# Install lockrun with Homebrew, apk Run cron jobs with overrun protection. Version 1.1.3 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-19. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:lockrun ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install lockrun ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add lockrun ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: lockrun from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:lockrun - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.1.3 - **Source summary:** Run cron jobs with overrun protection - **Homepage:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** LicenseRef-Homebrew-public-domain - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-19T13:03:29-04:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - lockrun (cli) - lockrun (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.1.3 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-19 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: http://unixwiz.net/tools/lockrun.html - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage lockrun is a small public-domain Unix utility by Steve Friedl for running cron jobs with overrun protection. It wraps a command, takes an advisory file lock, and prevents overlapping invocations from piling up. ### Project history The official Unixwiz.net page explains that lockrun was created in response to network-monitoring cron jobs that could run longer than their schedule interval. The tool was designed as a protective wrapper that checks whether another protected instance is already running before launching the requested command. lockrun is distributed as portable C source code rather than through a hosted source repository. The official page documents building it with `gcc lockrun.c -o lockrun` and installing it into `/usr/local/bin`. ### Adoption history The tool's natural audience is Unix administrators with cron jobs that must not overlap, especially polling and monitoring jobs. It was tested on FreeBSD and Linux, received a report of working on Mac OS X, and later gained portability work such as Solaris `lockf()` support. Homebrew and Alpine packaging made the small C utility easier to install without manually downloading and compiling the source file. ### How it is used A typical crontab entry invokes `lockrun --lockfile=/var/run/name.lockrun -- command`. If the lock cannot be acquired, lockrun exits instead of launching a second copy; `--wait`, `--quiet`, `--verbose`, and `--maxtime` adjust behavior. The official documentation warns that the lockfile should be placed in a directory protected from other users and not in `/tmp`, because a writable directory could enable symlink attacks against the lockfile path. ### Why package nerds care lockrun is package-manager-relevant because it solves a narrow operations problem with one C file and no daemon. It overlaps with `flock(1)` patterns, but its documented cron-oriented interface made it a remembered admin tool. Its packaging story is also a reminder that not every useful Unix package has a modern VCS repository; sometimes the authoritative upstream is a source file and a carefully written HTML manual. ### Timeline - 2006: Initial lockrun release. - 2009: Solaris 10 `lockf()` support was added. - 2010: `--quiet` parameter was added. - 2012: Documentation about no kill option, `--retries`, and `setsid()` support were added. ### Related projects - flock(1), run-one, and daemon supervisors solve adjacent locking or single-instance execution problems. - Cacti poller scripts are used in the official documentation as a motivating cron example. ### Sources - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** lockrun - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** yes - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - apk - lockrun - 1.1.3-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: lockrun from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Run cron job with overrun protection | http://unixwiz.net/tools/lockrun.html ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Web development packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/web-dev-tools/) - Matched web development metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [daemon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/daemon/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system, unix. - [daemonize](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/daemonize/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system, unix. - [supervisor](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/supervisor/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system, unix. - [cpulimit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cpulimit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system. - [detach](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/detach/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system, unix. - [gruyere](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gruyere/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system. - [immortal](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/immortal/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system, unix. - [killport](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/killport/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, process-management, system. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/lockrun.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/lockrun.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph