install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install imake

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install imake

MacPorts ports tree · x11/imake/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add imake

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

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install imake

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#imake

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/im/imake/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S imake

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install imake

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

overview

Package summary

Build automation system written for X11

Project links

Commands and aliases

ccmakedep
cleanlinks
imake
makeg
mergelib
mkdirhier
mkhtmlindex
revpath
xmkmf

history

Project history and usage

imake is the historic X Window System makefile-generation tool built around C preprocessor templates. It is no longer the preferred X.Org build system, but it remains packaged so older X11-era software can still be built.

Project history

The X Window System used imake extensively through X11R6.9 for both builds inside the X source tree and external software. X.Org's release notes describe the X11R7.x shift to modular source releases, and the imake README states that X moved to GNU autoconf and automake for X11R7.0 and later releases in 2005.

As a standalone X.Org utility package, imake includes helper programs such as `ccmakedep`, `mergelib`, `revpath`, `mkdirhier`, `makeg`, `cleanlinks`, `mkhtmlindex`, and `xmkmf`. Its README also notes that most real usage needs the X.Org `util/cf` files, which provide platform-specific configuration data.

Adoption history

imake's adoption story is almost inverted: it was once central to building X and X applications, then became legacy infrastructure after X.Org modularization and the move to Autotools. Package managers continue to carry it because old external X11 software and vendor source packages can still depend on Imakefiles and `xmkmf`.

X.Org maintainers explicitly advise projects still using imake to migrate to build systems that add support for new platforms and runtimes. The 2025 imake 1.0.11 announcement still added RISC-V and LoongArch Linux support, illustrating the maintenance pressure created by old build recipes on newer architectures.

How it is used

imake preprocesses Imakefiles into makefiles using X.Org configuration templates, with `xmkmf` commonly used by external packages to generate build files. The support tools cover dependency generation, directory creation, library merging, path calculation, and HTML index generation.

The practical package-manager use is compatibility: install imake and the X.Org configuration files when a legacy X11 source package asks for Imakefile processing rather than `configure`, Meson, or CMake.

Why package nerds care

imake is package-nerd archaeology with real build consequences. It explains why some ports collections and formulas still preserve X11 support utilities long after the main upstream ecosystem moved through Autotools and toward Meson.

Timeline

1988: X11 version 11 was first released, forming the protocol era in which imake became important.
2005: X11R7.0 moved X.Org builds to GNU autoconf and automake.
2012: X11R7.7 was described as the eighth modular X Window System release.
2025: imake 1.0.11 added Linux RISC-V and LoongArch support plus Meson build support.
2026: Homebrew packages imake 1.0.11 for legacy X11 build compatibility.

Related projects

imake is closely tied to X.Org `util/cf`, `xmkmf`, Autotools-era X.Org modular builds, and newer Meson migration work. Its historical peers are the broader X11 utility and build-support packages distributed from X.Org's individual module archives.

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 6 platform targets.
Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
Build metadata lists 4 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
`ccmakedep`	cli	global executable
`cleanlinks`	cli	global executable
`imake`	cli	global executable
`makeg`	cli	global executable
`mergelib`	cli	global executable
`mkdirhier`	cli	global executable
`mkhtmlindex`	cli	global executable
`revpath`	cli	global executable
`xmkmf`	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 version1.0.11

manager updated2026-06-22

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://xorg.freedesktop.org

infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://xorg.freedesktop.orgnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:imake
Version	1.0.11
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/imake
Homepage	https://xorg.freedesktop.org
Repository	https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/util/imake
Upstream docs	https://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/util/imake
License	MIT
Source archive	https://xorg.freedesktop.org/releases/individual/util/imake-1.0.11.tar.xz
Last updated	2026-06-22T14:03:46-07:00
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	tradcpp
Build dependencies	meson, ninja, pkgconf, xorgproto
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	imake
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.

Nix95%

imake

nix profile install nixpkgs#imake

normalized package name match
Matched by: Imake

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/im/imake/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

apk95%

imake 1.0.11-r0

X Windows make utility

https://www.x.org

sudo apk add imake

License: custom
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: imake
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Imake

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: imake from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

imake-doc 1.0.11-r0

X Windows make utility (documentation)

https://www.x.org

sudo apk add imake-doc

License: custom
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: imake
normalized package name match
Matched by: Imake

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: imake-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

dnf95%

imake 1.0.10-6.fc44

imake source code configuration and build system

http://www.x.org

sudo dnf install imake

License: MIT-open-group AND HPND
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: imake
5 dependencies
12 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Imake

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: imake from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

pacman95%

imake 1.0.11-1

X.Org imake program and related utilities

https://xorg.freedesktop.org/

sudo pacman -S imake

License: MIT-open-group AND HPND
Architecture: x86_64
1 dependencies
1 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Imake

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: imake from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

zypper95%

imake 1.0.11-1.3

C preprocessor interface to the make utility

https://xorg.freedesktop.org/

sudo zypper install imake

License: MIT
Category: Development/Tools/Building
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: imake
4 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Imake

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: imake from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

imake

sudo port install imake

normalized package name match
Matched by: Imake

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: x11/imake/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

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.

combined/imake.yml

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

Install imake with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper