install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install sniffnet

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install sniffnet

MacPorts ports tree · net/sniffnet/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#sniffnet

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S sniffnet

Arch Linux sync databases · sniffnet · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install extras/sniffnet

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

overview

Package summary

Cross-platform application to monitor your network traffic

Project links

Commands and aliases

sniffnet

history

Project history and usage

Sniffnet is a Rust-based, cross-platform network traffic monitor aimed at making packet-level observation approachable through a graphical interface while still remaining installable from developer package managers.

Project history

The public GitHub repository was created in 2022, and the early changelog shows a tool focused on network traffic reports and protocol filtering. By version 1.2.1 in 2023, the project described itself as no longer just a command-line interface, adding a full graphical interface, persistent settings, geolocation, favorites, and notifications.

Later releases broadened Sniffnet from live adapter monitoring into a more complete desktop network-inspection tool. Version 1.3 added ICMP support, service identification, PCAP export, custom themes, and more link types; version 1.4 added PCAP import; and version 1.5 added attribution of traffic to local applications and programs.

Adoption history

The supplied package metadata lists Sniffnet in Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, Arch/pacman, and Scoop, reflecting adoption across Unix-like, macOS, and Windows-oriented package ecosystems. The official changelog also documents Linux AppImage, Debian package, RPM, Docker, Windows installer, and translation work, which are typical signals of a desktop tool moving beyond a single developer audience.

How it is used

Sniffnet is commonly used to select a network adapter, monitor traffic, inspect hosts and services, filter captured data, export or import PCAP files, and identify which applications are generating network traffic. Its official site frames the tool around seeing who the user is exchanging data with and inspecting network activity more deeply.

Why package nerds care

Package maintainers care about Sniffnet because it sits at the intersection of Rust desktop packaging, native packet-capture dependencies such as libpcap/Npcap, GUI runtime issues, and platform-specific release artifacts. It is a good example of a modern network utility that package managers must present as both a GUI app and a command-line-installable tool.

Timeline

2022: Public GitHub repository created.
2023: Version 1.2.1 made Sniffnet a full graphical application with persistent settings.
2024: Version 1.3 added ICMP support, PCAP export, service identification, and theming.
2025: Version 1.4 added PCAP import and broader Linux packaging artifacts.
2026: Version 1.5 added application/program traffic attribution.

Related projects

Sniffnet belongs to the same practical space as tcpdump and Wireshark, but its package-manager role is closer to a friendly desktop monitor for users who want packet-capture visibility without living inside a protocol analyzer.

Sources

GitHub REST repository metadata for GyulyVGC/sniffnet, accessed 2026-07-02.
https://github.com/GyulyVGC/sniffnet
https://github.com/GyulyVGC/sniffnet/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md
https://sniffnet.net/
input.source_facts.package-manager

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:network

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 2 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
`sniffnet`	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 version1.5.0

manager updated2026-05-12

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv1.5.0

https://github.com/GyulyVGC/sniffnet

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:sniffnet
Version	1.5.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/sniffnet
Homepage	https://sniffnet.net/
Repository	https://github.com/GyulyVGC/sniffnet
Upstream docs	https://github.com/GyulyVGC/sniffnet#readme
License	Apache-2.0 OR MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/GyulyVGC/sniffnet/archive/refs/tags/v1.5.0.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-05-12T14:50:32-04:00
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	pkgconf, rust
Uses from macOS	libpcap
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	sniffnet
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%

sniffnet

nix profile install nixpkgs#sniffnet

normalized package name match
Matched by: Sniffnet

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

pacman95%

sniffnet 1.5.0-1

Application to comfortably monitor your network traffic

https://github.com/GyulyVGC/sniffnet

sudo pacman -S sniffnet

License: Apache-2.0 AND MIT
Architecture: x86_64
7 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Sniffnet

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: sniffnet from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

MacPorts95%

sniffnet

sudo port install sniffnet

normalized package name match
Matched by: Sniffnet

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

Scoop95%

extras/sniffnet

scoop install extras/sniffnet

normalized package name match
Matched by: Sniffnet

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/sniffnet.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Extras/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/sniffnet.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 sniffnet with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop