macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install timelimitlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install timelimit with Homebrew, apt, Nix
Limit a process's absolute execution time. Version 1.9.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install timelimitDebian stable package indexes · timelimit · source: deb.debian.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#timelimitnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ti/timelimit/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Limit a process's absolute execution time
Project links
Commands and aliases
- timelimit
history
Project history and usage
timelimit is a small Unix command-line utility that runs another command and terminates it after an absolute time limit, first with a warning signal and then with a kill signal.
Project history
The official homepage presents timelimit as a process-control utility modelled after the staged signalling pattern used by init during shutdown. It is maintained by Peter Pentchev and developed in the official GitLab repository.
The release archive on the official site lists timelimit 1.0 and later releases through 1.9.2, with source archives, signatures, and downstream Debian and FreeBSD packaging references.
Adoption history
timelimit entered classic Unix packaging channels because it solves a simple shell problem: bound a command's wall-clock runtime and choose the signals used to stop it.
The input package-manager metadata lists Homebrew, Debian, Nix, and Ubuntu, showing cross-platform package adoption beyond its original release archive. The official release page also links historical Debian snapshots and a FreeBSD port for older releases.
How it is used
Typical use is in scripts, tests, batch jobs, and administrative commands where a child process must not run forever. Compared with an ad hoc shell wrapper, timelimit exposes explicit warning and kill stages.
Its utility overlaps with timeout-style tools, but the official description emphasizes absolute execution time and configurable signals.
Why package nerds care
timelimit is package-nerd material because it is a tiny command that package managers keep alive for scripting compatibility. It is the kind of Unix utility people install when a shell pipeline needs one sharp behavior and no framework.
Timeline
- 2015: The official GitLab project was created.
- 1.0: The official homepage lists timelimit-1.0 as an older release with source archive, Debian package links, and a FreeBSD port.
- 1.9.2: The official homepage lists timelimit-1.9.2 as the latest release.
Related projects
- timelimit is related by purpose to POSIX shell process-control patterns and timeout-style command wrappers.
Sources
- https://devel.ringlet.net/sysutils/timelimit/ - official homepage describes behavior, releases, signatures, Debian links, and FreeBSD port history.
- https://gitlab.com/timelimit/timelimit - official GitLab project page, linked from the homepage, identifies the repository and project creation date.
- input.source_facts.package-manager - package-manager availability lists Homebrew, Debian, Nix, and Ubuntu.
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 13 platform targets.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
timelimit | 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 version1.9.2
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://devel.ringlet.net/sysutils/timelimit/
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://devel.ringlet.net/sysutils/timelimit/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:timelimit |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.9.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/timelimit |
| Homepage | https://devel.ringlet.net/sysutils/timelimit/ |
| Repository | https://gitlab.com/timelimit/timelimit |
| Upstream docs | https://devel.ringlet.net/sysutils/timelimit |
| License | BSD-2-Clause |
| Source archive | https://devel.ringlet.net/files/sys/timelimit/timelimit-1.9.2.tar.gz |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, 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 | timelimit |
| 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.
Debian apt95%
timelimit 1.9.2-3
simple utility to limit a process's absolute execution time
https://devel.ringlet.net/sysutils/timelimit/
sudo apt install timelimit- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Timelimit
Nix95%
timelimit
nix profile install nixpkgs#timelimit- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Timelimit
Ubuntu apt95%
timelimit 1.9.2-2build1
simple utility to limit a process's absolute execution time
https://devel.ringlet.net/sysutils/timelimit/
sudo apt install timelimit- Section: universe/utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Timelimit
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