install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install kcov

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install kcov

MacPorts ports tree · devel/kcov/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install kcov

Debian stable package indexes · kcov · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install kcov

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#kcov

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S kcov

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install kcov

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

overview

Package summary

Code coverage tester for compiled programs, Python, and shell scripts

Project links

Commands and aliases

kcov
kcov-system-daemon

history

Project history and usage

kcov is a code coverage tool for compiled programs, Python, and shell scripts. Its README says it began as a fork of Bcov and uses DWARF debugging information so programs can be measured without special compiler switches.

Project history

Simon Kagstrom created the GitHub repository in August 2010. From the README's account, kcov started with Bcov's idea of using debug information for coverage and then expanded into a broader coverage-reporting tool with HTML, lcov-style output, Cobertura XML, JSON output, and CI integrations.

Release history documents platform and integration work through the 2010s and 2020s, including Docker images from v31, macOS binaries in v32, FreeBSD and macOS build work in v36, AArch64 support in release 38, RISC-V and Codecov updates in v41, and Cobertura/Jenkins fixes in v43.

Adoption history

The batch input records packages in Homebrew, Debian, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, and openSUSE. Upstream docs also point to an official Docker image, making kcov available through both traditional package managers and container workflows.

How it is used

A typical invocation runs kcov with an output directory and an executable plus arguments. Users filter included or excluded paths, merge multiple coverage runs, and publish reports to CI services such as Coveralls, Codecov, Jenkins, SonarQube, GitHub Actions, and GitLab CI.

Why package nerds care

kcov is notable because it brings coverage to binaries and scripts without requiring the build to be compiled with coverage instrumentation. For distro packagers and CI maintainers, that makes it useful for testing shell-heavy or mixed-language projects where gcov-style workflows are awkward.

Timeline

2010-08-23: GitHub repository created.
2015-11-02: v29 release published.
2016-04-28: v31 release published; README documents official Docker images for releases since v31.
2018-08-23: v36 release included FreeBSD port and macOS build fixes.
2020-01-17: release 38 added AArch64 support.
2024-07-23: v43 release included Cobertura and Jenkins fixes.

Related projects

kcov descends from Bcov and integrates with coverage-reporting services including Coveralls, Codecov, Jenkins, SonarQube, GitHub Actions, and GitLab CI.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: yellow

generalized runtime or code generation signal.

Risk classifier

yellow risk · medium confidence · runtime

Why

generalized runtime or code generation signal

Signals

text:shell

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Installs with 2 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
`kcov`	cli	global executable
`kcov-system-daemon`	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 version43

manager updated2026-06-13

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/SimonKagstrom/kcov

infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/SimonKagstrom/kcovnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:kcov
Version	43
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/kcov
Homepage	https://simonkagstrom.github.io/kcov/
Repository	https://github.com/SimonKagstrom/kcov
Upstream docs	https://github.com/SimonKagstrom/kcov#readme
License	GPL-2.0-or-later
Source archive	https://github.com/SimonKagstrom/kcov/archive/refs/tags/v43.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-13T23:35:01+02:00
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	dwarfutils, openssl@3
Build dependencies	cmake, pkgconf
Uses from macOS	curl
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	kcov
Version Scheme	0
Revision	1
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head 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%

kcov 43+dfsg-1+b4

Code coverage analysis using DWARF debugging information

https://simonkagstrom.github.io/kcov/

sudo apt install kcov

Section: devel
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: kcov
8 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Kcov

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

Nix95%

kcov

nix profile install nixpkgs#kcov

normalized package name match
Matched by: Kcov

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

dnf95%

kcov 43-4.fc44

Code coverage tool without special compilation options

https://simonkagstrom.github.io/kcov

sudo dnf install kcov

License: GPL-2.0-only AND MIT AND (GPL-2.0-only OR MIT)
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: kcov
8 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Kcov

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

pacman95%

kcov 43-1

Code coverage tester for compiled programs, Python scripts and shell scripts

https://simonkagstrom.github.io/kcov

sudo pacman -S kcov

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
6 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Kcov

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

zypper95%

kcov 42-4.3

Code coverage tool without special compilation options

https://github.com/SimonKagstrom/kcov

sudo zypper install kcov

License: APSL-2.0 AND GPL-2.0-only
Category: Development/Tools/Other
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: kcov
11 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Kcov

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

MacPorts95%

kcov

sudo port install kcov

normalized package name match
Matched by: Kcov

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: devel/kcov/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/kcov.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 kcov with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper