install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install lego

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install lego

MacPorts ports tree · security/lego/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add lego

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

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install lego

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#lego

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S lego

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install lego

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

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/lego

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/lego.json · source: api.github.com

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%

winget install --id GoACME.lego -e

Windows Package Manager source index · GoACME.lego · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

overview

Package summary

Let's Encrypt client and ACME library

Project links

Commands and aliases

lego

history

Project history and usage

Lego is an ACME client and Go library for obtaining, renewing, and revoking certificates from Let's Encrypt and other ACME certificate authorities.

Project history

The project began in 2015, before Let's Encrypt's public beta and before ACME became an RFC. A maintainer discussion explains that lego started around the need to make HTTPS automatic in a Go web-server project, at a time when Certbot still had a different name and ACME client tooling was experimental.

Lego evolved into both a command-line client and an embeddable Go library. Its docs emphasize support for ACME v2/RFC 8555, multiple ACME servers, HTTP-01, DNS-01, TLS-ALPN-01, DNS-PERSIST-01, wildcard and SAN certificates, and a large DNS-provider integration matrix.

Adoption history

Lego's package-manager adoption is broad because certificate automation needs simple deployment on servers, containers, NAS devices, and CI hosts. The Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Alpine, Arch, MacPorts, Nix, Scoop, winget, and zypper package presence in the input mirrors that role: it is a practical infrastructure binary rather than a language-only library.

How it is used

Users commonly call `lego run` or `lego renew` with an email, domains, and a challenge method. DNS-01 support is especially important for wildcard certificates and machines that cannot expose HTTP challenges; the docs maintain per-provider credential and environment-variable pages for that integration surface.

Why package nerds care

Lego is package-nerd significant because it turned the messy edge of ACME automation into a portable Go binary with hundreds of provider integrations. It also became a library substrate for other Go programs that wanted certificate automation without shelling out to Certbot.

Timeline

2015: The project started before Let's Encrypt's public beta.
2015-12-03: Dependency metadata records lego v0.1.0.
2019-03: RFC 8555 standardized ACME v2.
2024-09-05: The project disclosed GHSA-q82r-2j7m-9rv4 for HTTPS enforcement in ACME API use.
2026-05: Official docs listed more than 200 DNS providers.

Related projects

Related ACME clients include Certbot, acme.sh, dehydrated, Caddy's automatic HTTPS stack, Traefik's ACME support, win-acme, and Boulder, the Let's Encrypt CA software. Related standards include ACME RFC 8555 and challenge specifications such as HTTP-01, DNS-01, and TLS-ALPN-01.

Sources

security posture

No protected-tool coverage found yet

No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for lego. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 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
`lego`	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 version5.2.2

manager updated2026-06-02

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv5.2.2

https://github.com/go-acme/lego

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:lego
Version	5.2.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/lego
Homepage	https://go-acme.github.io/lego/
Repository	https://github.com/go-acme/lego
Upstream docs	https://go-acme.github.io/lego
License	MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/go-acme/lego/archive/refs/tags/v5.2.2.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-02T16:51:52Z
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
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	lego
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	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%

lego 4.9.1-2

Let's Encrypt client

https://github.com/go-acme/lego

sudo apt install lego

Section: devel
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: golang-github-xenolf-lego
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Lego

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

Nix95%

lego

nix profile install nixpkgs#lego

normalized package name match
Matched by: Lego

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

Ubuntu apt95%

lego 4.9.1-2

Let's Encrypt client

https://github.com/go-acme/lego

sudo apt install lego

Section: universe/devel
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: golang-github-xenolf-lego
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Lego

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: lego from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

apk95%

lego 4.35.2-r1

Let's Encrypt client and ACME library written in Go

https://github.com/go-acme/lego

sudo apk add lego

License: MIT
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: lego
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Lego

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

apk95%

lego-doc 4.35.2-r1

Let's Encrypt client and ACME library written in Go (documentation)

https://github.com/go-acme/lego

sudo apk add lego-doc

License: MIT
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: lego
normalized package name match
Matched by: Lego

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

pacman95%

lego 5.2.2-1

Lets Encrypt client and ACME library

https://go-acme.github.io/lego

sudo pacman -S lego

License: MIT
Architecture: x86_64
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Lego

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

zypper95%

lego 5.2.2-1.1

Let's Encrypt/ACME client and library written in Go

https://github.com/go-acme/lego

sudo zypper install lego

License: MIT
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: lego
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Lego

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

MacPorts95%

lego

sudo port install lego

normalized package name match
Matched by: Lego

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

Scoop95%

main/lego

scoop install main/lego

normalized package name match
Matched by: Lego

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/lego.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

winget95%

GoACME.lego

winget install --id GoACME.lego -e

normalized package name match
Matched by: Lego

Windows Package Manager source index · cdn.winget.microsoft.com · Windows Package Manager source index: GoACME.lego from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix

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/lego.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 lego with Homebrew, apk, apt, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget, zypper

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Windows

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

No protected-tool coverage found yet

Install behavior

Recommended review

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Related tools

Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources