macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install multitaillocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install multitailMacPorts ports tree · sysutils/multitail/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install multitail with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper
Tail multiple files in one terminal simultaneously. Version 7.1.5 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add multitailAlpine Linux edge package indexes · multitail · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install multitailDebian stable package indexes · multitail · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install multitailFedora Rawhide package metadata · multitail · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#multitailnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/mu/multitail/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install multitailopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · multitail · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Tail multiple files in one terminal simultaneously
Project links
Commands and aliases
- multitail
history
Project history and usage
MultiTail, by Folkert van Heusden, is a terminal log-monitoring program often summarized by its project page as "tail on steroids." It keeps the familiar purpose of `tail -f` but uses an ncurses interface to follow one or many files in separate terminal panes, merge multiple inputs into one view, monitor wildcard-selected log files, and display output from external commands.
Project history
The tool's practical history is tied to Unix system administration before centralized log dashboards became common. Its feature list grew around live incident work: regex filtering, color rules, highlighting, search across windows, hiding and merging panes, status lines, scrollback, labels, and example color schemes for services such as Apache, Postfix, Squid, Asterisk, Sendmail, Samba, Exim, tcpdump, BIND, MySQL logs, and firewall logs. Its project news page shows public releases at least as far back as the mid-2000s, with a stable 7.0.0 release announced in 2022.
How it is used
In package managers, MultiTail occupies the small but durable niche between plain `tail`, `less`, `watch`, log colorizers, and full observability systems. It is packaged across Homebrew, MacPorts, Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora, Alpine, Nix, and openSUSE-style ecosystems because it remains useful on servers and SSH sessions where a single terminal is the whole interface.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 10 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
multitail | 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 version7.1.5
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected7.1.5
https://github.com/folkertvanheusden/multitail
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:multitail |
|---|---|
| Version | 7.1.5 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/multitail |
| Homepage | https://vanheusden.com/multitail/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/folkertvanheusden/multitail |
| Upstream docs | https://vanheusden.com/multitail |
| License | MIT |
| Source archive | https://github.com/folkertvanheusden/multitail/archive/refs/tags/7.1.5.tar.gz |
| Dependencies | ncurses |
| Build dependencies | pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, 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 | multitail |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| 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%
multitail 7.1.5-2
view multiple logfiles windowed on console
sudo apt install multitail- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Multitail
Nix95%
multitail
nix profile install nixpkgs#multitail- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Multitail
Ubuntu apt95%
multitail 6.5.0-6
view multiple logfiles windowed on console
sudo apt install multitail- Section: universe/utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Multitail
apk95%
multitail 7.1.5-r0
MultiTail lets you view one or multiple files like the original tail program
http://www.vanheusden.com/multitail
sudo apk add multitail- License: Apache-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: multitail
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Multitail
apk95%
multitail-doc 7.1.5-r0
MultiTail lets you view one or multiple files like the original tail program (documentation)
http://www.vanheusden.com/multitail
sudo apk add multitail-doc- License: Apache-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: multitail
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Multitail
dnf95%
multitail 7.1.5-3.fc44
View one or multiple files like tail but with multiple windows
https://www.vanheusden.com/multitail/
sudo dnf install multitail- License: MIT
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: multitail
- 6 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Multitail
zypper95%
multitail 6.5.0-2.6
Tail Multiple Files
https://www.vanheusden.com/multitail/
sudo zypper install multitail- License: GPL-2.0+
- Category: System/X11/Terminals
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: multitail
- 7 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Multitail
MacPorts95%
multitail
sudo port install multitail- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Multitail
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