Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

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

SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation. Version 1.10.5 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install libsixel

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install libsixel

MacPorts ports tree · graphics/libsixel/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add libsixel

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

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libsixel-bin

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

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install libsixel

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

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#libsixel

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S libsixel

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libsixel-bash-completion

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libsixel-bash-completion · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation

Commands and aliases

  • img2sixel
  • libsixel-config
  • sixel2png

history

Project history and usage

libsixel is a C encoder and decoder for DEC SIXEL terminal graphics, plus command-line tools such as img2sixel and sixel2png. It matters because it helped revive a 1980s terminal image protocol for modern terminals, plots, previews, and command-line image workflows.

Project history

The project traces back to Hayaki Saito's libsixel work, described as an implementation derived from kmiya's sixel encoder. Its README explains SIXEL as a Digital Equipment Corporation format for printer and terminal imaging whose data is represented as terminal-friendly escape sequences.

A community fork under the libsixel GitHub organization continued the project after Saito stopped participating publicly in January 2020, according to the fork README. That fork collected improvements and security patches, later switching the build system to Meson for libsixel 2.0.

Adoption history

libsixel rode a broader revival of terminal graphics. The README lists use in or integration with projects and workflows around gnuplot, Ghostscript, ImageMagick, lsix, FFmpeg-SIXEL, SDL experiments, w3m integration, GNU Screen forks, RetroArch, and terminal support in xterm, mlterm, iTerm2, WezTerm, and related emulators.

The README also lists packaging through FreeBSD ports, pkgsrc, Homebrew, Debian, Arch, Gentoo, Ubuntu, NixOS, OpenBSD Ports, Fedora Copr, SlackBuilds, and MacPorts, which made it a common optional dependency for software that wants SIXEL output.

How it is used

Users most often meet libsixel through `img2sixel`, which converts images and animations into SIXEL escape sequences for display in a compatible terminal, and `sixel2png`, which decodes SIXEL back into PNG. Developers can use the C API and several language bindings to generate or decode SIXEL programmatically.

The practical constraint is terminal support: when the terminal understands SIXEL, the output renders inline; when it does not, users see escape data or nothing useful.

Why package nerds care

libsixel is a package-nerd favorite because it compresses a lot of terminal history into one dependency: DEC hardware, escape sequences, image quantization, terminal emulator feature flags, and modern CLI image previews all meet in a small C library.

It also shows how optional media support propagates through package managers. A plotting tool, terminal browser, or file manager may grow SIXEL support only when a distro or formula enables the right build option and ships libsixel.

Timeline

  • 1980s: DEC introduced SIXEL for printer and terminal imaging.
  • 2020-01: The community fork README records Saito's disappearance from public maintenance activity.
  • 2025-01-11: The libsixel organization release page records v1.10.5.
  • 2025-02-12: The libsixel organization repository was archived as read-only.

Related projects

  • Related projects include the original saitoha/libsixel repository, kmiya's sixel encoder, mlterm, xterm, iTerm2, gnuplot, ImageMagick, Ghostscript, lsix, FFmpeg-SIXEL, and other terminal graphics protocols such as kitty graphics.

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.
  • Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
  • Build metadata lists 2 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

CommandKindExposureNote
img2sixelcliglobal executable
libsixel-configcliglobal executable
sixel2pngcliglobal 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 version1.10.5
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv1.10.5

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

  • infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:libsixel
Version1.10.5
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/libsixel
Homepagehttps://github.com/saitoha/sixel
Repositoryhttps://github.com/saitoha/sixel
Upstream docshttps://github.com/libsixel/libsixel#readme
LicenseMIT
Source archivehttps://github.com/libsixel/libsixel/archive/refs/tags/v1.10.5.tar.gz
Dependenciesjpeg-turbo, libpng
Build dependenciesmeson, ninja
Bottleavailable (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namelibsixel
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
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%

libsixel-bin 1.10.5-1

DEC SIXEL graphics codec implementation (binary)

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apt install libsixel-bin
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libsixel-bin from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libsixel-dev 1.10.5-1

DEC SIXEL graphics codec implementation (develop)

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apt install libsixel-dev
  • Section: libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libsixel-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libsixel-examples 1.10.5-1

DEC SIXEL graphics codec implementation (examples)

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apt install libsixel-examples
  • Section: devel
  • Architecture: all
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 1 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libsixel-examples from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libsixel1 1.10.5-1

DEC SIXEL graphics codec implementation (runtime)

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apt install libsixel1
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libsixel1 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

libsixel

nix profile install nixpkgs#libsixel
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/li/libsixel/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

libsixel-bin 1.10.3-3build1

DEC SIXEL graphics codec implementation (binary)

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apt install libsixel-bin
  • Section: universe/libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libsixel-bin from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libsixel-dev 1.10.3-3build1

DEC SIXEL graphics codec implementation (develop)

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apt install libsixel-dev
  • Section: universe/libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libsixel-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libsixel-examples 1.10.3-3build1

DEC SIXEL graphics codec implementation (examples)

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apt install libsixel-examples
  • Section: universe/devel
  • Architecture: all
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 1 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libsixel-examples from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libsixel1 1.10.3-3build1

DEC SIXEL graphics codec implementation (runtime)

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apt install libsixel1
  • Section: universe/libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libsixel1 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

libsixel 1.10.5-r0

SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apk add libsixel
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libsixel from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

libsixel-dev 1.10.5-r0

SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation (development files)

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apk add libsixel-dev
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libsixel-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

libsixel-doc 1.10.5-r0

SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation (documentation)

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apk add libsixel-doc
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libsixel-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

libsixel-tools 1.10.5-r0

SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apk add libsixel-tools
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libsixel-tools from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

libsixel-tools-bash-completion 1.10.5-r0

SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apk add libsixel-tools-bash-completion
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libsixel-tools-bash-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

libsixel-tools-zsh-completion 1.10.5-r0

SIXEL encoder/decoder implementation

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo apk add libsixel-tools-zsh-completion
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libsixel-tools-zsh-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

libsixel 1.10.5-6.fc45

SIXEL encoding and decoding

https://github.com/libsixel/libsixel

sudo dnf install libsixel
  • License: MIT
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: i686
  • Source Package: libsixel
  • 7 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libsixel
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: libsixel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Related tools

  • jpeg-turboRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • libpngRuntime dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • mesonBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • ninjaBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • timgPopular package that depends on this formula.

Same workflow

  • aalibShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, graphics, media, terminal.
  • batikShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, graphics, media.
  • chafaShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, terminal, terminal-graphics.
  • dicebearShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, graphics, media.
  • eflShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, graphics, media.
  • epstoolShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, graphics, media.

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.

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