macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install libplistlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install libplistMacPorts ports tree · textproc/libplist/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install libplist with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Library for Apple Binary- and XML-Property Lists. Version 2.7.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-13.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add libplistAlpine Linux edge package indexes · libplist · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libplist++-2.0-4Debian stable package indexes · libplist++-2.0-4 · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install libplistFedora Rawhide package metadata · libplist · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#libplistnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/libplist/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S libplistArch Linux sync databases · libplist · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libplist++-2_0-4openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libplist++-2_0-4 · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Library for Apple Binary- and XML-Property Lists
Project links
Commands and aliases
- plistutil
history
Project history and usage
libplist is the libimobiledevice project's portable C library for Apple property-list data. It reads and writes binary, XML, JSON, and OpenStep plist formats and ships the `plistutil` command-line converter.
Project history
libplist belongs to the libimobiledevice family, a free software stack for talking to iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Apple TV devices from non-Apple platforms without bundling Apple's proprietary libraries. In that stack, property-list parsing is foundational because many Apple device protocols exchange structured plist data.
The NEWS file shows the library evolving from the 1.x API line into 2.x releases with a custom XML parser, binary-plist parsing refactors, fuzzing, Cython bindings, JSON/OpenStep support, and more explicit format/error APIs.
Adoption history
The README states that libplist is used by libimobiledevice and corresponding projects. Distribution packaging follows from that role: a small serialization library becomes a shared dependency for iOS-device tooling, command-line utilities, and bindings.
The project also gained packaging importance outside direct device access because plist files are a common Apple serialization format. `plistutil` gives Unix users a simple way to convert and inspect those files without Apple tooling.
How it is used
Developers link libplist to parse, generate, and convert plist data in C or C++ programs, with optional Python bindings. Command-line users use `plistutil` to convert between supported plist encodings.
Packagers care about the library/utility split, generated documentation, Cython option, and libimobiledevice dependency graph.
Why package nerds care
libplist is significant because it is the small serialization layer underneath a larger reverse-engineered device-access stack. It turns Apple's plist formats into ordinary Unix-library territory.
Its security and fuzzing history matter because plist parsing often sits at a trust boundary: tools may ingest files or device-provided data that should not crash or corrupt memory.
Timeline
- 2018: The NEWS file's 2.0.0 entry records parser refactoring, removal of the libxml2 dependency, malformed-input handling, and security fixes.
- 2020: The NEWS file's 2.2.0 entry records GitHub Actions build testing, `plistutil` improvements, and the libplist-2.0 API-version rename.
- 2023: The NEWS file's 2.3.0 entry records JSON and OpenStep format support plus new format/error APIs.
- 2025: The NEWS file's 2.7.0 entry records Unix-timestamp helper APIs and build/tooling changes.
Related projects
- libimobiledevice is the parent stack and main downstream user family.
- usbmuxd, libusbmuxd, libirecovery, and other libimobiledevice projects are related packages in the same device-access ecosystem.
- Apple property lists are the data format family that libplist implements independently.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
library-like package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- library-like package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:library-like
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 8 platform targets.
- Build metadata lists 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
plistutil | 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 version2.7.0
manager updated2026-06-13
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/libimobiledevice/libplist
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/libimobiledevice/libplistnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:libplist |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.7.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/libplist |
| Homepage | https://libimobiledevice.org/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/libimobiledevice/libplist |
| Upstream docs | https://docs.libimobiledevice.org/libplist/latest |
| License | LGPL-2.1-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/libimobiledevice/libplist/releases/download/2.7.0/libplist-2.7.0.tar.bz2 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-13T23:35:04+02:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Build dependencies | autoconf, automake, libtool, pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, 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 | libplist |
| 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 |
|
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%
libplist++-2.0-4 2.6.0-2+b1
C++ Library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist++-2.0-4- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Debian apt95%
libplist++-dev 2.6.0-2+b1
C++ library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists - dev files
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist++-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Debian apt95%
libplist-2.0-4 2.6.0-2+b1
Library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist-2.0-4- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Debian apt95%
libplist-dev 2.6.0-2+b1
Library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists - development files
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Debian apt95%
libplist-doc 2.6.0-2
Library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists - docs
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: libplist
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Debian apt95%
libplist-utils 2.6.0-2+b1
Apple property list converter
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist-utils- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Debian apt95%
python3-plist 2.6.0-2+b1
Library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists - Python3 bindings
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install python3-plist- Section: python
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Nix95%
libplist
nix profile install nixpkgs#libplist- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Ubuntu apt95%
libplist++-2.0-4 2.3.0-1~exp2build2
C++ Library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist++-2.0-4- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Ubuntu apt95%
libplist++-dev 2.3.0-1~exp2build2
C++ library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists - dev files
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist++-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Ubuntu apt95%
libplist-2.0-4 2.3.0-1~exp2build2
Library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist-2.0-4- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Ubuntu apt95%
libplist-dev 2.3.0-1~exp2build2
Library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists - development files
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Ubuntu apt95%
libplist-doc 2.3.0-1~exp2build2
Library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists - docs
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: libplist
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Ubuntu apt95%
libplist-utils 2.3.0-1~exp2build2
Apple property list converter
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install libplist-utils- Section: universe/utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
Ubuntu apt95%
python3-plist 2.3.0-1~exp2build2
Library for handling Apple binary and XML property lists - Python3 bindings
https://www.libimobiledevice.org/
sudo apt install python3-plist- Section: universe/python
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libplist
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
apk95%
libplist 2.7.0-r1
library to handle Apple Property List format whereas it's binary or XML
sudo apk add libplist- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libplist
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libplist
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