install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install proctools

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install proctools

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/proctools/Portfile · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

OpenBSD and Darwin versions of pgrep, pkill, and pfind

Project links

Commands and aliases

pfind
pgrep
pkill

history

Project history and usage

proctools is a set of text-based process utilities providing pgrep, pkill, and pfind for OpenBSD and Darwin/Mac OS X.

Project history

The upstream homepage describes proctools as recreating Solaris pgrep and pkill for other operating systems, with the same command-line interface plus additional features. It identifies version 0.4pre1 as current on 07 December 2003.

Adoption history

The supplied package facts show packaging in Homebrew and MacPorts, matching the project's Darwin focus.

How it is used

pgrep prints matching process IDs, pkill sends signals to matching processes, and pfind provides find-like syntax for more precise process matching and interactive signal control.

Why package nerds care

proctools is relevant to package-manager history because it filled a portability gap before pgrep and pkill became common across Unix-like systems, especially for BSD and early Mac OS X users.

Timeline

Solaris 7: Original pgrep and pkill commands appeared.
2003: proctools 0.4 added pfind and Darwin support.
2003-12-07: Upstream homepage lists 0.4pre1 as current.

Related projects

Solaris pgrep
Solaris pkill
OpenBSD
Darwin
ps
killall

Sources

https://proctools.sourceforge.net/
https://proctools.sourceforge.net/pgrep.html
https://proctools.sourceforge.net/pkill.html
source_facts.package-manager

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 11 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.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`pfind`	cli	global executable
`pgrep`	cli	global executable
`pkill`	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 version0.4pre1

manager updated2026-06-19

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://proctools.sourceforge.net/

infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://proctools.sourceforge.net/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:proctools
Version	0.4pre1
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/proctools
Homepage	https://proctools.sourceforge.net/
Upstream docs	https://proctools.sourceforge.net/
License	BSD-3-Clause AND BSD-4-Clause-UC
Source archive	https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/proctools/proctools/0.4pre1/proctools-0.4pre1.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-19T12:32:42-07:00
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	bsdmake
Bottle	available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	proctools
Aliases	pgrep pkill
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Requirements	macos
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	yes
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	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.

MacPorts95%

proctools

sudo port install proctools

normalized package name match
Matched by: Proctools

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/proctools/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/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/proctools.yml

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

Install proctools with Homebrew, MacPorts