macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install starlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install starMacPorts ports tree · archivers/star/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install star with Homebrew, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper
Standard tap archiver. Version 2024-03-21 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install rmtFedora Rawhide package metadata · rmt · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#starnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/st/star/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install staropenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · star · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Standard tap archiver
Project links
Commands and aliases
- scpio
- spax
- star
- suntar
- ustar
history
Project history and usage
star is Jorg Schilling's tar-like tape archiver, now maintained within the schilytools collection. It is a long-running Unix backup and archive utility with a strong emphasis on speed, portability, tape workflows, and POSIX tar behavior.
Project history
The upstream README says star development started in 1982 and that the first complete implementation was finished in 1985. The same README describes it as a tar-like archiver with FIFO-based streaming, pattern matching, multivolume support, sparse-file handling, remote archives, and full-backup features.
The current Codeberg schilytools README presents schilytools as a collection of tools originally written or managed by Jorg Schilling and continued by the schilytools project to preserve compatibility, extend portability, and fix bugs.
Adoption history
star belongs to the older Unix culture where package managers shipped multiple archive implementations because tar formats, tape drives, remote tape servers, and vendor Unix behavior differed in practice. The input facts list packages for Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, zypper, and related RPM ecosystems.
Its long life also reflects the persistence of tar as both a source-distribution format and a system-backup format. Package maintainers care about such tools because archive correctness affects source releases, backups, file metadata, sparse files, and long path names.
How it is used
The official manual describes star as a fast tar-like archiver that archives and extracts multiple files to and from a tarfile, which can be a tape or ordinary file.
Common usage overlaps with tar, pax, cpio, backup, restore, and remote tape workflows. The README highlights selectable command-line interfaces for star, suntar, gnutar, pax, and cpio, which made it useful in compatibility-heavy Unix environments.
Why package nerds care
star matters to package nerds because tar compatibility is infrastructure, not decoration. A package manager that can build, test, and ship an alternate tar implementation gives users another way to inspect archive edge cases involving sparse files, long paths, metadata, timestamps, compression detection, and POSIX.1-2001 headers.
It is also a reminder that archival tools are part of the supply chain: the boring command that unpacks source code can determine whether metadata survives and whether backups can be trusted.
Timeline
- 1982: Upstream README says star development started.
- 1985: Upstream README says the first complete implementation was done.
- 2020: star README revision still credited J. Schilling and documented the tool's features.
- 2022: schilytools project continued the collection on Codeberg after Schilling's original stewardship.
Related projects
- star sits alongside tar, pax, cpio, ufsdump, ufsrestore, rmt, mt, and the broader schilytools collection.
- The package also installs compatibility-flavored commands such as suntar, ustar, spax, and scpio.
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:archive
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 10 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 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
scpio | cli | global executable | |
spax | cli | global executable | |
star | cli | global executable | |
suntar | cli | global executable | |
ustar | 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 version2024-03-21
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://codeberg.org/schilytools/schilytools
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://codeberg.org/schilytools/schilytoolsnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:star |
|---|---|
| Version | 2024-03-21 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/star |
| Homepage | https://codeberg.org/schilytools/schilytools |
| Repository | https://codeberg.org/schilytools/schilytools |
| Upstream docs | https://codeberg.org/schilytools/schilytools/src/branch/master/star/README |
| License | CDDL-1.0 |
| Source archive | https://codeberg.org/schilytools/schilytools/archive/2024-03-21.tar.gz |
| Build dependencies | smake |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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 | star |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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%
star
nix profile install nixpkgs#star- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Star
dnf95%
rmt 2024.03.21-6.fc44
Provides certain programs with access to remote tape devices
https://codeberg.org/schilytools/schilytools
sudo dnf install rmt- License: CDDL-1.0 AND BSD-2-Clause AND BSD-3-Clause AND BSD-4-Clause AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: star
- 5 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Star
dnf95%
star 2024.03.21-6.fc44
An archiving tool with ACL support
https://codeberg.org/schilytools/schilytools
sudo dnf install star- License: CDDL-1.0 AND BSD-2-Clause AND BSD-3-Clause AND BSD-4-Clause AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: star
- 10 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Star
dnf95%
star-libs 2024.03.21-6.fc44
Libraries for star
https://codeberg.org/schilytools/schilytools
sudo dnf install star-libs- License: CDDL-1.0 AND BSD-2-Clause AND BSD-3-Clause AND BSD-4-Clause AND LicenseRef-Fedora-Public-Domain
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: star
- 4 dependencies
- 6 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Star
zypper95%
star 1.6.1-53.3
tar implementation compliant to POSIX.1-2001
https://codeberg.org/schilytools/schilytools
sudo zypper install star- License: CDDL-1.0
- Category: Productivity/Archiving/Backup
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: schily
- 7 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Star
MacPorts95%
star
sudo port install star- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Star
zypper92%
spax 1.6.1-53.3
Portable Archive Exchange
https://codeberg.org/schilytools/schilytools
sudo zypper install spax- License: CDDL-1.0
- Category: Productivity/Archiving/Backup
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: schily
- 1 dependencies
- 2 provides
- installed executable or alias match
- Matched by: Spax
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.
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