macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install lxi-toolslocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install lxi-tools with Homebrew, apt, dnf, Nix
Open source tools for managing network attached LXI compatible instruments. Version 2.8 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-07.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install lxi-toolsDebian stable package indexes · lxi-tools · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install lxi-toolsFedora Rawhide package metadata · lxi-tools · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#lxi-toolsnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/lx/lxi-tools/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Open source tools for managing network attached LXI compatible instruments
Project links
Commands and aliases
- lxi
- lxi-gui
history
Project history and usage
lxi-tools is an open source command-line and GUI toolkit for controlling LXI-compatible network test instruments. It is aimed at lab automation tasks such as discovering instruments, sending SCPI commands, taking screenshots, benchmarking request/response performance, and running Lua automation scripts.
Project history
The public Git history for lxi-tools begins in March 2016, followed immediately by early v0.x tags and a v1.0 tag in October 2017. The project describes itself as an independent open source community effort, separate from the LXI Consortium, with Martin Lund listed as creator and maintainer.
The project is built around liblxi for instrument communication. Over time its scope grew from a CLI for VXI-11/raw TCP SCPI workflows into a broader toolkit with a GTK GUI, Lua scripting, screenshot plugins, mDNS discovery, and a maintained list of tested instruments from vendors such as Rigol, Keysight, Rohde & Schwarz, Siglent, Tektronix, and others.
Adoption history
Upstream documents installation through distribution package managers, snap, Homebrew, Windows installers, WSL2, and source builds. The package-manager metadata for this batch also shows availability in Homebrew, Debian, Fedora/DNF, Nix, and Ubuntu, which reflects its niche but real packaging footprint among lab-automation users.
How it is used
Typical CLI usage starts with `lxi discover` to find instruments on the local network, then uses commands such as `lxi scpi --address ... "*IDN?"`, `lxi screenshot`, `lxi benchmark`, or `lxi run` for Lua scripts. The GUI exposes similar workflows for users who want interactive SCPI exploration, screenshot capture, live charts, and script execution.
Why package nerds care
For package maintainers, lxi-tools is notable because it packages a hardware-facing lab utility rather than another generic developer CLI. It has native dependencies, optional GUI pieces, shell completion, manpages, and hardware-plugin expectations, so it exercises the parts of package systems that deal with desktop integration and scientific/test-equipment workflows.
Timeline
- 2016: Public Git history begins and v0.1 is tagged.
- 2017: v1.0 is tagged after the early release series.
- 2022: v2.x releases continue with expanded tooling.
- 2024: v2.8 is tagged in the official repository.
Related projects
- liblxi provides the communication layer used by lxi-tools.
- The LXI standard and SCPI command sets define much of the instrument-control context in which lxi-tools is used.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:network
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 13 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
lxi | cli | global executable | |
lxi-gui | 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 version2.8
manager updated2026-07-07
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv2.8
https://github.com/lxi-tools/lxi-tools
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:lxi-tools |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.8 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/lxi-tools |
| Homepage | https://lxi-tools.github.io |
| Repository | https://github.com/lxi-tools/lxi-tools |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/lxi-tools/lxi-tools#readme |
| License | BSD-3-Clause |
| Source archive | https://github.com/lxi-tools/lxi-tools/archive/refs/tags/v2.8.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-07-07T04:10:03Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | cairo, desktop-file-utils, gdk-pixbuf, gettext, glib, gtk4, gtksourceview5, hicolor-icon-theme, json-glib, libadwaita, liblxi, lua, readline |
| Build dependencies | meson, ninja, 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 | lxi-tools |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 1 |
| 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%
lxi-tools 2.8-1
LAN eXtensions for Instrumentation (LXI) software interface
sudo apt install lxi-tools- Section: science
- Architecture: amd64
- 13 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lxi Tools
Nix95%
lxi-tools
nix profile install nixpkgs#lxi-tools- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lxi Tools
Ubuntu apt95%
lxi-tools 2.7-1build2
LAN eXtensions for Instrumentation (LXI) software interface
sudo apt install lxi-tools- Section: universe/science
- Architecture: amd64
- 13 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lxi Tools
dnf95%
lxi-tools 2.8-6.fc45
Tools to manage network attached LXI compatible instruments
sudo dnf install lxi-tools- License: BSD-3-Clause AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: lxi-tools
- 15 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lxi Tools
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