brew

Install libnfc with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

Low level NFC SDK and Programmers API. Version 1.8.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install command Security notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install libnfc

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install libnfc

MacPorts ports tree · comms/libnfc/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add libnfc

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

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install libnfc-bin

Debian stable package indexes · libnfc-bin · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install libnfc

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#libnfc

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S libnfc

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install libnfc-devel

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libnfc-devel · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Low level NFC SDK and Programmers API

Project links

Commands and aliases

nfc-anticol
nfc-barcode
nfc-dep-initiator
nfc-dep-target
nfc-emulate-forum-tag2
nfc-emulate-forum-tag4
nfc-emulate-tag
nfc-emulate-uid
nfc-jewel
nfc-list
nfc-mfclassic
nfc-mfsetuid
nfc-mfultralight
nfc-poll
nfc-read-forum-tag3
nfc-relay
nfc-relay-picc
nfc-scan-device
pn53x-diagnose
pn53x-sam
pn53x-tamashell

history

Project history and usage

libnfc is the nfc-tools C library for user-space access to NFC devices. It targets low-level reader and tag work rather than a single application workflow, exposing reader, initiator, and target features through a portable API and companion command-line tools.

Project history

The README identifies libnfc as a Free/Libre Near Field Communication library and credits early historical contributors including Roel Verdult in 2009, Romuald Conty from 2009-2015, Romain Tartiere from 2010-2012, Philippe Teuwen from 2010-2013, and Ludovic Rousseau from 2012-2013.

The project moved its official development center to GitHub after older web and forum sites disappeared. The nfc-tools project page describes broad operating-system support across GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, Windows, and POSIX-style builds.

Adoption history

libnfc became a familiar dependency for desktop and embedded NFC experimentation because it supports inexpensive PN53x-class hardware, PC/SC readers, MIFARE Classic, FeliCa, ISO/IEC 14443 A/B, Jewel/Topaz, and peer-to-peer data exchange modes.

How it is used

The package ships many small diagnostic and manipulation tools, including nfc-list, nfc-poll, nfc-scan-device, nfc-mfclassic, nfc-mfultralight, and pn53x utilities. Official configuration examples use /etc/nfc/libnfc.conf and per-device files under /etc/nfc/devices.d when built with sysconfdir=/etc.

Why package nerds care

Package maintainers care about libnfc because it is where hardware access, udev/devd rules, USB libraries, PC/SC integration, and optional drivers all meet. It is also a hub for the nfc-tools ecosystem, with nearby projects such as libfreefare, libllcp, libndef, mfcuk, mfoc, and pam_nfc.

Timeline

2009: README copyright notes identify Roel Verdult and Romuald Conty among the early libnfc contributors.
2015: The nfc-tools project page identified GitHub as the code host and listed related nfc-tools projects.
2020-05-21: libnfc 1.7.2 was released, with the changelog warning it was incompatible with 1.7.1.
2020-05-22: libnfc 1.8.0 restored enum ordering compatibility and bumped the library version to 6.0.0.

Related projects

Related nfc-tools projects include libfreefare, libllcp, libndef, mfcuk, mfoc, nfc-eventd, nfcutils, and pam_nfc.
Hardware and protocol dependencies named by the project include libusb, pcsc-lite, PN53x devices, PC/SC readers, MIFARE Classic, and FeliCa.

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 13 platform targets.
Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
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.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: /etc/nfc/libnfc.conf/etc/nfc/devices.d/*.conf

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`nfc-anticol`	cli	global executable
`nfc-barcode`	cli	global executable
`nfc-dep-initiator`	cli	global executable
`nfc-dep-target`	cli	global executable
`nfc-emulate-forum-tag2`	cli	global executable
`nfc-emulate-forum-tag4`	cli	global executable
`nfc-emulate-tag`	cli	global executable
`nfc-emulate-uid`	cli	global executable
`nfc-jewel`	cli	global executable
`nfc-list`	cli	global executable
`nfc-mfclassic`	cli	global executable
`nfc-mfsetuid`	cli	global executable
`nfc-mfultralight`	cli	global executable
`nfc-poll`	cli	global executable
`nfc-read-forum-tag3`	cli	global executable
`nfc-relay`	cli	global executable
`nfc-relay-picc`	cli	global executable
`nfc-scan-device`	cli	global executable
`pn53x-diagnose`	cli	global executable
`pn53x-sam`	cli	global executable
`pn53x-tamashell`	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 version1.8.0

