# Install m68k-elf-binutils with Homebrew, MacPorts GNU Binutils for m68k-elf cross development. Version 2.46.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-09. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:m68k-elf-binutils ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install m68k-elf-binutils ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install m68k-elf-binutils ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: cross/m68k-elf-binutils/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:m68k-elf-binutils - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.46.1 - **Source summary:** GNU Binutils for m68k-elf cross development - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-09T23:41:44Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - m68k-elf-addr2line (cli) - m68k-elf-ar (cli) - m68k-elf-as (cli) - m68k-elf-c++filt (cli) - m68k-elf-elfedit (cli) - m68k-elf-gprof (cli) - m68k-elf-ld (cli) - m68k-elf-ld.bfd (cli) - m68k-elf-nm (cli) - m68k-elf-objcopy (cli) - m68k-elf-objdump (cli) - m68k-elf-ranlib (cli) - m68k-elf-readelf (cli) - m68k-elf-size (cli) - m68k-elf-strings (cli) - m68k-elf-strip (cli) - m68k-elf-addr2line (alias) - m68k-elf-ar (alias) - m68k-elf-as (alias) - m68k-elf-c++filt (alias) - m68k-elf-elfedit (alias) - m68k-elf-gprof (alias) - m68k-elf-ld (alias) - m68k-elf-ld.bfd (alias) - m68k-elf-nm (alias) - m68k-elf-objcopy (alias) - m68k-elf-objdump (alias) - m68k-elf-ranlib (alias) - m68k-elf-readelf (alias) - m68k-elf-size (alias) - m68k-elf-strings (alias) - m68k-elf-strip (alias) ## Dependencies - zstd ## Build dependencies - pkgconf - texinfo ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.46.1 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-09 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.gnu.org/software/binutils/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage m68k-elf-binutils is a target-prefixed Homebrew build of GNU Binutils for bare-metal Motorola 68000-family ELF development. ### Project history GNU Binutils is the GNU project's collection of binary tools. Its central programs are the GNU linker `ld`, the GNU assembler `as`, and the ELF-only `gold` linker, with supporting tools such as `ar`, `nm`, `objcopy`, `objdump`, `readelf`, `size`, `strings`, and `strip`. The m68k-elf package is not a separate upstream project; it is a cross-toolchain packaging of the same GNU Binutils source for the `m68k-elf` target triplet. The target prefix keeps its assembler, linker, and object tools separate from host-native tools. GNU Binutils uses the BFD library for low-level binary-file manipulation and the opcodes library for assembly and disassembly. The upstream assembler documentation includes M680x0-dependent features, options, syntax, directives, and opcodes. ### Adoption history Binutils is foundational infrastructure for GNU and GNU/Linux systems because it provides the assembler and linker needed to compile and link programs. Cross builds extend that same infrastructure to embedded, hobbyist, retrocomputing, and operating-system-development targets. The supplied package facts list Homebrew and MacPorts packaging for `m68k-elf-binutils`, reflecting its niche use by developers building 68k ELF firmware, kernels, and bare-metal experiments on macOS. ### How it is used Users typically pair `m68k-elf-binutils` with `m68k-elf-gcc`. The package installs prefixed tools such as `m68k-elf-as`, `m68k-elf-ld`, `m68k-elf-objcopy`, `m68k-elf-objdump`, and `m68k-elf-readelf` so build systems can target m68k ELF without colliding with host tools. Common workflows include assembling startup files, linking linker-script-controlled firmware images, inspecting ELF sections and symbols, converting ELF output to raw binaries, and diagnosing relocation or ABI issues. ### Why package nerds care Cross-binutils packages are the first layer of a bare-metal toolchain: without the target assembler, linker, and object utilities, the compiler driver cannot produce useful firmware or kernel images. For package maintainers, the `m68k-elf-` prefix is the whole trick: it allows multiple target toolchains to coexist while preserving conventional GNU tool names under a target triplet. ### Timeline - 1990s: GNU Binutils became a core GNU toolchain component for assembling, linking, and inspecting binaries - 2026: GNU Binutils 2.46 documentation published - 2026: GNU Binutils 2.46.1 listed as the latest release on the official project page - 2026: Homebrew package facts list target-prefixed m68k-elf executables ### Related projects - m68k-elf-gcc is the matching target-prefixed compiler package. - GDB shares the upstream binutils-gdb source repository, though this Homebrew package installs the Binutils tools rather than GDB. - The GNU assembler documentation has M680x0-specific sections for the architecture family targeted by this package. ### Sources - - - - - source_facts.executables - source_facts.package-manager ## 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:** m68k-elf-binutils - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - MacPorts - m68k-elf-binutils: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: cross/m68k-elf-binutils/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [zstd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/zstd/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [texinfo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/texinfo/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [m68k-elf-gcc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/m68k-elf-gcc/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [aarch64-elf-binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aarch64-elf-binutils/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [arm-none-eabi-binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/arm-none-eabi-binutils/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [i686-elf-binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/i686-elf-binutils/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [mips-linux-gnu-binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mips-linux-gnu-binutils/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [mipsel-linux-gnu-binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mipsel-linux-gnu-binutils/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [x86_64-linux-gnu-binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/x86-64-linux-gnu-binutils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: assembler, binary-tools, binutils, cli, developer-tools. - [binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/binutils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: assembler, binary-tools, cli, developer-tools, linker. - [chrpath](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/chrpath/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: binary-tools, cli, developer-tools, elf. - [dwarfutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dwarfutils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: binary-tools, cli, developer-tools, elf. - [elfutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/elfutils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: binary-tools, cli, developer-tools, elf. - [elfx86exts](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/elfx86exts/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: binary-tools, cli, developer-tools, elf. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/m68k-elf-binutils.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/m68k-elf-binutils.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