macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install jigdolocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install jigdoMacPorts ports tree · net/jigdo/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install jigdo with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper
Tool to distribute very large files over the internet. Version 0.8.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install jigdo-fileDebian stable package indexes · jigdo-file · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install jigdoFedora Rawhide package metadata · jigdo · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#jigdonixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ji/jigdo/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install jigdoopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · jigdo · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Tool to distribute very large files over the internet
Project links
Commands and aliases
- jigdo-file
- jigdo-lite
- jigdo-mirror
history
Project history and usage
jigdo, short for Jigsaw Download, is a tool for distributing very large files by reconstructing them from pieces already available on mirrors. It is best known for Debian CD and DVD image distribution.
Project history
Richard Atterer originally designed jigdo and wrote the first implementation. Steve McIntyre's official page says maintenance later passed to him, with development tracked in the git.einval.com repository.
The original jigdo format used MD5 checksums for both file matches and full-image tracking. McIntyre extended the code with a v2 format in jigdo 0.8.0, replacing the internal checksum basis with SHA256 while preserving version handling for jigdo and template files.
Adoption history
jigdo's most visible adoption came from Debian installation media. The official page states that Debian and other users released ISO images in the MD5-based v1.x format from around 2004 through late 2023, and that Debian switched trixie jigdo files to SHA256-based v2 format in October 2023.
It remains packaged in Debian, Ubuntu, Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, Fedora, and other systems because it solves a distribution problem that ordinary direct downloads and mirrors do not: large image reconstruction without forcing every mirror to host every generated image as a monolithic file.
How it is used
`jigdo-lite` is the user-facing downloader for reconstructing an image from a `.jigdo` file and a matching template. `jigdo-file` creates and inspects jigdo/template data, while `jigdo-mirror` supports mirror-oriented workflows.
The tool is used when large release images can be assembled from files that already exist on package mirrors, saving bandwidth and storage for both users and mirror operators.
Why package nerds care
jigdo is historically important package-distribution infrastructure. It represents a pre-container, pre-cloud answer to the same problem package systems still face: how to distribute large reproducible artifacts efficiently from existing package pools.
The 2023 SHA256 v2 transition is especially package-nerdy because it shows a long-lived file format migrating away from MD5 while maintaining compatibility behavior for older tools and older release media.
Timeline
- 2004: Debian and other users began releasing ISO images using the MD5-based jigdo v1.x format around this period.
- 2023: Jigdo 0.8.2 was released.
- 2023: Debian trixie jigdo files switched to SHA256-based v2 format.
- 2025: Steve McIntyre's jigdo page recorded the git.einval.com repository as the source-code home.
Related projects
- jigit and libjte are Steve McIntyre's related reimplementation of a subset of jigdo features.
- genisoimage historically included support for generating jigdo files beside ISO images.
- xorriso uses libjte to generate jigdo files for ISO-image workflows.
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 3 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
jigdo-file | cli | global executable | |
jigdo-lite | cli | global executable | |
jigdo-mirror | 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 version0.8.2
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://www.einval.com/~steve/software/jigdo/
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.einval.com/~steve/software/jigdo/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:jigdo |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.8.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/jigdo |
| Homepage | https://www.einval.com/~steve/software/jigdo/ |
| Repository | https://git.einval.com/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=jigdo.git%3Ba%3Dsummary |
| Upstream docs | https://www.einval.com/~steve/software/jigdo |
| License | GPL-2.0-only WITH openvpn-openssl-exception |
| Source archive | https://www.einval.com/~steve/software/jigdo/download/jigdo-0.8.2.tar.xz |
| Dependencies | berkeley-db@5, gettext, wget |
| Build dependencies | gettext, pkgconf |
| Uses from macOS | bzip2 |
| 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 | jigdo |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| 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%
jigdo-file 0.8.2-1+b1
Download Debian CD/DVD/USB images from any Debian mirror
https://www.einval.com/~steve/software/jigdo/
sudo apt install jigdo-file- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: jigdo
- 7 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Jigdo
Nix95%
jigdo
nix profile install nixpkgs#jigdo- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Jigdo
Ubuntu apt95%
jigdo-file 0.8.2-1build2
Download Debian CD/DVD/USB images from any Debian mirror
https://www.einval.com/~steve/software/jigdo/
sudo apt install jigdo-file- Section: universe/utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: jigdo
- 7 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Jigdo
dnf95%
jigdo 0.8.2-7.fc44
Ease distribution of large files over the Internet
https://www.einval.com/~steve/software/jigdo/
sudo dnf install jigdo- License: GPL-2.0-only WITH x11vnc-openssl-exception
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: jigdo
- 9 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Jigdo
zypper95%
jigdo 0.8.2-1.6
Jigsaw Download
https://www.einval.com/~steve/software/jigdo/
sudo zypper install jigdo- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Productivity/Networking/Other
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: jigdo
- 8 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Jigdo
MacPorts95%
jigdo
sudo port install jigdo- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Jigdo
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