# Install iptables with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, zypper

Linux kernel packet control tool. Version 1.8.13 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:iptables
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install iptables
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

### Linux

- apk (92%):

```sh
sudo apk add iptables
```

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

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install iptables
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: iptables from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

- dnf (92%):

```sh
sudo dnf install iptables-devel
```

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

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#iptables
```

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

- pacman (92%):

```sh
sudo pacman -S iptables
```

  Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: iptables from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz

- zypper (92%):

```sh
sudo zypper install iptables
```

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

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:iptables
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Package manager page:** <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/iptables>
- **Version:** 1.8.13
- **Source summary:** Linux kernel packet control tool
- **Homepage:** <https://www.netfilter.org/projects/iptables/index.html>
- **Repository:** <https://git.netfilter.org/iptables>
- **Upstream docs:** <https://www.netfilter.org/documentation/index.html>
- **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later
- **Source archive:** <https://www.netfilter.org/pub/iptables/iptables-1.8.13.tar.xz>
- **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00

## Executables

- arptables (cli)
- arptables-nft (cli)
- arptables-nft-restore (cli)
- arptables-nft-save (cli)
- arptables-restore (cli)
- arptables-save (cli)
- arptables-translate (cli)
- ebtables (cli)
- ebtables-nft (cli)
- ebtables-nft-restore (cli)
- ebtables-nft-save (cli)
- ebtables-restore (cli)
- ebtables-save (cli)
- ebtables-translate (cli)
- ip6tables (cli)
- ip6tables-apply (cli)
- ip6tables-legacy (cli)
- ip6tables-legacy-restore (cli)
- ip6tables-legacy-save (cli)
- ip6tables-nft (cli)
- ip6tables-nft-restore (cli)
- ip6tables-nft-save (cli)
- ip6tables-restore (cli)
- ip6tables-restore-translate (cli)
- ip6tables-save (cli)
- ip6tables-translate (cli)
- iptables (cli)
- iptables-apply (cli)
- iptables-legacy (cli)
- iptables-legacy-restore (cli)
- iptables-legacy-save (cli)
- iptables-nft (cli)
- iptables-nft-restore (cli)
- iptables-nft-save (cli)
- iptables-restore (cli)
- iptables-restore-translate (cli)
- iptables-save (cli)
- iptables-translate (cli)
- iptables-xml (cli)
- nfbpf_compile (cli)
- nfnl_osf (cli)
- xtables-legacy-multi (cli)
- xtables-monitor (cli)
- xtables-nft-multi (cli)
- arptables (alias)
- arptables-nft (alias)
- arptables-nft-restore (alias)
- arptables-nft-save (alias)
- arptables-restore (alias)
- arptables-save (alias)
- arptables-translate (alias)
- ebtables (alias)
- ebtables-nft (alias)
- ebtables-nft-restore (alias)
- ebtables-nft-save (alias)
- ebtables-restore (alias)
- ebtables-save (alias)
- ebtables-translate (alias)
- ip6tables (alias)
- ip6tables-apply (alias)
- ip6tables-legacy (alias)
- ip6tables-legacy-restore (alias)
- ip6tables-legacy-save (alias)
- ip6tables-nft (alias)
- ip6tables-nft-restore (alias)
- ip6tables-nft-save (alias)
- ip6tables-restore (alias)
- ip6tables-restore-translate (alias)
- ip6tables-save (alias)
- ip6tables-translate (alias)
- iptables (alias)
- iptables-apply (alias)
- iptables-legacy (alias)
- iptables-legacy-restore (alias)
- iptables-legacy-save (alias)
- iptables-nft (alias)
- iptables-nft-restore (alias)
- iptables-nft-save (alias)
- iptables-restore (alias)
- iptables-restore-translate (alias)
- iptables-save (alias)
- iptables-translate (alias)
- iptables-xml (alias)
- nfbpf_compile (alias)
- nfnl_osf (alias)
- xtables-legacy-multi (alias)
- xtables-monitor (alias)
- xtables-nft-multi (alias)

## Dependencies

- libmnl
- libnetfilter_conntrack
- libnfnetlink
- libnftnl
- libpcap
- nftables

## Build dependencies

- pkgconf

## Install behavior

- Post-install hook: not defined
- Bottle: available on arm64_linux, x86_64_linux

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-07-08
- Package-manager version: 1.8.13
- Local data: ok
- Upstream repository: https://www.netfilter.org/projects/iptables/index.html
- info: No package-manager update timestamp was available.
- info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.
## Project history and usage

iptables is the long-lived user-space command family for controlling Linux packet filtering, NAT, and mangling rules through the netfilter framework. It sits at the intersection of kernel networking, firewall administration, and distribution packaging, with companion commands such as ip6tables, arptables, ebtables, restore/save tools, and nft translation frontends.

### Project history

The netfilter project was founded by Paul "Rusty" Russell as a redesign of the Linux 2.2 ipchains and Linux 2.0 ipfwadm firewall systems. Netfilter's own project history describes the late-1999 design work by Russell and Marc Boucher that generalized iptables and produced the multiple-table framework that became the filter, nat, and mangle modules.

iptables became the administrative surface for the Linux 2.4 era of packet filtering. The project grew alongside connection tracking, NAT helpers, userspace queueing, IPv6 work through ip6tables, and later the xtables command family that collected IPv4, IPv6, ARP, and Ethernet bridge filtering tools under related interfaces.

The iptables 1.8 series marked the nftables transition period by shipping both legacy xtables commands and nft-backed variants such as iptables-nft, ip6tables-nft, arptables-nft, ebtables-nft, and translation tools. That made iptables both a historic interface and a migration bridge to nftables.

### Adoption history

iptables was adopted broadly because it arrived with the Linux kernel's netfilter subsystem and offered a scriptable firewall language that distributions, hosting providers, routers, container stacks, and security appliances could automate. Its save/restore format made rulesets easy to ship in init scripts and configuration management.

The package remains visible in package-manager culture because many Linux systems, compatibility scripts, and container/networking components still know the iptables command vocabulary even when the underlying backend is nftables. Homebrew's package metadata also exposes the full command family for macOS users who need the Linux-compatible tooling.

### How it is used

Typical use centers on creating chains and rules for packet filtering, network address translation, port forwarding, connection-state matching, and firewall persistence with iptables-save and iptables-restore. Administrators also use iptables-translate and iptables-restore-translate when moving legacy rule sets toward nftables.

The package is Linux-specific in purpose: on non-Linux systems it is mostly useful for packaging, cross-development, documentation, or compatibility workflows rather than native packet filtering.

