macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install libkiwixlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install libkiwix with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman
Common code base for all Kiwix ports. Version 14.2.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-21.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add libkiwixAlpine Linux edge package indexes · libkiwix · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libkiwix-devDebian stable package indexes · libkiwix-dev · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install libkiwixFedora Rawhide package metadata · libkiwix · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#libkiwixnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/libkiwix/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S libkiwixArch Linux sync databases · libkiwix · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
overview
Package summary
Common code base for all Kiwix ports
Project links
Commands and aliases
- kiwix-compile-i18n
- kiwix-compile-resources
history
Project history and usage
libkiwix is the shared C++ core of the Kiwix software suite, which reads and serves offline web-content archives in the ZIM format. It packages the reusable pieces used across Kiwix ports for desktop, mobile, server, and related tools.
Project history
Kiwix developed around the idea that large web knowledge bases, especially Wikipedia, should be browsable without a network connection. libkiwix separated the shared application core from individual ports, giving Kiwix a library layer for ZIM integration, HTTP serving, resource compilation, internationalization, and common UI/server assets.
The repository's 0.1 tag is anchored in March 2017, with a 1.0.0 release merge in October 2017 and a 3.1.0 release merge in December 2018. The README describes the library as code shared by all Kiwix ports on Windows, GNU/Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and other platforms.
Adoption history
libkiwix adoption follows Kiwix adoption: schools, offline deployments, constrained networks, and personal archives need native tools that can read ZIM files and expose them through desktop interfaces or HTTP servers. Packages in Homebrew and major Linux distributions make the shared core available without building the whole Kiwix stack by hand.
Its dependency list shows where it sits in the offline-content stack: libzim for archive access, ICU for language handling, libcurl and aria2 for network/download support, microhttpd for serving, and Meson/Ninja for modern builds.
How it is used
End users usually see libkiwix through Kiwix applications rather than calling the library directly. Developers and packagers use it to build Kiwix Desktop, kiwix-tools, embedded HTTP serving, library management, resource compilation, and custom index pages for ZIM collections.
Why package nerds care
libkiwix is a good example of a project-specific shared core becoming a distribution package because downstream ports need consistent ABI, dependencies, and data-format behavior. For package managers, it connects a large offline-knowledge application family to the smaller openZIM/libzim ecosystem.
Timeline
- 2017-03-21: 0.1 tag points at a Meson project-version fix.
- 2017-10-23: 1.0.0 release merge.
- 2018-12-03: 3.1.0 release merge.
- 2020s: README documents shared use across Windows, GNU/Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and POSIX build paths.
Related projects
- Related projects include Kiwix Desktop, kiwix-tools, openZIM, libzim, zimwriterfs, ICU, aria2, libcurl, GNU libmicrohttpd, and the broader Kiwix offline-content catalog.
Sources
security posture
No protected-tool coverage found yet
No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for libkiwix. 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.
- Installs with 5 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
kiwix-compile-i18n | cli | global executable | |
kiwix-compile-resources | 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 version14.2.1
manager updated2026-06-21
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected14.2.1
https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:libkiwix |
|---|---|
| Version | 14.2.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/libkiwix |
| Homepage | https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix |
| Repository | https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix#readme |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix/archive/refs/tags/14.2.1.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-21T00:20:16Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | icu4c@78, libmicrohttpd, libzim, pugixml, xapian |
| Build dependencies | meson, ninja, 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 | libkiwix |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| 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%
libkiwix-dev 14.0.0-1.1+b1
library of common code for Kiwix (development)
https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix
sudo apt install libkiwix-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libkiwix
- 8 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libkiwix
Debian apt95%
libkiwix14 14.0.0-1.1+b1
library of common code for Kiwix
https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix
sudo apt install libkiwix14- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libkiwix
- 11 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libkiwix
Nix95%
libkiwix
nix profile install nixpkgs#libkiwix- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libkiwix
Ubuntu apt95%
libkiwix-dev 12.1.1-1.1build2
library of common code for Kiwix (development)
https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix
sudo apt install libkiwix-dev- Section: universe/libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libkiwix
- 7 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libkiwix
Ubuntu apt95%
libkiwix12t64 12.1.1-1.1build2
library of common code for Kiwix
https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix
sudo apt install libkiwix12t64- Section: universe/libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libkiwix
- 11 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libkiwix
apk95%
libkiwix 14.2.0-r1
Common code base for all Kiwix ports
https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix
sudo apk add libkiwix- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libkiwix
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libkiwix
apk95%
libkiwix-dev 14.2.0-r1
Common code base for all Kiwix ports (development files)
https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix
sudo apk add libkiwix-dev- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libkiwix
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libkiwix
apk95%
libkiwix-doc 14.2.0-r1
Common code base for all Kiwix ports (documentation)
https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix
sudo apk add libkiwix-doc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libkiwix
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libkiwix
dnf95%
libkiwix 14.2.1-2.fc45
Common code base for all Kiwix ports
https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix
sudo dnf install libkiwix- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: libkiwix
- 14 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libkiwix
dnf95%
libkiwix-devel 14.2.1-2.fc45
Development files for libkiwix
https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix
sudo dnf install libkiwix-devel- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: libkiwix
- 4 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libkiwix
pacman95%
libkiwix 14.2.1-1
Library providing the Kiwix software core
https://github.com/kiwix/libkiwix
sudo pacman -S libkiwix- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 7 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libkiwix
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