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/nfc-tools/libnfc

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/nfc-tools/libnfcnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:libnfc
Version	1.8.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/libnfc
Homepage	https://github.com/nfc-tools/libnfc
Repository	https://github.com/nfc-tools/libnfc
Upstream docs	https://github.com/nfc-tools/libnfc#readme
License	LGPL-3.0-or-later
Source archive	https://github.com/nfc-tools/libnfc/releases/download/libnfc-1.8.0/libnfc-1.8.0.tar.bz2
Dependencies	libusb-compat
Build dependencies	pkgconf
Uses from macOS	pcsc-lite
Bottle	available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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	libnfc
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%

libnfc-bin 1.8.0-3.1+b1

Near Field Communication (NFC) binaries

http://www.nfc-tools.org/

sudo apt install libnfc-bin

Section: utils
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: libnfc
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

Debian apt95%

libnfc-dev 1.8.0-3.1+b1

Near Field Communication (NFC) library (development files)

http://www.nfc-tools.org/

sudo apt install libnfc-dev

Section: libdevel
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: libnfc
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

Debian apt95%

libnfc-examples 1.8.0-3.1+b1

Near Field Communication (NFC) examples

http://www.nfc-tools.org/

sudo apt install libnfc-examples

Section: utils
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: libnfc
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

Debian apt95%

libnfc-pn53x-examples 1.8.0-3.1+b1

Near Field Communication (NFC) examples for PN53x chips only

http://www.nfc-tools.org/

sudo apt install libnfc-pn53x-examples

Section: utils
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: libnfc
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libnfc-pn53x-examples from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Debian apt95%

libnfc6 1.8.0-3.1+b1

Near Field Communication (NFC) library

http://www.nfc-tools.org/

sudo apt install libnfc6

Section: libs
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: libnfc
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libnfc6 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

libnfc

nix profile install nixpkgs#libnfc

normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

Ubuntu apt95%

libnfc-bin 1.8.0-3.1build1

Near Field Communication (NFC) binaries

http://www.nfc-tools.org/

sudo apt install libnfc-bin

Section: universe/utils
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: libnfc
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

Ubuntu apt95%

libnfc-dev 1.8.0-3.1build1

Near Field Communication (NFC) library (development files)

http://www.nfc-tools.org/

sudo apt install libnfc-dev

Section: universe/libdevel
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: libnfc
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

Ubuntu apt95%

libnfc-examples 1.8.0-3.1build1

Near Field Communication (NFC) examples

http://www.nfc-tools.org/

sudo apt install libnfc-examples

Section: universe/utils
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: libnfc
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

Ubuntu apt95%

libnfc-pn53x-examples 1.8.0-3.1build1

Near Field Communication (NFC) examples for PN53x chips only

http://www.nfc-tools.org/

sudo apt install libnfc-pn53x-examples

Section: universe/utils
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: libnfc
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libnfc-pn53x-examples from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

Ubuntu apt95%

libnfc6 1.8.0-3.1build1

Near Field Communication (NFC) library

http://www.nfc-tools.org/

sudo apt install libnfc6

Section: universe/libs
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: libnfc
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libnfc6 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

apk95%

libnfc 1.8.0-r2

Platform independent Near Field Communication (NFC) library

https://github.com/nfc-tools/libnfc

sudo apk add libnfc

License: LGPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: libnfc
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

apk95%

libnfc-dev 1.8.0-r2

Platform independent Near Field Communication (NFC) library (development files)

https://github.com/nfc-tools/libnfc

sudo apk add libnfc-dev

License: LGPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: libnfc
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

apk95%

libnfc-doc 1.8.0-r2

Platform independent Near Field Communication (NFC) library (documentation)

https://github.com/nfc-tools/libnfc

sudo apk add libnfc-doc

License: LGPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: libnfc
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

apk95%

libnfc-tools 1.8.0-r2

Platform independent Near Field Communication (NFC) library (tools)

https://github.com/nfc-tools/libnfc

sudo apk add libnfc-tools

License: LGPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: libnfc
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

dnf95%

libnfc 1.8.0-13.fc44

NFC SDK and Programmers API

http://www.libnfc.org/

sudo dnf install libnfc

License: LGPL-3.0-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: i686
Source Package: libnfc
6 dependencies
3 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Libnfc

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

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/libnfc.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install libnfc with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

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

Risk level: yellow

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

Recommended review

Configuration and credential file locations

Configuration files

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

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Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

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