macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install lndirlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install lndirMacPorts ports tree · x11/lndir/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install lndir with Homebrew, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper
Create a shadow directory of symbolic links to another directory tree. Version 1.0.5 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install imakeFedora Rawhide package metadata · imake · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#lndirnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ln/lndir/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install lndiropenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · lndir · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Create a shadow directory of symbolic links to another directory tree
Project links
Commands and aliases
- lndir
history
Project history and usage
lndir is an X.Org utility that creates a shadow directory tree made of symbolic links to another source tree. It is a small build-support tool from the X11/X.Org world, historically useful when building the same source checkout for multiple machines or configurations.
Project history
The official manual describes lndir as a program that makes a shadow copy of a directory tree, where files are symbolic links back to the original source tree. X.Org build documentation for X11R6.8 recommended this shadow-tree workflow to keep source directories unmodified and support builds for different operating systems or architectures.
In the modular X.Org tree, lndir lives under util/lndir. X.Org's module guidelines describe the util module as a home for modular-tree build tools and legacy build tools from the monolithic tree, with lndir listed alongside utilities such as imake, gccmakedep, and makedepend.
Adoption history
lndir's adoption is mostly historical and specialist: it mattered to X11 and X.Org builders, distro maintainers, and developers who wanted out-of-tree builds before modern build systems made that workflow routine. Its standalone packaging in Homebrew and other systems preserves that utility without requiring the larger imake package.
The X.Org release directory shows lndir split out as an individual util tarball beginning in the modular release era, with releases from 1.0.1 in 2006 through 1.0.5 in 2024. The freedesktop cgit mirror shows the active upstream mirror and recent maintenance commits.
How it is used
A user creates an empty build directory and runs lndir against the source tree. The result is a parallel directory tree where source files are links and generated objects can live separately. Re-running lndir adds new links and checks existing ones, but deleted source files can leave stale symlinks that may need cleanlinks or a fresh shadow tree.
The tool has no project-level configuration or credentials. Its behavior is driven by command-line options such as -silent, -ignorelinks, and -withrevinfo.
Why package nerds care
lndir is interesting precisely because it is small and archaic in a useful way. It is a fossil from the X11 build culture that still does one filesystem job cleanly, and package managers keep it available for scripts and users that remember the shadow-directory workflow.
For package nerds, lndir also illustrates the X.Org modularization story: pieces that once lived inside a monolithic source tree became tiny independently released tarballs with their own version streams.
Timeline
- X11R6 era: lndir is documented as part of X source-tree build workflows.
- 2004: X11R6.8 documentation recommends lndir-based shadow build trees.
- 2006: X.Org publishes lndir 1.0.1 as an individual util release.
- 2024: X.Org publishes lndir 1.0.5.
- 2025: freedesktop cgit mirror shows recent maintenance commits for options and manual-page edits.
Related projects
- X.Org util modules such as imake, makedepend, gccmakedep, and util-macros belong to the same historical build-tool family.
- cleanlinks is commonly mentioned with lndir because it removes stale symbolic links in shadow trees.
- Modern out-of-tree build systems such as CMake and Meson solve related build-directory separation problems without symlink forests.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 10 platform targets.
- 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
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
lndir | 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 version1.0.5
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/util/lndir
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/util/lndirnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:lndir |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.0.5 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/lndir |
| Homepage | https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/util/lndir |
| Repository | https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/util/lndir |
| Upstream docs | https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/util/lndir |
| License | MIT-open-group |
| Source archive | https://www.x.org/releases/individual/util/lndir-1.0.5.tar.xz |
| Build dependencies | pkgconf, xorgproto |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, 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 | lndir |
| 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.
Nix95%
lndir
nix profile install nixpkgs#lndir- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lndir
dnf95%
imake 1.0.10-6.fc44
imake source code configuration and build system
sudo dnf install imake- License: MIT-open-group AND HPND
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: imake
- 5 dependencies
- 12 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lndir
zypper95%
lndir 1.0.5-1.6
Utility to create a shadow directory of symbolic links to another directory tree
sudo zypper install lndir- License: MIT
- Category: Development/Tools/Building
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: lndir
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lndir
MacPorts95%
lndir
sudo port install lndir- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lndir
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