# Install nspr with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman Platform-neutral API for system-level and libc-like functions. Version 4.39 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-05. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:nspr ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install nspr ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install nspr ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/nspr/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add nspr ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nspr from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install libnspr4 ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: libnspr4 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install nspr ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: nspr 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#nspr ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ns/nspr/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S nspr ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: nspr from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:nspr - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 4.39 - **Source summary:** Platform-neutral API for system-level and libc-like functions - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MPL-2.0 - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-05T19:04:27Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-09T07:20:21+00:00 ## Executables - nspr-config (cli) - nspr-config (alias) ## 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: 2026-07-09 - Package-manager version: 4.39 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-05 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://hg.mozilla.org/projects/nspr - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage NSPR, the Netscape Portable Runtime, is a C portability layer from the Netscape/Mozilla lineage. It abstracts non-GUI operating-system services such as threads, synchronization, file and network I/O, time, memory allocation, and shared-library loading so Mozilla-era code can run across many Unix, Windows, and macOS targets. ### Project history Mozilla's NSPR history says the first generation was conceived to satisfy Java VM porting requirements, while the second-generation NSPR20 effort started in 1996 and expanded the idea into a general portability layer for C and C++ clients. The same page describes NSPR as functionally complete and in sustaining engineering, which matches its role as old, boring infrastructure rather than a fast-moving application framework. ### Adoption history Mozilla's documentation says NSPR is used by Mozilla clients plus many Red Hat and Oracle server applications. Its most visible downstream role is as the portability substrate for NSS, so package managers often install it indirectly through security libraries rather than because an end user asked for `nspr-config` by name. On July 1, 2026, Homebrew's formula page listed NSPR 4.39 and reported 273,494 installs in its 365-day analytics window, but only 3,006 installs on request. That gap is a good package-nerd signal: NSPR is mostly dependency plumbing. ### How it is used Developers use NSPR directly when maintaining old Mozilla-family C/C++ code or software that already expects NSPR APIs. Practically, package users see headers, libraries, and `nspr-config`; modern greenfield projects usually choose native OS APIs, pthreads, or higher-level runtimes unless they need compatibility with NSS/Mozilla code. ### Why package nerds care NSPR matters because it is one of the tiny base layers beneath a surprising amount of browser and PKI software. It is not fashionable infrastructure, but build failures here ripple into NSS and packages that consume NSS. ### Timeline - 1996: the NSPR20 second-generation effort began, rebuilding the original Java-porting portability layer into a broader runtime API. - July 1, 2026: Homebrew formula analytics listed NSPR 4.39 with large dependency-driven install volume. ### Related projects - NSS depends on NSPR for cross-platform I/O and threading semantics. ### Sources - - - ## 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:** nspr - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - libnspr4 - 2:4.36-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libnspr4 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | NetScape Portable Runtime Library | http://www.mozilla.org/projects/nspr/ - Debian apt - libnspr4-dev - 2:4.36-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libnspr4-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Development files for the NetScape Portable Runtime library | http://www.mozilla.org/projects/nspr/ - Nix - nspr: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ns/nspr/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - libnspr4 - 2:4.35-1.1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libnspr4 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | NetScape Portable Runtime Library | http://www.mozilla.org/projects/nspr/ - Ubuntu apt - libnspr4-dev - 2:4.35-1.1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libnspr4-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Development files for the NetScape Portable Runtime library | http://www.mozilla.org/projects/nspr/ - apk - nspr - 4.38.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nspr from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Netscape Portable Runtime | https://www.mozilla.org/projects/nspr/ - apk - nspr-dev - 4.38.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nspr-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Netscape Portable Runtime (development files) | https://www.mozilla.org/projects/nspr/ - dnf - nspr - 4.39-1.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: nspr from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Netscape Portable Runtime | http://www.mozilla.org/projects/nspr/ - pacman - nspr - 4.39-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: nspr from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz | Netscape Portable Runtime | https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Projects/NSPR - MacPorts - nspr: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: devel/nspr/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. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [nss](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nss/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [poppler](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/poppler/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [qca](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/qca/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [redwax-tool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/redwax-tool/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [spidermonkey](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/spidermonkey/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [flickcurl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/flickcurl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, libraries, library. - [glib](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/glib/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, libraries, library. - [gwenhywfar](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gwenhywfar/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, libraries, library. - [hidapi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hidapi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, libraries, library. - [json-glib](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/json-glib/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, libraries, library. - [libcmph](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libcmph/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, libraries, library. - [libdatrie](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libdatrie/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, libraries, library. - [libdeflate](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libdeflate/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: c, cli, developer-tools, libraries, library. - [ossp-uuid](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ossp-uuid/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: api, c, cli, config, developer. - [apr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/apr/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, config, developer, developer-tools, library. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/nspr.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/nspr.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