install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install nuclei

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install nuclei

MacPorts ports tree · security/nuclei/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add nuclei

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · nuclei · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install nuclei

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · nuclei · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#nuclei

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/nu/nuclei/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/nuclei

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/nuclei.json · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

HTTP/DNS scanner configurable via YAML templates

Project links

Commands and aliases

nuclei

history

Project history and usage

Nuclei is ProjectDiscovery's Go-based, template-driven vulnerability scanner. Its core package identity is the split between a fast scanning engine and a community-maintained YAML template ecosystem.

Project history

The nuclei repository was created on 2020-04-03, and the companion nuclei-templates repository followed on 2020-04-04. The README describes Nuclei as a modern high-performance scanner using simple YAML templates to model real vulnerability checks with low false positives.

ProjectDiscovery's documentation and README emphasize extensibility: templates can cover HTTP, DNS, TCP, SSL, WHOIS, JavaScript, code, file, headless, and other protocol modes, with bulk scanning, template filtering, workflows, output formats, and CI/CD integration.

Adoption history

Nuclei's adoption is inseparable from nuclei-templates. The template repository describes itself as a community-curated list for the nuclei engine; on 2026-07-01 its README statistics listed 11,997 files, 873 directories, thousands of CVE/vulnerability/discovery tags, and KEV-oriented coverage.

The upstream README says Nuclei is used and contributed to by Fortune 500 enterprises, government agencies, and universities. It is common in bug bounty, attack-surface management, pentest regression, and DevSecOps workflows because checks can be shared as small YAML files rather than compiled scanner plugins.

How it is used

Typical package use starts with `nuclei -u target` or `nuclei -l targets.txt`, then narrows by template path, tags, severity, protocol type, or template ID. Users update templates, run new templates only, export JSONL or reports, write custom templates, and chain Nuclei after discovery tools that produce host or URL lists.

Security teams use it as a repeatable regression scanner: turn a finding into a template, commit the template, rerun it across staging or production, and keep checking that the vulnerability does not reappear.

Why package nerds care

Nuclei matters because it made the packageable unit of vulnerability knowledge a readable YAML template. That lowered the cost of sharing checks across bug bounty hunters, consultancies, and internal security teams.

Timeline

2020-04-03: nuclei GitHub repository created.
2020-04-04: nuclei-templates GitHub repository created.
2026-07-01: point-in-time template README statistics listed 11,997 files and 873 directories.

Related projects

nuclei-templates
ProjectDiscovery httpx
ProjectDiscovery subfinder
ProjectDiscovery naabu
Interactsh

Sources

security posture

Risk level: blue

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

Risk classifier

blue risk · medium confidence · tool

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal

Signals

text:http

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
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.

local files

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

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: ~/.config/nuclei/config.yaml

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: ~/.pdcp/credentials.yaml

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`nuclei`	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 version3.11.0

manager updated2026-07-06

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv3.11.0

https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:nuclei
Version	3.11.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/nuclei
Homepage	https://docs.projectdiscovery.io/tools/nuclei/overview
Repository	https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei
Upstream docs	https://docs.projectdiscovery.io/opensource/nuclei
License	MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/archive/refs/tags/v3.11.0.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-07-06T10:13:48Z
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, 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	nuclei
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	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

nuclei

nix profile install nixpkgs#nuclei

normalized package name match
Matched by: Nuclei

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/nu/nuclei/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

apk95%

nuclei 3.8.0-r1

Vulnerability scanner built on a simple YAML-based DSL

https://docs.projectdiscovery.io/tools/nuclei

sudo apk add nuclei

License: MIT
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: nuclei
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Nuclei

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nuclei from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

nuclei-doc 3.8.0-r1

Vulnerability scanner built on a simple YAML-based DSL (documentation)

https://docs.projectdiscovery.io/tools/nuclei

sudo apk add nuclei-doc

License: MIT
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: nuclei
normalized package name match
Matched by: Nuclei

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: nuclei-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

dnf95%

nuclei 3.8.0-1.fc45

Fast, customizable YAML-based vulnerability scanner

https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei

sudo dnf install nuclei

License: 0BSD AND Apache-2.0 AND BSD-2-Clause AND BSD-2-Clause-Views AND BSD-3-Clause AND GPL-2.0-only AND ISC AND MIT AND MPL-2.0 AND Sleepycat AND Unlicense
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: nuclei
3 dependencies
2 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Nuclei

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: nuclei from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

nuclei

sudo port install nuclei

normalized package name match
Matched by: Nuclei

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: security/nuclei/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Scoop95%

main/nuclei

scoop install main/nuclei

normalized package name match
Matched by: Nuclei

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/nuclei.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

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.

combined/nuclei.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install nuclei with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, scoop