# Install spiffe-helper with Homebrew, Nix

Tool that can be used to retrieve and manage SVIDs on behalf of a workload. Version 0.11.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:spiffe-helper
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install spiffe-helper
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

### Linux

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#spiffe-helper
```

  Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/sp/spiffe-helper/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:spiffe-helper
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Package manager page:** <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/spiffe-helper>
- **Version:** 0.11.0
- **Source summary:** Tool that can be used to retrieve and manage SVIDs on behalf of a workload
- **Homepage:** <https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper>
- **Upstream docs:** <https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper#readme>
- **License:** Apache-2.0
- **Source archive:** <https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper/archive/refs/tags/v0.11.0.tar.gz>
- **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00

## Executables

- spiffe-helper (cli)
- spiffe-helper (alias)

## Build dependencies

- go

## 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: 2026-07-08
- Package-manager version: 0.11.0
- Local data: ok
- Upstream repository: https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper
- Upstream latest detected: v0.11.0 (current)
- info: No package-manager update timestamp was available.
## Project history and usage

SPIFFE Helper is a small command-line utility in the SPIFFE ecosystem for fetching and renewing SVID material from the SPIFFE Workload API on behalf of another process.

### Project history

The public GitHub repository was created in October 2017. Its README describes the tool as a helper that fetches X.509 SVID certificates, launches or signals a process that uses them, and refreshes certificates before expiry.

### Adoption history

Its package-manager footprint is niche but practical: the input records Homebrew and Nix packages, matching the kind of operator tool that appears in Unix package sets once workload identity moves from platform design into day-to-day deployment.

### How it is used

Typical use is `spiffe-helper -config <config_file>`, with `helper.conf` as the documented default. The README documents daemon and one-shot modes, file output under a configured certificate directory, and integration patterns where a supervisor such as systemd owns the real service.

### Why package nerds care

Package maintainers care about SPIFFE Helper because it turns SPIFFE/SPIRE workload identity into ordinary files and signals: a familiar Unix packaging surface for certificates, keys, bundles, and reload hooks.

### Timeline

- 2017: Public GitHub repository created.
- 2025: v0.10.0 added health-server related changes in the release notes.
- 2025: v0.11.0 release notes include a new `-version` flag.

### Related projects

- SPIFFE
- SPIRE
- go-spiffe
- systemd
- ghostunnel

### Sources

- <https://api.github.com/repos/spiffe/spiffe-helper>
- <https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper>
- <https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper/releases>
- input source_facts.package-manager


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals


## 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: helper.conf

## Credential files

- Unix: certs/svid.pem, certs/svid_key.pem, certs/svid_bundle.pem, certs/jwt_svid.token, certs/bundle.json
## Source Database Details

- **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API
- **Tap:** homebrew/core
- **Full Name:** spiffe-helper
- **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

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Nix - spiffe-helper: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/sp/spiffe-helper/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## Related links

- [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family.
- [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.
- [Security and crypto packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/security-crypto-tools/) - Matched security, identity, cryptography, password, signing, or certificate metadata.
- [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [okta-aws-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/okta-aws-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, identity, security.
- [opensaml](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/opensaml/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, identity, security.
- [dexidp](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dexidp/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, identity, security.
- [okta-awscli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/okta-awscli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, identity, security.
- [certgraph](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/certgraph/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, security, x509.
- [certigo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/certigo/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, security, x509.
- [descope](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/descope/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, identity, security.
- [gimmecert](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gimmecert/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, security, x509.
- [rolesanywhere-credential-helper](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rolesanywhere-credential-helper/) - Security-sensitive metadata or terminology overlaps. Shared terms: cli, helper, identity, security, x509.
- [saml-idp](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/npm/saml-idp/) - Security-sensitive metadata or terminology overlaps. Shared terms: cli, identity, security.

## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/spiffe-helper.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/spiffe-helper.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