macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install lzoplocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install lzopMacPorts ports tree · sysutils/lzop/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install lzop with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
File compressor. Version 1.04 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install lzop.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add lzopAlpine Linux edge package indexes · lzop · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install lzopDebian stable package indexes · lzop · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install lzopFedora Rawhide package metadata · lzop · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#lzopnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/lz/lzop/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S lzopArch Linux sync databases · lzop · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install lzopopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · lzop · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
File compressor
Project links
Commands and aliases
- lzop
history
Project history and usage
lzop is a fast file compressor by Markus F.X.J. Oberhumer that uses the LZO data compression library. The official site presents it as a gzip-like tool whose main advantage is much higher compression and decompression speed at the cost of compression ratio.
Project history
The official changelog says Oberhumer started writing lzop in September 1996 and made the first public release, version 0.90, on 10 August 1997. Version 1.00 followed in April 1998, and the project kept a deliberately gzip-like command-line model while using LZO for the speed-critical compression engine.
After the early releases, lzop matured slowly. Version 1.01 in 2003 refreshed the Autoconf build, added large-file support, and improved tar compatibility; 1.02rc1 in 2005 added LZO v2 support and platform fixes; 1.03 arrived in 2010; and 1.04 in 2017 was labeled the 20th anniversary release and added CMake build support.
Adoption history
lzop became popular in the era when backup speed and CPU use mattered more than maximum compression ratio. The official homepage explicitly points to backup workloads, noting that on modern systems lzop can be I/O-bound rather than CPU-bound.
The official homepage lists packages for AIX, Arch Linux, Debian, DragonFly BSD, Fedora, FreeBSD, Gentoo, Homebrew, HP-UX, and MacPorts, and the input package facts add Alpine, Ubuntu, Nix, pacman, and openSUSE-style package names. That breadth reflects lzop's old-school portability and its usefulness in scripts.
How it is used
The lzop command compresses files to .lzo, decompresses with -d, lists archive contents, writes to stdout, preserves metadata, and can use .tzo as shorthand for .tar.lzo. Its manual emphasizes that it keeps original files unchanged by default unless asked otherwise.
Users choose lzop for fast local backups, archival staging, and workflows where gzip compatibility of habits matters more than exact gzip format compatibility.
Why package nerds care
lzop is historically important because it was the standard Unix CLI face of LZO for many years. Before LZ4 and zstd became common, lzop was one of the obvious package-manager answers to 'I need compression, but gzip is too slow.'
It is also a reminder that package longevity often comes from predictable behavior: a small GPL tool, a stable file suffix, portable C, and enough gzip-like semantics to drop into scripts.
Timeline
- 1996: Markus F.X.J. Oberhumer starts writing lzop.
- 1997: lzop 0.90 is the first public release.
- 1998: lzop 1.00 is released.
- 2003: lzop 1.01 refreshes the build system and large-file support.
- 2017: lzop 1.04 is released as the 20th anniversary release.
Related projects
- LZO is the underlying compression library used by lzop.
- gzip shaped lzop's command-line behavior.
- LZ4 later occupied a similar high-speed compression niche in many package sets.
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:compress
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
lzop | 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 generated2026-07-26
manager version1.04
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.lzop.org/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:lzop |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.04 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/lzop |
| Homepage | https://www.lzop.org/ |
| Upstream docs | https://www.lzop.org/ |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://www.lzop.org/download/lzop-1.04.tar.gz |
| Dependencies | lzo |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, 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 | lzop |
| 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%
lzop 1.04-2
fast compression program
sudo apt install lzop- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lzop
Nix95%
lzop
nix profile install nixpkgs#lzop- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lzop
Ubuntu apt95%
lzop 1.04-2build3
fast compression program
sudo apt install lzop- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lzop
apk95%
lzop 1.04-r1
lzop is a very fast file compressor
sudo apk add lzop- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: lzop
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lzop
apk95%
lzop-doc 1.04-r1
lzop is a very fast file compressor (documentation)
sudo apk add lzop-doc- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: lzop
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lzop
dnf95%
lzop 1.04-18.fc44
Real-time file compressor
sudo dnf install lzop- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: lzop
- 3 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lzop
pacman95%
lzop 1.04-4
File compressor using lzo lib
sudo pacman -S lzop- License: GPL
- Architecture: x86_64
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lzop
zypper95%
lzop 1.04-4.23
Dictionary-based LZ-type compressor favoring speed
sudo zypper install lzop- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Productivity/Archiving/Compression
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: lzop
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lzop
MacPorts95%
lzop
sudo port install lzop- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lzop
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