# Install synfig with Homebrew, chocolatey, dnf, MacPorts, pacman, apt

Command-line renderer. Version 1.5.5 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-06.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:synfig
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install synfig
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install synfig
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: graphics/synfig/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- dnf (92%):

```sh
sudo dnf install synfig
```

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

- pacman (92%):

```sh
sudo pacman -S synfig
```

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

- Ubuntu apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install libsynfig-dev
```

  Evidence: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libsynfig-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

### Windows

- Chocolatey (92%):

```sh
choco install synfig
```

  Evidence: Chocolatey community package catalog: synfig from http://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='8.1972','png2ico'

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:synfig
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Package manager page:** <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/synfig>
- **Version:** 1.5.5
- **Source summary:** Command-line renderer
- **Homepage:** <https://www.synfig.org/>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/synfig/synfig>
- **Upstream docs:** <https://synfig-docs-dev.readthedocs.io/>
- **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later
- **Source archive:** <https://github.com/synfig/synfig/releases/download/v1.5.5/synfig-1.5.5.tar.gz>
- **Last updated:** 2026-07-06T11:06:09Z
- **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00

## Executables

- synfig (cli)
- synfig-config (cli)
- synfig (alias)
- synfig-config (alias)

## Dependencies

- cairo
- etl
- ffmpeg
- fftw
- fontconfig
- freetype
- fribidi
- gettext
- glib
- glibmm@2.66
- harfbuzz
- imagemagick
- imath
- liblqr
- libmng
- libomp
- libpng
- libsigc++@2
- libtool
- libxml++
- libzip
- little-cms2
- mlt
- openexr
- pango

## Build dependencies

- autoconf
- automake
- gettext
- intltool
- libtool
- pkgconf

## 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: 1.5.5
- Package-manager updated: 2026-07-06
- Local data: ok
- Upstream repository: https://github.com/synfig/synfig
- info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available.
## Project history and usage

Synfig is an open-source 2D animation system whose package-manager identity is unusually CLI-friendly for a graphics project: the Homebrew formula installs the `synfig` renderer and `synfig-config`, while the wider project is known as Synfig Studio.

### Project history

Synfig began as animation software developed by Robert Quattlebaum for Voria Studios. The official Synfig history says Voria demonstrated its first production, Prologue, at AnimeExpo 2004 and ComicCon 2004, then shut down full-time operations on December 10, 2004.

After Voria closed, Quattlebaum licensed Synfig under the GNU GPL and handed it to the free-software community. The project's own history also explains the name change from SINFG to Synfig as part of turning the company tool into a more public open-source project.

The 2015 Synfig Studio 1.0 release-candidate announcement framed 1.0 as one of the largest updates in the project's history, summarizing 18 months of development; the 1.0 overview highlighted a reworked GTK3 single-window UI and animation features such as bones.

### Adoption history

Synfig's adoption is mostly in open-source animation rather than infrastructure, but package managers care because the renderer is a real command-line program. The official manual documents rendering either through Synfig Studio or the command-line `synfig` program.

The input package facts list Synfig across Homebrew, Chocolatey, Fedora, MacPorts, Arch, and Ubuntu-derived packaging, reflecting a cross-platform packaging footprint for a desktop animation stack plus its headless renderer.

### How it is used

Synfig is commonly packaged for creating or rendering 2D vector and bitmap animation. Developer documentation describes `synfig-core` as the backend that reads and writes Synfig XML files and contains the command-line tool.

For CLI users, the relevant workflow is rendering `.sif` or `.sifz` animation projects without launching the full studio UI, which makes Synfig useful in scripted render pipelines and reproducible examples.

### Why package nerds care

Synfig is a classic package-nerd case where a GUI-heavy creative application still matters to CLI indexes because its backend renderer is scriptable and packageable.

It also carries the packaging friction of a mature graphics stack: animation file formats, rendering backends, desktop UI dependencies, and cross-platform release artifacts all meet in one formula.

### Timeline

- 2004: Voria Studios demonstrated Prologue using the software that became Synfig.
- 2004-12-10: Voria Studios shut down full-time operations.
- After 2004: Robert Quattlebaum licensed Synfig under the GNU GPL and turned it over to the free-software community.
- 2015-02-06: Synfig Studio 1.0 release candidate 1 was announced as a major project milestone.

### Related projects

- Synfig Studio is the GUI application built around the Synfig rendering core.
- The `synfig` command-line renderer is the part most directly exposed through package-manager executables.
- Synfig documentation describes ETL, synfig-core, and synfig-studio as the main project components.

### Sources

- <https://synfig-docs-dev.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common/structure.html>
- <https://synfig.readthedocs.io/en/latest/quick_start/animation_basics.html>
- <https://wiki.synfig.org/History>
- <https://www.synfig.org/1.0/overview/>
- <https://www.synfig.org/2015/02/06/synfig-studio-1-0-release-candidate-1/>
- input source_facts.executables and source_facts.package-manager


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

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

## Source Database Details

- **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API
- **Tap:** homebrew/core
- **Full Name:** synfig
- **Version Scheme:** 0
- **Revision:** 2
- **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

- Ubuntu apt - libsynfig-dev - 1.5.1+dfsg-3build7: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libsynfig-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | synfig library development files | http://www.synfig.org/
- Ubuntu apt - libsynfig0a - 1.5.1+dfsg-3build7: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libsynfig0a from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | render library and plugins for synfig 2D animation | http://www.synfig.org/
- Ubuntu apt - synfig - 1.5.1+dfsg-3build7: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: synfig from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | vector-based 2D animation renderer | http://www.synfig.org/
- Ubuntu apt - synfig-examples - 1.5.1+dfsg-3build7: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: synfig-examples from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | synfig animation examples | http://www.synfig.org/
- dnf - synfig - 1.5.4-2.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: synfig from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Vector-based 2D animation rendering backend | http://synfig.org/
- dnf - synfig-devel - 1.5.4-2.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: synfig-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Development files for synfig | http://synfig.org/
- pacman - synfig - 1.4.5-4: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: synfig from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Professional vector animation program (CLI renderer only) | https://www.synfig.org/
- MacPorts - synfig: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: graphics/synfig/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Chocolatey - synfig: normalized package name match | Chocolatey community package catalog: synfig from http://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='8.1972','png2ico'


## Related links

- [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.
- [Media and graphics packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/media-graphics-tools/) - Matched media, image, audio, video, or graphics metadata.
- [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider.
- [cairo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cairo/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [etl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/etl/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [ffmpeg](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ffmpeg/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [fftw](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fftw/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [fontconfig](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fontconfig/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [freetype](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/freetype/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [fribidi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fribidi/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [gettext](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gettext/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [autoconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autoconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [automake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/automake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [intltool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/intltool/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [gifski](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gifski/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: animation, cli, media.
- [manim](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/manim/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: animation, cli, media.
- [asymptote](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/asymptote/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, vector-graphics.
- [fig2dev](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fig2dev/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, vector-graphics.
- [ivtools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ivtools/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, vector-graphics.
- [libart](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libart/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, vector-graphics.
- [libfreehand](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libfreehand/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, media, vector-graphics.
- [autotrace](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autotrace/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, cms2, fontconfig, freetype, gettext.
- [vips](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/vips/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cairo, cli, cms2, fftw, fontconfig.

## Combined YAML source

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


## Sources

- Nucleus package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- package-page enrichment
- 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