbabel-gui- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: gpsbabel
- 15 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
Nix95%
gpsbabel
nix profile install nixpkgs#gpsbabel- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
Ubuntu apt95%
gpsbabel 1.9.0+ds-2build3
GPS file conversion plus transfer to/from GPS units
sudo apt install gpsbabel- Section: universe/utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 8 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
Ubuntu apt95%
gpsbabel-doc 1.9.0+ds-2build3
GPS file conversion plus transfer to/from GPS units - documentation
sudo apt install gpsbabel-doc- Section: universe/doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: gpsbabel
- 3 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
Ubuntu apt95%
gpsbabel-gui 1.9.0+ds-2build3
GPS file conversion plus transfer to/from GPS units - GUI
sudo apt install gpsbabel-gui- Section: universe/utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: gpsbabel
- 15 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
apk95%
gpsbabel 1.10.0-r0
Convert, manipulate, and transfer data from GPS programs or GPS receivers
sudo apk add gpsbabel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gpsbabel
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
apk95%
gpsbabel-lang 1.10.0-r0
translations for gpsbabel
sudo apk add gpsbabel-lang- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gpsbabel
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
dnf95%
gpsbabel 1.10.0-3.fc44
A tool to convert between various formats used by GPS devices
sudo dnf install gpsbabel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gpsbabel
- 11 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
dnf95%
gpsbabel-gui 1.10.0-3.fc44
Qt GUI interface for GPSBabel
sudo dnf install gpsbabel-gui- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gpsbabel
- 15 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
pacman95%
gpsbabel 1.10.0-4
Read, write and manipulate GPS waypoints in a variety of formats
sudo pacman -S gpsbabel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 10 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
zypper95%
gpsbabel 1.10.0-3.1
Converts GPS waypoint, route and track data from one format type to another
sudo zypper install gpsbabel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gpsbabel
- 9 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
zypper95%
gpsbabel-gui 1.10.0-3.1
Qt GUI interface for GPSBabel
sudo zypper install gpsbabel-gui- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: gpsbabel
- 14 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
MacPorts95%
gpsbabel
sudo port install gpsbabel- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Gpsbabel
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 package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment