# Install macpine with Homebrew, MacPorts, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, zypper Lightweight Linux VMs on MacOS. Version 1.1.5 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:macpine ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install macpine ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install macpine ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/macpine/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add alpine ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: alpine from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install alpine ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: alpine from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install alpine ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: alpine from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#alpine ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/al/alpine/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install alpine ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: alpine from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:macpine - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.1.5 - **Source summary:** Lightweight Linux VMs on MacOS - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** Apache-2.0 - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - alpine (cli) - alpine (alias) ## Dependencies - qemu ## Build dependencies - go ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Service: declared - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.1.5 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/beringresearch/macpine - Upstream latest detected: v1.1.5 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage macpine is a macOS command-line tool for creating and managing lightweight Alpine Linux virtual machines. Its official documentation presents it as a way for macOS users to run small Linux environments with port forwarding, file sharing, bridged networking, and both aarch64 and x86_64 emulation. ### Project history The project is maintained by Bering Research and published from the official GitHub repository with generated MkDocs documentation. The README and site describe a focused goal: make Alpine Linux VMs easy to spin up on macOS for containerization, architecture testing, and software build workflows. ### Adoption history macpine is distributed through package managers used by Mac developers, including Homebrew and MacPorts according to its official README and the supplied package facts. GitHub metadata shows a public project with releases, stars, forks, and a Go codebase, which points to a small but visible niche around local Linux-on-Mac workflows. ### How it is used The installed command is `alpine`. Common workflows include `alpine launch` to create a VM, architecture and resource flags for customized instances, `alpine ssh` and `alpine exec` to enter or run commands, and `alpine publish` and `alpine import` for instance archive sharing. ### Why package nerds care Package maintainers care about macpine because it packages a repeatable Alpine VM workflow behind a small CLI rather than asking users to wire together QEMU, networking, shared folders, and shell glue themselves. It is especially relevant on Apple Silicon, where architecture emulation and lightweight Linux test environments are common developer needs. ### Timeline - Public repository: Official GitHub repository tracks the project and its release tags. - 2025: GitHub repository page lists v1.1.5 as the latest release on Oct 31, 2025. ### Related projects - macpine is adjacent to QEMU, Alpine Linux, Docker, Incus, and LXD. Its documentation explicitly names containerization technologies as a reason to run tiny Alpine VM environments on macOS. ### Sources - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes formula declares a Homebrew service. - **Geiger risk:** orange / medium - formula declares a Homebrew service ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** macpine - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Conflicts With:** alpine - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - MacPorts - macpine: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/macpine/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - MacPorts - alpine: installed executable or alias match | MacPorts ports tree: mail/alpine/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Debian apt - alpine - 2.26+dfsg-3: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: alpine from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Text-based email client, friendly for novices but powerful | https://alpineapp.email/ - Debian apt - alpine-doc - 2.26+dfsg-3: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: alpine-doc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Text-based email client's documentation | https://alpineapp.email/ - Debian apt - alpine-pico - 2.26+dfsg-3: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: alpine-pico from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Simple text editor from Alpine, a text-based email client | https://alpineapp.email/ - Debian apt - pilot - 2.26+dfsg-3: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: pilot from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Simple file browser from Alpine, a text-based email client | https://alpineapp.email/ - Nix - alpine: installed executable or alias match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/al/alpine/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - alpine - 2.26+dfsg-1build3: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: alpine from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Text-based email client, friendly for novices but powerful | http://alpine.x10host.com/alpine/ - Ubuntu apt - alpine-doc - 2.26+dfsg-1build3: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: alpine-doc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Text-based email client's documentation | http://alpine.x10host.com/alpine/ - Ubuntu apt - alpine-pico - 2.26+dfsg-1build3: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: alpine-pico from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Simple text editor from Alpine, a text-based email client | http://alpine.x10host.com/alpine/ - Ubuntu apt - pilot - 2.26+dfsg-1build3: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: pilot from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Simple file browser from Alpine, a text-based email client | http://alpine.x10host.com/alpine/ - apk - alpine - 2.26-r5: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: alpine from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Text-based email client, friendly for novices but powerful | https://repo.or.cz/alpine.git - apk - alpine-dbg - 2.26-r5: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: alpine-dbg from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Text-based email client, friendly for novices but powerful (debug symbols) | https://repo.or.cz/alpine.git - apk - alpine-doc - 2.26-r5: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: alpine-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Text-based email client, friendly for novices but powerful (documentation) | https://repo.or.cz/alpine.git - dnf - alpine - 2.26-21.fc44: installed executable or alias match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: alpine from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | powerful, easy to use console email client | https://alpineapp.email/ - zypper - alpine - 2.26-30.4: installed executable or alias match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: alpine from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Mail User Agent | https://alpineapp.email/ ## Related links - [Cloud CLI packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/cloud-clis/) - Belongs to a cloud or infrastructure command family. - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [qemu](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/qemu/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [govc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/govc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, virtualization. - [libvirt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libvirt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, virtualization. - [pvetui](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pvetui/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, virtualization. - [virtctl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/virtctl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, virtualization. - [colima](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/colima/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, macos, virtualization. - [container](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/container/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, macos, virtualization. - [incus](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/incus/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, virtualization. - [kraftkit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/kraftkit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, virtualization. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/macpine.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/macpine.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