Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install inotify-tools with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, zypper, winget

C library and command-line programs providing a simple interface to inotify. Version 4.25.9.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install inotify-tools

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add inotify-tools

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

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install inotify-tools

Debian stable package indexes · inotify-tools · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install inotify-tools

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · inotify-tools · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#inotify-tools

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/in/inotify-tools/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S inotify-tools

Arch Linux sync databases · inotify-tools · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install inotify-tools

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · inotify-tools · source: download.opensuse.org

Windows

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id thekid.inotifywait -e

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

overview

Package summary

C library and command-line programs providing a simple interface to inotify

Commands and aliases

  • fsnotifywait
  • fsnotifywatch
  • inotifywait
  • inotifywatch

history

Project history and usage

inotify-tools is a Linux-focused package of command-line utilities and a C library that expose the kernel inotify interface to shell scripts. The README says its purpose is to let inotify features be used from scripts, while the man page describes `inotifywait` as an efficient way to wait for filesystem changes.

Project history

The NEWS file records that inotify-tools began on 19 October 2005, close to the arrival of Linux inotify in the 2.6 kernel era. The project grew around `inotifywait`, `inotifywatch`, and `libinotifytools`, making filesystem event monitoring scriptable without each script needing to call kernel APIs directly.

The repository later added `fsnotifywait` and `fsnotifywatch` for fanotify-oriented workflows, and the README explicitly recommends enhancing the Rust version of the codebase over the older C/C++ version. That note captures an unusual maintenance transition for a long-lived Linux utility package.

Adoption history

inotify-tools is broadly packaged across Linux distributions and developer package managers because it is a small, dependable building block for file watchers, deploy hooks, build scripts, sync scripts, and daemon glue. Homebrew metadata lists packages across Alpine, Debian, Fedora, Nix, Pacman, Ubuntu, WinGet, and openSUSE.

How it is used

The most common command is `inotifywait`, which waits for events on files or directories, exits after a single event by default, or streams events with `--monitor`. The man page documents recursive watching, event selection, CSV and custom output formatting, daemon mode, syslog output, and warnings about watch limits such as `/proc/sys/fs/inotify/max_user_watches`.

Why package nerds care

For package maintainers, inotify-tools is one of the canonical tiny Unix tools: it bridges a Linux-specific kernel facility into shell-friendly text output. Its presence in package indexes often enables other packages' test suites, file-reload scripts, and live-build tooling.

Timeline

  • 2005: NEWS records inotify-tools begun.
  • 2005-2010s: `inotifywait`, `inotifywatch`, and `libinotifytools` become standard package-manager entries for Linux file-event scripting.
  • 2020s: Repository includes fanotify-facing `fsnotifywait` and `fsnotifywatch` alongside the inotify tools.
  • 2025: GitHub releases page lists release 4.25.9.0.

Related projects

  • Related technologies include Linux inotify, Linux fanotify, fsnotify, shell scripting, `watch`-style terminal tools, and higher-level file watcher packages that build on kernel event APIs.

security posture

Risk level: green

library-like package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

  • library-like package without higher-risk signals

Signals

  • metadata:library-like

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 2 platform targets.
  • 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

CommandKindExposureNote
fsnotifywaitcliglobal executable
fsnotifywatchcliglobal executable
inotifywaitcliglobal executable
inotifywatchcliglobal 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 version4.25.9.0
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:inotify-tools
Version4.25.9.0
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/inotify-tools
Homepagehttps://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools
Repositoryhttps://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools
Upstream docshttps://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools#readme
LicenseGPL-2.0-or-later
Source archivehttps://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools/archive/refs/tags/4.25.9.0.tar.gz
Build dependenciesautoconf, automake, libtool
Bottleavailable (on arm64_linux, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Nameinotify-tools
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Requirements
  • linux
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
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%

inotify-tools 4.23.9.0-2+b1

command-line programs providing a simple interface to inotify

https://github.com/rvoicilas/inotify-tools/wiki/

sudo apt install inotify-tools
  • Section: misc
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: inotify-tools from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libinotifytools0 4.23.9.0-2+b1

utility wrapper around inotify

https://github.com/rvoicilas/inotify-tools/wiki/

sudo apt install libinotifytools0
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libinotifytools0 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libinotifytools0-dev 4.23.9.0-2+b1

Development library and header files for libinotifytools0

https://github.com/rvoicilas/inotify-tools/wiki/

sudo apt install libinotifytools0-dev
  • Section: libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libinotifytools0-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

inotify-tools

nix profile install nixpkgs#inotify-tools
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/in/inotify-tools/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

inotify-tools 3.22.6.0-4

command-line programs providing a simple interface to inotify

https://github.com/rvoicilas/inotify-tools/wiki/

sudo apt install inotify-tools
  • Section: universe/misc
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: inotify-tools from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libinotifytools0 3.22.6.0-4

utility wrapper around inotify

https://github.com/rvoicilas/inotify-tools/wiki/

sudo apt install libinotifytools0
  • Section: universe/misc
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libinotifytools0 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libinotifytools0-dev 3.22.6.0-4

Development library and header files for libinotifytools0

https://github.com/rvoicilas/inotify-tools/wiki/

sudo apt install libinotifytools0-dev
  • Section: universe/misc
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libinotifytools0-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

inotify-tools 4.23.9.0-r0

C library and CLI tools providing a simple interface to inotify

https://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools

sudo apk add inotify-tools
  • License: GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: inotify-tools from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

inotify-tools-dev 4.23.9.0-r0

C library and CLI tools providing a simple interface to inotify (development files)

https://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools

sudo apk add inotify-tools-dev
  • License: GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: inotify-tools-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

inotify-tools-doc 4.23.9.0-r0

C library and CLI tools providing a simple interface to inotify (documentation)

https://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools

sudo apk add inotify-tools-doc
  • License: GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: inotify-tools-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

inotify-tools-libs 4.23.9.0-r0

C library and CLI tools providing a simple interface to inotify (libraries)

https://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools

sudo apk add inotify-tools-libs
  • License: GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: inotify-tools-libs from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

inotify-tools 4.23.9.0-6.fc44

Command line utilities for inotify

https://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools

sudo dnf install inotify-tools
  • License: GPL-2.0-only AND GPL-2.0-only WITH Linux-syscall-note AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: i686
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 4 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: inotify-tools from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
dnf95%

inotify-tools-devel 4.23.9.0-6.fc44

Headers and libraries for building apps that use libinotifytools

https://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools

sudo dnf install inotify-tools-devel
  • License: GPL-2.0-only AND GPL-2.0-only WITH Linux-syscall-note AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: i686
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 2 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: inotify-tools-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
pacman95%

inotify-tools 4.25.9.0-1

inotify-tools is a C library and a set of command-line programs for Linux providing a simple interface to inotify.

https://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools

sudo pacman -S inotify-tools
  • License: GPL
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: inotify-tools from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz
zypper95%

inotify-tools 4.25.9.0-1.3

Tools for inotify

https://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools

sudo zypper install inotify-tools
  • License: GPL-2.0-only WITH Linux-syscall-note AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Category: System/Monitoring
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 2 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: inotify-tools from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
zypper95%

inotify-tools-devel 4.25.9.0-1.3

Development files for inotify-tools

https://github.com/inotify-tools/inotify-tools

sudo zypper install inotify-tools-devel
  • License: GPL-2.0-only WITH Linux-syscall-note AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Category: Development/Tools/Other
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: inotify-tools
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Inotify Tools
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: inotify-tools-devel from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

package graph

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

Related tools

  • autoconfBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • automakeBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • libtoolBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.

Same workflow

  • direventShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, filesystem-monitoring, monitoring, system.
  • btrfs-progsShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, linux, system.
  • dfcShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, monitoring, system.
  • dufShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, monitoring, system.
  • dyskShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, linux, system.
  • e2fsprogsShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, filesystem, linux, system.

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.

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