# Install netatalk with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix File server for Macs, compliant with Apple Filing Protocol (AFP). Version 4.5.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:netatalk ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install netatalk ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install netatalk ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: net/netatalk/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add netatalk ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: netatalk from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install a2boot ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: a2boot from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install netatalk ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: netatalk 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#netatalk ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ne/netatalk/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install netatalk ``` Evidence: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: netatalk from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:netatalk - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 4.5.0 - **Source summary:** File server for Macs, compliant with Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later AND BSD-2-Clause AND BSD-3-Clause AND HPND AND HPND-Pbmplus AND Kazlib AND LGPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:05:36-07:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - a2boot (cli) - addump (cli) - aecho (cli) - afp_lantest (cli) - afp_logintest (cli) - afp_spectest (cli) - afp_speedtest (cli) - afparg (cli) - afpd (cli) - afpldaptest (cli) - afppasswd (cli) - afpstats (cli) - asip-status (cli) - atalkd (cli) - cnid_dbd (cli) - cnid_metad (cli) - dbd (cli) - fce_listen (cli) - getzones (cli) - macipgw (cli) - macusers (cli) - nad (cli) - nbplkup (cli) - nbprgstr (cli) - nbpunrgstr (cli) - netatalk (cli) - pap (cli) - papd (cli) - papstatus (cli) - rtmpqry (cli) - timelord (cli) - a2boot (alias) - addump (alias) - aecho (alias) - afp_lantest (alias) - afp_logintest (alias) - afp_spectest (alias) - afp_speedtest (alias) - afparg (alias) - afpd (alias) - afpldaptest (alias) - afppasswd (alias) - afpstats (alias) - asip-status (alias) - atalkd (alias) - cnid_dbd (alias) - cnid_metad (alias) - dbd (alias) - fce_listen (alias) - getzones (alias) - macipgw (alias) - macusers (alias) - nad (alias) - nbplkup (alias) - nbprgstr (alias) - nbpunrgstr (alias) - netatalk (alias) - pap (alias) - papd (alias) - papstatus (alias) - rtmpqry (alias) - timelord (alias) ## Dependencies - berkeley-db@5 - bstring - cracklib - iniparser - libevent - libgcrypt - mariadb-connector-c - openldap - talloc ## Build dependencies - cmark-gfm - meson - ninja - pkgconf ## Uses from macOS - krb5 - libxcrypt - perl - sqlite ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Service: declared - Caveats: Authenticating as a system user requires manually installing the PAM configuration file to a predetermined location by running: sudo install -d -o $USER -g admin /usr/local/etc mkdir -p /usr/local/etc/pam.d cp $(brew --prefix)/etc/pam.d/netatalk /usr/local/etc/pam.d See `man pam.conf` for more information. - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 4.5.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-22 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage Netatalk is the open source AFP and AppleTalk file-server suite for Unix-like systems. It lets Unix, Linux, BSD, and macOS hosts serve files to Classic Mac OS, early Mac OS X, modern macOS AFP clients, and some third-party AFP clients. ### Project history Netatalk's own roadmap summarizes major feature history from 1990 through 2013, and later releases continued the AFP server line. The project has moved from classic AppleTalk-oriented service into AFP-over-TCP, macOS interoperability, CNID backends, Zeroconf, Spotlight-style search, and then renewed retro-networking support. The 3.x series emphasized modern AFP service, including a unified `afp.conf`, filesystem extended attributes, AFP 3.4 compliance, Samba interoperability, and production-server features. The 4.x line brought back AppleTalk support behind explicit build and configuration flags, serving the revived vintage Mac and Apple II networking audience. ### Adoption history Netatalk became important wherever Unix systems needed to look like AppleShare servers. Its official site emphasizes that conforming macOS, Mac OS X, and Classic Mac OS systems can connect out of the box; the 2.2 release notes also describe AppleTalk routing, print serving, PAP printer access, and related tools. Its modern adoption is split: production AFP servers are narrower because SMB became the dominant macOS file-sharing protocol, but vintage-computing users, retro NAS projects, and mixed Mac labs still need AFP, AppleDouble metadata handling, CNID databases, MacIP, and AppleTalk-era utilities. Homebrew showed a small but real audience, with 618 stable installs and 5 HEAD installs in the 365-day formula window. That tracks with a specialist server package rather than a general desktop tool. ### How it is used Package users run `afpd` through the `netatalk` service controller, configure shares in `afp.conf`, manage AFP passwords with `afppasswd`, and use bundled diagnostic/test tools such as `afp_lantest`, `afp_speedtest`, and `asip-status`. Retro-networking users care about whether AppleTalk is compiled and enabled, plus companion daemons and tools such as `atalkd`, `papd`, `nbplkup`, `getzones`, `macipgw`, `a2boot`, and `timelord`. Modern server users care more about authentication, metadata storage, CNID reliability, Zeroconf advertisement, and macOS Finder behavior. ### Why package nerds care Netatalk is packaging as protocol preservation. It keeps AFP and AppleTalk workflows usable after Apple's own platform incentives moved elsewhere, and it packages many small protocol-era utilities that would be painful to rebuild piecemeal. ### Timeline - 1990: Netatalk roadmap begins its earlier release-history summary. - 2.1 series: AFP 3.2 compliance, IPv6 support, and Zeroconf service discovery appear in the roadmap summary. - 2.2 series: AFP 3.3 compliance and filesystem change events appear in the roadmap summary. - 3.0 series: unified `afp.conf`, extended-attributes metadata backend, service controller daemon, and `afpstats` appear in the roadmap summary. - 3.1 series: AFP 3.4 compliance, Spotlight-compatible indexed search, MySQL CNID backend, and Samba interoperability appear in the roadmap summary. - September 2024: 4.0.0 release notes document AppleTalk support requiring the `-Dwith-appletalk=true` build option and `appletalk = yes` configuration. - January 11, 2025: 4.1.0 news archive announced improved macOS-host interoperability and MacIP Gateway improvements. ### Related projects - AppleShare - Apple Filing Protocol - AppleTalk - MacIP - Samba - RetroNAS - afpfs-ng ### Sources - - - - - - - - ## Security Notes formula declares a Homebrew service. - **Geiger risk:** orange / medium - formula declares a Homebrew service ## Configuration and credential file locations These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval. ## Configuration files - Unix: afp.conf in the compiled Netatalk configuration directory, extmap.conf in the compiled Netatalk configuration directory ## Credential files - Unix: afppasswd, afppasswd.srp, afppasswd.key in the compiled Netatalk configuration directory ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** netatalk - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - a2boot - 4.2.3~ds-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: a2boot from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | AppleTalk Network Suite (Apple II NetBoot) | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - Debian apt - atalkd - 4.2.3~ds-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: atalkd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | AppleTalk Network Suite | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - Debian apt - libatalk - 4.2.3~ds-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libatalk from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Apple Filing Protocol service (shared library) | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - Debian apt - libatalk-dev - 4.2.3~ds-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libatalk-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Apple Filing Protocol service (development files) | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - Debian apt - macipgw - 4.2.3~ds-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: macipgw from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | AppleTalk Network Suite (MacIP Gateway) | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - Debian apt - netatalk - 4.2.3~ds-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: netatalk from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Apple Filing Protocol service | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - Debian apt - netatalk-doc - 4.2.3~ds-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: netatalk-doc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Apple Filing Protocol service (documentation) | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - Debian apt - netatalk-tests - 4.2.3~ds-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: netatalk-tests from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Apple Filing Protocol service (test tools) | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - Debian apt - netatalk-tools - 4.2.3~ds-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: netatalk-tools from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Apple Filing Protocol service (administrative tools) | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - Debian apt - papd - 4.2.3~ds-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: papd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | AppleTalk Network Suite (PAP Print Server) | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - Debian apt - timelord - 4.2.3~ds-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: timelord from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | AppleTalk Network Suite (Timelord Time Server) | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - Nix - netatalk: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ne/netatalk/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - netatalk - 3.1.18~ds-1build4: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: netatalk from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Apple Filing Protocol service | https://github.com/Netatalk/netatalk - apk - netatalk - 4.5.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: netatalk from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Open Source AFP fileserver | https://netatalk.io/ - apk - netatalk-dev - 4.5.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: netatalk-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Open Source AFP fileserver (development files) | https://netatalk.io/ - apk - netatalk-doc - 4.5.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: netatalk-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Open Source AFP fileserver (documentation) | https://netatalk.io/ ## Related links - [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. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [cracklib](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cracklib/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libevent](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libevent/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libgcrypt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libgcrypt/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [mariadb-connector-c](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mariadb-connector-c/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [openldap](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openldap/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [cmark-gfm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cmark-gfm/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [meson](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/meson/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ninja](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ninja/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [copyparty](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/copyparty/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-server, file-sharing, networking. - [dufs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dufs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-server, file-sharing, networking. - [webdav](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/webdav/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-server, file-sharing, networking. - [btpd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/btpd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking. - [gtk-gnutella](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gtk-gnutella/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking. - [ncdc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ncdc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking. - [nicotine-plus](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nicotine-plus/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking. - [phodav](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/phodav/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, file-sharing, networking. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/netatalk.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/netatalk.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - 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