macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install libsolvlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install libsolvMacPorts ports tree · devel/libsolv/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install libsolv with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Library for solving packages and reading repositories. Version 0.7.39 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-28.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libsolv-devDebian stable package indexes · libsolv-dev · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install libsolvFedora Rawhide package metadata · libsolv · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#libsolvnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/libsolv/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S libsolvArch Linux sync databases · libsolv · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libsolv-demoopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libsolv-demo · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Library for solving packages and reading repositories
Project links
Commands and aliases
- appdata2solv
- archpkgs2solv
- archrepo2solv
- comps2solv
- conda2solv
- deb2solv
- deltainfoxml2solv
- dumpsolv
- helix2solv
- installcheck
- mdk2solv
- mergesolv
- repo2solv
- repomdxml2solv
- rpmdb2solv
- rpmmd2solv
- rpms2solv
- susetags2solv
- testsolv
- updateinfoxml2solv
history
Project history and usage
libsolv is openSUSE's package dependency solver and repository metadata library built around a SAT-solving model. It matters to package-manager culture because it turned dependency resolution into a reusable library with compact repository storage, solver introspection, and support for multiple package formats.
Project history
The libsolv history page says the project started in May 2007 when the zypp team considered database-backed installation speedups. Michael Schroeder instead pursued compact dictionary storage for package strings and relations, creating the solv repository format.
During SUSE Hack Week at the end of June 2007, Schroeder adapted ideas from MiniSAT for package dependency solving. By October 2007 the solver was being integrated into libzypp, and in January 2008 the new solver became the default for libzypp.
Adoption history
libsolv began inside the openSUSE/libzypp/YaST world, but its format readers made it useful beyond RPM repositories. The GitHub README lists support for rpm/rpm5, deb, Arch Linux, Haiku, and apk packages, plus repository formats such as rpmmd, susetags, Mandriva/Mageia synthesis, Arch repositories, and apk indexes.
How it is used
The package ships a library plus many conversion and inspection tools such as rpmdb2solv, repomdxml2solv, archrepo2solv, deb2solv, dumpsolv, mergesolv, installcheck, and testsolv. Packagers use it to transform repository metadata into solv files and to test dependency closure or upgrade behavior.
Why package nerds care
libsolv is one of the clearest examples of SAT solving escaping theory and becoming normal package-manager plumbing. It is interesting to package nerds because it exposes dependency conflicts, weak dependencies, repository storage, and multi-format metadata as inspectable artifacts rather than opaque package-manager behavior.
Timeline
- 2007-05: Project work began after zypp installation-speed discussions.
- 2007-06: SUSE Hack Week produced the first SAT-based solver results.
- 2007-10: Integration into libzypp started.
- 2008-01: The SAT solver became the default libzypp solver.
- 2014-07-08: GitHub tag 0.6.4 points to a version-bump commit in the openSUSE/libsolv repository.
Related projects
- libzypp and YaST were the original integration points.
- MiniSAT influenced the solver design described in the project history.
- RPM, Debian package metadata, Arch repositories, and apk indexes are related ecosystems supported by libsolv readers.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
appdata2solv | cli | global executable | |
archpkgs2solv | cli | global executable | |
archrepo2solv | cli | global executable | |
comps2solv | cli | global executable | |
conda2solv | cli | global executable | |
deb2solv | cli | global executable | |
deltainfoxml2solv | cli | global executable | |
dumpsolv | cli | global executable | |
helix2solv | cli | global executable | |
installcheck | cli | global executable | |
mdk2solv | cli | global executable | |
mergesolv | cli | global executable | |
repo2solv | cli | global executable | |
repomdxml2solv | cli | global executable | |
rpmdb2solv | cli | global executable | |
rpmmd2solv | cli | global executable | |
rpms2solv | cli | global executable | |
susetags2solv | cli | global executable | |
testsolv | cli | global executable | |
updateinfoxml2solv | 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 version0.7.39
manager updated2026-05-28
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected0.7.39
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:libsolv |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.7.39 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/libsolv |
| Homepage | https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv |
| Repository | https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv#readme |
| License | BSD-3-Clause |
| Source archive | https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv/archive/refs/tags/0.7.39.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-05-28T12:56:01Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | rpm, xz, zstd |
| Build dependencies | cmake |
| Uses from macOS | bzip2, expat |
| 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 | libsolv |
| 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%
libsolv-dev 0.7.32-1
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (development files)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolv-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Debian apt95%
libsolv-doc 0.7.32-1
dependency solver using a satisfiablility algorithm (documentation files)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolv-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: libsolv
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Debian apt95%
libsolv-perl 0.7.32-1
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (Perl bindings)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolv-perl- Section: perl
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Debian apt95%
libsolv-tools 0.7.32-1
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (command-line tools)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolv-tools- Section: admin
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Debian apt95%
libsolv1 0.7.32-1
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (shared library)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolv1- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Debian apt95%
libsolvext-dev 0.7.32-1
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (ext development files)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolvext-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 5 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Debian apt95%
libsolvext1 0.7.32-1
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (extensions)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolvext1- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 9 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Debian apt95%
python3-solv 0.7.32-1
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (Python3 bindings)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install python3-solv- Section: python
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Nix95%
libsolv
nix profile install nixpkgs#libsolv- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Ubuntu apt95%
libsolv-dev 0.7.28-1build2
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (development files)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolv-dev- Section: universe/libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Ubuntu apt95%
libsolv-doc 0.7.28-1build2
dependency solver using a satisfiablility algorithm (documentation files)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolv-doc- Section: universe/doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: libsolv
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Ubuntu apt95%
libsolv-perl 0.7.28-1build2
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (Perl bindings)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolv-perl- Section: universe/perl
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Ubuntu apt95%
libsolv-tools 0.7.28-1build2
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (command-line tools)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolv-tools- Section: universe/admin
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Ubuntu apt95%
libsolv1 0.7.28-1build2
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (shared library)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolv1- Section: universe/libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Ubuntu apt95%
libsolvext-dev 0.7.28-1build2
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (ext development files)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolvext-dev- Section: universe/libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
Ubuntu apt95%
libsolvext1 0.7.28-1build2
dependency solver using a satisfiability algorithm (extensions)
https://github.com/openSUSE/libsolv
sudo apt install libsolvext1- Section: universe/libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libsolv
- 9 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libsolv
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