macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install librawlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install librawMacPorts ports tree · graphics/libraw/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install libraw with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Library for reading RAW files from digital photo cameras. Version 0.22.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add librawAlpine Linux edge package indexes · libraw · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libraw-binDebian stable package indexes · libraw-bin · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install LibRawFedora Rawhide package metadata · LibRaw · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#librawnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/libraw/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S librawArch Linux sync databases · libraw · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libraw-developenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libraw-devel · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Library for reading RAW files from digital photo cameras
Project links
Commands and aliases
- 4channels
- dcraw_emu
- dcraw_half
- half_mt
- mem_image
- multirender_test
- postprocessing_benchmark
- raw-identify
- rawtextdump
- simple_dcraw
- unprocessed_raw
history
Project history and usage
LibRaw is a RAW photo decoding library created to turn Dave Coffin's dcraw codebase into an embeddable, thread-safer library with expanded metadata and camera-format support.
Project history
The LibRaw project states that it launched in 2008 based on Dave Coffin's dcraw.c utility. Its goals were to convert dcraw into a library usable by other programs, remove global-variable style constraints, improve thread safety, import dcraw changes, and expand metadata extraction.
LibRaw's history is inseparable from dcraw. The project notes that dcraw support was reduced to a minimum in 2015 and ceased in 2018; after that, new camera and format support was handled by the LibRaw team. The rendering path inherited from dcraw remained important, while LibRaw moved contributor demosaic and post-processing experiments into separate projects when they became hard to maintain in the core library.
Adoption history
LibRaw was adopted broadly because camera vendors produce many undocumented or semi-documented RAW formats and applications need a maintained decoding layer. Its official documentation describes embedding in RAW converters, data analyzers, and other programs that use RAW files as input, and its supported-camera list spans phone cameras, drones, cinema cameras, DSLRs, and mirrorless systems.
How it is used
Homebrew installs the library and sample utilities such as dcraw_emu, raw-identify, simple_dcraw, and postprocessing_benchmark. Developers use the API when they need to identify cameras, read RAW metadata, unpack sensor data, or feed image data to a separate conversion pipeline.
Why package nerds care
LibRaw is one of the cleaner examples of turning a famous single-file Unix utility into a library package. It matters to maintainers because many graphics applications can share one camera-support substrate instead of vendoring dcraw snapshots or maintaining format decoders independently.
Timeline
- 1997: Dave Coffin's dcraw copyright lineage begins, later forming LibRaw's base.
- 2008: LibRaw project launched from dcraw.c.
- 2015: LibRaw records dcraw support being reduced to a minimum.
- 2018: LibRaw records dcraw support ceasing, with camera-format support handled by the LibRaw team thereafter.
- 2026: LibRaw documentation and supported-camera pages described the 0.22 camera support generation.
Related projects
- LibRaw is related to dcraw, RawDigger, FastRawViewer, RAW converter applications, camera-specific RAW formats such as CRW, CR2, NEF, RAF, DNG, MOS, KDC, and DCR, and the LibRaw demosaic pack projects.
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 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 3 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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
4channels | cli | global executable | |
dcraw_emu | cli | global executable | |
dcraw_half | cli | global executable | |
half_mt | cli | global executable | |
mem_image | cli | global executable | |
multirender_test | cli | global executable | |
postprocessing_benchmark | cli | global executable | |
raw-identify | cli | global executable | |
rawtextdump | cli | global executable | |
simple_dcraw | cli | global executable | |
unprocessed_raw | 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 version0.22.1
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.libraw.org/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:libraw |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.22.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/libraw |
| Homepage | https://www.libraw.org/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/LibRaw/LibRaw |
| Upstream docs | https://www.libraw.org/docs |
| License | LGPL-2.1-only OR CDDL-1.0 |
| Source archive | https://www.libraw.org/data/LibRaw-0.22.1.tar.gz |
| Dependencies | jpeg-turbo, libomp, little-cms2 |
| Build dependencies | pkgconf |
| 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 | libraw |
| 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%
libraw-bin 0.21.4-2
raw image decoder library (tools)
sudo apt install libraw-bin- Section: graphics
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libraw
- 6 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
Debian apt95%
libraw-dev 0.21.4-2
raw image decoder library (development files)
sudo apt install libraw-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libraw
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
Debian apt95%
libraw-doc 0.21.4-2
raw image decoder library (documentation)
sudo apt install libraw-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: libraw
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
Debian apt95%
libraw23t64 0.21.4-2
raw image decoder library
sudo apt install libraw23t64- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libraw
- 6 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
Nix95%
libraw
nix profile install nixpkgs#libraw- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
Ubuntu apt95%
libraw-bin 0.21.2-2.1build1
raw image decoder library (tools)
sudo apt install libraw-bin- Section: universe/graphics
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libraw
- 6 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
Ubuntu apt95%
libraw-dev 0.21.2-2.1build1
raw image decoder library (development files)
sudo apt install libraw-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libraw
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
Ubuntu apt95%
libraw-doc 0.21.2-2.1build1
raw image decoder library (documentation)
sudo apt install libraw-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: libraw
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
Ubuntu apt95%
libraw23t64 0.21.2-2.1build1
raw image decoder library
sudo apt install libraw23t64- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libraw
- 6 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
apk95%
libraw 0.22.1-r0
Library for reading RAW files obtained from digital photo cameras
sudo apk add libraw- License: CDDL-1.0 OR LGPL-2.1-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libraw
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
apk95%
libraw-dev 0.22.1-r0
Library for reading RAW files obtained from digital photo cameras (development files)
sudo apk add libraw-dev- License: CDDL-1.0 OR LGPL-2.1-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libraw
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
apk95%
libraw-tools 0.22.1-r0
tools for LibRaw
sudo apk add libraw-tools- License: CDDL-1.0 OR LGPL-2.1-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libraw
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
dnf95%
LibRaw 0.22.1-1.fc45
Library for reading RAW files obtained from digital photo cameras
sudo dnf install LibRaw- License: BSD-3-Clause and (CDDL-1.0 or LGPL-2.1-only)
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: LibRaw
- 9 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
dnf95%
LibRaw-devel 0.22.1-1.fc45
LibRaw development libraries
sudo dnf install LibRaw-devel- License: BSD-3-Clause and (CDDL-1.0 or LGPL-2.1-only)
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: LibRaw
- 5 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
dnf95%
LibRaw-samples 0.22.1-1.fc45
LibRaw sample programs
sudo dnf install LibRaw-samples- License: BSD-3-Clause and (CDDL-1.0 or LGPL-2.1-only)
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: LibRaw
- 10 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
dnf95%
LibRaw-static 0.22.1-1.fc45
LibRaw static development libraries
sudo dnf install LibRaw-static- License: BSD-3-Clause and (CDDL-1.0 or LGPL-2.1-only)
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: LibRaw
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libraw
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