# Install imageworsener with Homebrew, Nix Utility and library for image scaling and processing. Version 1.3.5 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:imageworsener ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install imageworsener ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#imageworsener ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/im/imageworsener/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:imageworsener - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.3.5 - **Source summary:** Utility and library for image scaling and processing - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - imagew (cli) - imagew (alias) ## Dependencies - jpeg-turbo - libpng ## 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: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.3.5 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://entropymine.com/imageworsener/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage ImageWorsener is Jason Summers' cross-platform image scaling and processing utility and C library. Its own documentation jokes about degrading images, but the core goal is high-quality, correctness-oriented image resizing and processing rather than speed. ### Project history ImageWorsener began in 2011 and reached public 0.9.0-era tags that year. The readme for version 1.3.5 lists copyright years 2011-2022, describes a command-line utility plus library, and records a licensing change from GPLv3+ in versions through 1.1.0 to an MIT-style license afterward. The project developed around precise treatment of resampling, gamma correction, transparency, grayscale conversion, and high bit depth images. Its technical notes explicitly describe the program as a correctness-first tool that does not trade accuracy for speed, while also separating a core processing library from file-format I/O and the `imagew` command-line frontend. ### Adoption history ImageWorsener's adoption has been modest but durable. It appears in Homebrew and Nix metadata and is packaged in other Unix-like ports systems, but its niche is less everyday image conversion and more users who care about resampling behavior, gamma correctness, and reproducible command-line processing. The project site provides source archives and Windows binaries, while the GitHub repository offers source-control access. Homebrew analytics show sparse installs, which matches a specialized utility whose main value is fidelity and technical documentation rather than broad batch-conversion convenience. ### How it is used The `imagew` command reads an input file and writes an output file, with options for resizing, best-fit behavior, format selection, bit depth, dithering, posterization, grayscale conversion, background colors, and channel offsets. It supports regular files, standard input/output schemes, and Windows clipboard input for some builds. The documentation emphasizes file-format support for PNG, JPEG, BMP, and WebP, with partial support for GIF, TIFF, MIFF, and Netpbm-family formats. The library API is intentionally lower level and less documented than the command. ### Why package nerds care ImageWorsener is interesting to package nerds because it is the opposite of a convenience wrapper: a small C utility that prioritizes image-processing correctness and documents the tradeoffs. Its long technical notes make it a reference-like package for people comparing resampling behavior across ImageMagick, GraphicsMagick, and purpose-built tools. ### Timeline - 2011: Early ImageWorsener tags and copyright history begin. - 2011: Version 0.9.0 appears in the source repository. - 2010s: The project accumulated technical essays on resampling, gamma, grayscale, alpha resizing, and filters. - 2022: Version 1.3.5 was released with source archives and Windows binaries. - 2026: Homebrew continues to package ImageWorsener as a niche image-processing utility. ### Related projects - The technical notes compare ImageWorsener's space with ImageMagick and GraphicsMagick, and cite resampling discussions such as Eric Brasseur's gamma article and VirtualDub's resampler article as inspirations. Its file-format support also depends on libraries such as libpng, zlib, libjpeg, and libwebp when enabled. ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** imageworsener - **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 - Nix - imageworsener: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/im/imageworsener/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [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. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Media and graphics packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/media-graphics-tools/) - Matched media, image, audio, video, or graphics metadata. - [jpeg-turbo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jpeg-turbo/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libpng](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libpng/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [babl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/babl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-processing, library, media. - [exact-image](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/exact-image/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-processing, library, media. - [gd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-processing, library, media. - [gegl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gegl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-processing, library, media. - [imagemagick](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/imagemagick/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-processing, library, media. - [jasper](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jasper/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-processing, library, media. - [libsail](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libsail/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-processing, library, media. - [openimageio](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openimageio/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, image-processing, library, media. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/imageworsener.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/imageworsener.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - 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