macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install tweaklocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install tweak with Homebrew, apt, dnf, Nix
Command-line, ncurses library based hex editor. Version 3.02 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install tweakDebian stable package indexes · tweak · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install tweakFedora Rawhide package metadata · tweak · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#tweaknixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/tw/tweak/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Command-line, ncurses library based hex editor
Project links
Commands and aliases
- tweak
history
Project history and usage
Tweak is Simon Tatham's terminal hex editor for Unix systems. Its distinguishing historical point is not being another small hex viewer, but a hex editor built around efficient editing of large binary files.
Project history
The official Tweak page presents the tool as an ncurses-based Unix hex editor and explains why it was written: it uses a B-tree-based data structure so insertions, cut/copy/paste, and lazy loading can remain fast even for very large files such as disk or CD images.
The current public release documented on the official page is Tweak 3.02, with an online man page and a browsable development repository hosted on git.tartarus.org.
Adoption history
Tweak's adoption appears to be modest but durable: it is packaged by Homebrew and several Unix-like distributions, and its appeal is strongest for users who want a console hex editor with insert-mode editing rather than a GUI binary editor.
How it is used
Typical use is `tweak filename` in a terminal to inspect or edit exact binary file contents. The man page highlights uses such as modifying executables, editing disk or CD images, debugging binary file formats, and constructing new files from scratch with insert mode.
Why package nerds care
For package nerds, Tweak is a good example of a small, old-school Unix tool whose implementation detail is the feature: it packages a specialized data structure behind a simple curses interface for binary-file work.
It is also a reminder that package managers preserve narrow utilities long after mainstream developer tooling has moved to graphical or IDE-centered workflows.
Timeline
- Pre-2010s: Tweak is published by Simon Tatham as a Unix ncurses hex editor.
- Tweak 3.02: Current public release documented on the official project page.
- 2010s-2020s: Tweak remains available through Unix package managers including Homebrew and Linux distributions.
Related projects
- Simon Tatham's other free software, especially PuTTY and Halibut, shares the same upstream site and packaging culture.
- Other terminal hex editors and binary editors occupy the same niche, but Tweak's official page emphasizes efficient large-file editing through its B-tree design.
Sources
- Official man page: https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/tweak/manpage-3.02.html
- Official project page: https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/tweak/
- Official repository: https://git.tartarus.org/simon/tweak.git
security posture
Risk level: green
library-like package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- library-like package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:library-like
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.
local files
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
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
~/.tweakrc
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
tweak | 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 version3.02
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/tweak/
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/tweak/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:tweak |
|---|---|
| Version | 3.02 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/tweak |
| Homepage | https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/tweak/ |
| Repository | https://git.tartarus.org/simon/tweak.git |
| Upstream docs | https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/tweak |
| License | MIT |
| Source archive | https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/tweak/tweak-3.02.tar.gz |
| Uses from macOS | ncurses |
| 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 | tweak |
| 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%
tweak 3.02-6
Efficient text-mode hex editor
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/tweak/
sudo apt install tweak- Section: editors
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Tweak
Nix95%
tweak
nix profile install nixpkgs#tweak- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Tweak
Ubuntu apt95%
tweak 3.02-6
Efficient text-mode hex editor
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/tweak/
sudo apt install tweak- Section: universe/editors
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Tweak
dnf95%
tweak 3.02-22.fc44
An efficient hex editor
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/tweak/
sudo dnf install tweak- License: MIT
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: tweak
- 4 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Tweak
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 configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment