# Install libeatmydata with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, zypper LD_PRELOAD library and wrapper to transparently disable fsync and related calls. Version 131 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:libeatmydata ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install libeatmydata ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add libeatmydata ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libeatmydata from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install eatmydata ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: eatmydata from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install eatmydata ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: eatmydata 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#libeatmydata ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/li/libeatmydata/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S libeatmydata ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: libeatmydata from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install eatmydata ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: eatmydata from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:libeatmydata - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 131 - **Source summary:** LD_PRELOAD library and wrapper to transparently disable fsync and related calls - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:05:16-07:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - eatmydata (cli) - eatmydata (alias) ## Build dependencies - autoconf - autoconf-archive - automake - libtool ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 131 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-22 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/stewartsmith/libeatmydata - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage libeatmydata is Stewart Smith's LD_PRELOAD library and `eatmydata` wrapper that deliberately turns durability operations such as fsync and O_SYNC into no-ops to make disposable test or build workloads faster. ### Project history The project page describes libeatmydata as a small LD_PRELOAD library, warns users not to use it where stored data matters, and notes a migration from an old Bazaar repository to GitHub. The GitHub README ties the project to Smith's linux.conf.au 2007 talk, 'Eat My Data: How Everybody gets File IO Wrong,' and says the talk covered common mistakes in POSIX file I/O. The GitHub tags show historical releases libeatmydata-65 in September 2012, libeatmydata-82 in June 2013, libeatmydata-105 in November 2016, then v129 in April 2021, v130 in October 2021, and v131 in January 2023. The v130 release added a `syncfs()` wrapper, and v131 included macOS build and test fixes. ### Adoption history The official page notes that most Linux distributions package libeatmydata as `eatmydata`, and the README gives Debian/Ubuntu installation as `apt install eatmydata`. Its adoption is strongest in test suites, package builds, and other repeatable workloads where crash safety is intentionally traded away for speed. ### How it is used The normal usage is intentionally tiny: install the package and run `eatmydata foo`. The README and project page both stress the safety boundary: use it for testing or disposable work, not for programs whose on-disk data you care about. ### Why package nerds care libeatmydata is beloved package-nerd plumbing because it names the tradeoff honestly and exposes it as one wrapper command. It is especially useful for distribution builders and database test runners who understand that avoiding fsync is unsafe for production but valuable in controlled, throwaway environments. ### Timeline - 2007: Project originated from Stewart Smith's linux.conf.au talk on POSIX file I/O mistakes. - 2012: libeatmydata-65 tag published. - 2013: libeatmydata-82 tag published. - 2016: libeatmydata-105 tag published. - 2021: v129 and v130 releases published; v130 added syncfs wrapping. - 2023: v131 release published with small fixes including macOS build and test work. ### Related projects - The project history references Bazaar, Launchpad, GitHub, Linux distribution packages named `eatmydata`, MySQL test-suite usage, and the POSIX file I/O APIs that the preload library intercepts. ### Sources - - - - ## Security Notes library-like package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - library-like package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** libeatmydata - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - eatmydata - 131-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: eatmydata from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Library and utilities designed to disable fsync and friends | https://www.flamingspork.com/projects/libeatmydata/ - Debian apt - libeatmydata1 - 131-2+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libeatmydata1 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Library and utilities designed to disable fsync and friends - shared library | https://www.flamingspork.com/projects/libeatmydata/ - Nix - libeatmydata: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/li/libeatmydata/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - eatmydata - 131-1ubuntu1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: eatmydata from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Library and utilities designed to disable fsync and friends | https://www.flamingspork.com/projects/libeatmydata/ - Ubuntu apt - libeatmydata1 - 131-1ubuntu1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libeatmydata1 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Library and utilities designed to disable fsync and friends - shared library | https://www.flamingspork.com/projects/libeatmydata/ - apk - libeatmydata - 131-r7: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libeatmydata from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | LD_PRELOAD library and utility that disables all forms of writing data safely to disk | https://www.flamingspork.com/projects/libeatmydata/ - dnf - eatmydata - 131-3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: eatmydata from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Utility to disable fsync() and friends for the command specified | https://www.flamingspork.com/projects/libeatmydata/ - dnf - libeatmydata - 131-3.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: libeatmydata from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Library and utilities designed to disable fsync and friends | https://www.flamingspork.com/projects/libeatmydata/ - pacman - libeatmydata - 131-2: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: libeatmydata from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Library and utilities designed to disable fsync and friends. | https://github.com/stewartsmith/libeatmydata - zypper - eatmydata - 131-2.3: installed executable or alias match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: eatmydata from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | A library to disable fsync calls | https://www.flamingspork.com/projects/libeatmydata/ ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [autoconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autoconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [automake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/automake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libtool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libtool/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [eatmemory](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/eatmemory/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system, testing. - [ioping](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ioping/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system. - [libcpucycles](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libcpucycles/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system. - [vmtouch](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/vmtouch/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system. - [phoronix-test-suite](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/phoronix-test-suite/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system, testing. - [asitop](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/asitop/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system. - [fakeroot](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fakeroot/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, ld-preload, system. - [fio](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fio/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/libeatmydata.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/libeatmydata.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