### Why package nerds care

For package nerds, iptables is one of the canonical examples of a small command-line package whose real meaning comes from the kernel ABI underneath it. Its packaging has to preserve many executable names because shell scripts, orchestration tools, and documentation often reference exact command variants.

It is also a transition fossil: one package contains legacy commands, nft-backed commands, multi-call binaries, and translation helpers, making it a compact map of two generations of Linux firewall administration.

### Timeline

- 1999: Netfilter core design work generalized iptables and the filter, nat, and mangle table model.
- 2000: Netfilter and iptables work was prepared for inclusion with Linux 2.4.
- 2001: Linux 2.4 made netfilter/iptables the standard Linux firewall framework.
- 2018: iptables 1.8 introduced the nft-backed command variants as part of the nftables migration path.
- 2026: Netfilter news records continued iptables 1.8 maintenance releases.

### Related projects

- iptables is closely related to netfilter kernel hooks, nftables, libnftnl, conntrack-tools, ipset, ulogd, arptables, ebtables, and the older ipchains and ipfwadm systems it replaced.

### Sources

- <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/iptables>
- <https://git.netfilter.org/iptables>
- <https://www.netfilter.org/about.html>
- <https://www.netfilter.org/projects/iptables/index.html>
- <https://www.netfilter.org/projects/nftables/index.html>


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

## Source Database Details

- **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API
- **Tap:** homebrew/core
- **Full Name:** iptables
- **Version Scheme:** 0
- **Revision:** 0
- **Requirements:** linux
- **Bottle Stable Root URL:** <https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core>
- **Deprecated:** no
- **Disabled:** no
- **Keg Only:** no
- **URL Keys:** stable

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Debian apt - iptables - 1.8.11-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: iptables from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | administration tools for packet filtering and NAT | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Debian apt - libip4tc-dev - 1.8.11-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libip4tc-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Development files for libip4tc | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Debian apt - libip4tc2 - 1.8.11-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libip4tc2 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | netfilter libip4tc library | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Debian apt - libip6tc-dev - 1.8.11-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libip6tc-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Development files for libip6tc | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Debian apt - libip6tc2 - 1.8.11-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libip6tc2 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | netfilter libip6tc library | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Debian apt - libiptc-dev - 1.8.11-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libiptc-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Common development files for libiptc | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Debian apt - libxtables-dev - 1.8.11-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libxtables-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | netfilter xtables library -- development files | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Debian apt - libxtables12 - 1.8.11-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libxtables12 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | netfilter xtables library | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Nix - iptables: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ip/iptables/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Ubuntu apt - iptables - 1.8.10-3ubuntu2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: iptables from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | administration tools for packet filtering and NAT | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Ubuntu apt - libip4tc-dev - 1.8.10-3ubuntu2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libip4tc-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Development files for libip4tc | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Ubuntu apt - libip4tc2 - 1.8.10-3ubuntu2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libip4tc2 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | netfilter libip4tc library | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Ubuntu apt - libip6tc-dev - 1.8.10-3ubuntu2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libip6tc-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Development files for libip6tc | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Ubuntu apt - libip6tc2 - 1.8.10-3ubuntu2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libip6tc2 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | netfilter libip6tc library | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Ubuntu apt - libiptc-dev - 1.8.10-3ubuntu2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libiptc-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Common development files for libiptc | https://www.netfilter.org/
- Ubuntu apt - libxtables-dev - 1.8.10-3ubuntu2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libxtables-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | netfilter xtables library -- development files | https://www.netfilter.org/


## Related links

- [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.
- [Web development packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/web-dev-tools/) - Matched web development metadata.
- [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider.
- [libpcap](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libpcap/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [nftables](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nftables/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [aerleon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aerleon/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, firewall, networking.
- [gateway-go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gateway-go/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, nat, networking.
- [iproute2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/iproute2/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, linux, networking.
- [iputils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/iputils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, linux, networking.
- [libnl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libnl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, linux, networking.
- [net-tools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/net-tools/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, linux, networking.
- [nethogs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nethogs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, linux, networking.

## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/iptables.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/iptables.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