# Install tmpreaper with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts Clean up files in directories based on their age. Version 1.6.18 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:tmpreaper ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install tmpreaper ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install tmpreaper ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/tmpreaper/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install tmpreaper ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: tmpreaper from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:tmpreaper - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.6.18 - **Source summary:** Clean up files in directories based on their age - **Homepage:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-only - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - tmpreaper (cli) - tmpreaper (alias) ## Build dependencies - autoconf - automake ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.6.18 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://packages.debian.org/sid/tmpreaper - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage tmpreaper is a long-lived Debian system-maintenance utility for removing old files from temporary directories based on access, modification, or change time. ### Project history The Debian manpage describes tmpreaper as a tool that recursively removes files and empty directories that have not been accessed for a specified period, especially in temporary holding areas such as /tmp. It emphasizes security behavior: avoiding symlink traversal, avoiding chdir(".."), not switching file systems, and stopping after a default runtime limit to reduce race-condition exposure. The manpage names Karl M. Hegbloom as author, says tmpreaper is mostly based on tmpwatch 1.2/1.4 by Erik Troan, and lists Paul Slootman as the Debian maintainer. The Debian changelog shows active maintenance going back to the late 1990s and continuing through the 2025 1.6.18 release. ### Adoption history tmpreaper is historically rooted in Debian administration rather than in a GitHub-first CLI culture. Debian's package page places it in the admin section and documents the daily run configured through /etc/tmpreaper.conf. The supplied source facts show availability through Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, and MacPorts. That spread reflects its appeal to users who want an established temp-file cleanup tool on both Linux distributions and macOS package ecosystems. ### How it is used System administrators use tmpreaper to clean directories such as /tmp with explicit age thresholds and protect patterns. The manpage documents dry-run behavior, verbose output, shell-command-style reporting of deletions, ctime and mtime modes, symlink handling, runtime limits, and protect patterns. For package-focused users, tmpreaper is the classic installable answer to a recurring housekeeping problem: clean old temporary files without writing an ad hoc find command for every host, while retaining options shaped by multi-user Unix security concerns. ### Why package nerds care tmpreaper is significant because it embodies the older Debian package model: a small C utility, a manpage, a conffile, cron integration, and decades of changelog-driven maintenance. It is not trendy, but it is exactly the kind of durable system utility package nerds notice. Its history is also a reminder that temp cleanup is security-sensitive. The changelog records fixes for directory traversal, bind-mount/race-condition issues, systemd PrivateTmp protection, default ignore patterns, and reproducible-build concerns. ### Timeline - 1998: Debian changelog entries show tmpreaper 1.4.x maintained by Karl M. Hegbloom. - 2001: Version 1.5.0 added autoconf support and portability work for Solaris and NetBSD. - 2002: Version 1.6.0 added ctime handling for Samba-share scenarios. - 2003: Version 1.6.1 made cron execution opt-in through /etc/tmpreaper.conf and added runtime limiting. - 2019: Version 1.6.14 fixed CVE-2019-3461-related bind-mount race-condition behavior. - 2025: Version 1.6.18 was accepted into Debian unstable and migrated to testing. ### Related projects - tmpwatch is the older cleanup utility named by the tmpreaper manpage as the basis for tmpreaper. - Debian cron and /etc/tmpreaper.conf are the package integration points documented by Debian. ### Sources - - - - - 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 - Linux: /etc/tmpreaper.conf ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** tmpreaper - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - tmpreaper - 1.6.18: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: tmpreaper from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | cleans up files in directories based on their age - Ubuntu apt - tmpreaper - 1.6.17+nmu1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: tmpreaper from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | cleans up files in directories based on their age - MacPorts - tmpreaper: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/tmpreaper/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## 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. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Matched curated package taxonomy and local package facts. - [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. - [tmpwatch](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tmpwatch/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cleanup, cli, maintenance, system, system-maintenance. - [mole](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mole/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cleanup, cli, maintenance, system, system-maintenance. - [topgrade](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/topgrade/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, maintenance, system, system-maintenance. - [detox](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/detox/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cleanup, cli, system. - [mac-cleanup-go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mac-cleanup-go/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cleanup, cli, system. - [rmlint](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rmlint/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cleanup, cli, system. - [rmrfrs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rmrfrs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cleanup, cli, system. - [abduco](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/abduco/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, system. - [unyaffs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/unyaffs/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, files, system. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/tmpreaper.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/tmpreaper.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