macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install uhubctllocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install uhubctlMacPorts ports tree · sysutils/uhubctl/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install uhubctl with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper
USB hub per-port power control. Version 2.6.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add uhubctlAlpine Linux edge package indexes · uhubctl · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install uhubctlDebian stable package indexes · uhubctl · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install uhubctlFedora Rawhide package metadata · uhubctl · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#uhubctlnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/uh/uhubctl/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install uhubctlopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · uhubctl · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
USB hub per-port power control
Project links
Commands and aliases
- uhubctl
history
Project history and usage
uhubctl is a command-line utility for controlling per-port power on USB hubs that implement USB per-port power switching.
Project history
The public uhubctl repository was created in 2015. Its README credits hub-ctrl.c by Niibe Yutaka as the original inspiration and defines the target hardware as smart USB hubs that can switch power per port.
The project grew around a practical compatibility table rather than only a codebase. The README tracks known working hubs, monitors, docks, keyboards, Raspberry Pi boards, and embedded devices, and asks users to report working hardware with uhubctl output and VBUS-off test results.
Release metadata shows v1.8 in 2017, v2.0.0 in 2018, a series of 2.x releases through 2022, and v2.6.0 in 2024.
Adoption history
uhubctl's adoption is closely tied to lab automation, embedded development, Raspberry Pi work, USB device testing, and remote recovery workflows where physically unplugging a device is inconvenient. The README documents Raspberry Pi models and many external hubs and docks as compatible or partially compatible devices.
The supplied package data records uhubctl in Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, Alpine, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora/dnf, and openSUSE. The official README likewise lists package-manager install commands for macOS, Debian-family systems, Red Hat-family systems, openSUSE, and FreeBSD.
How it is used
The common command form is to list supported hubs, then turn a selected port off, on, toggle it, or cycle it with a configurable delay. The README documents location selection for multi-hub systems and cautions that switching built-in USB ports can disconnect keyboards or mice.
On Linux, the README documents udev rules for non-root access and notes that Linux kernel 6.0 and later provide a standard interface for disabling hub ports, which uhubctl tries to use instead of libusb where possible.
The README also explains USB 3.0 duality: a USB 3 hub can appear as separate USB2 and USB3 virtual hubs, and power changes may need to be applied to both for the physical port state to match the user's expectation.
Why package nerds care
uhubctl is significant because it turns a hardware capability that is inconsistently implemented by consumer devices into a scriptable package-manager tool. That makes it useful for test rigs, CI benches with attached hardware, home labs, and headless systems.
For packagers, the interesting part is not just compiling a small C program; it is carrying libusb behavior, OS-specific permissions, kernel interface changes, and documentation for hardware quirks that determine whether the command actually cuts power.
Timeline
- 2015: Public GitHub repository created.
- 2017: v1.8 release published.
- 2018: v2.0.0 release published.
- 2020: v2.2.0 and v2.3.0 releases published.
- 2022: v2.5.0 release published.
- 2024: v2.6.0 release published.
Related projects
- The README names hub-ctrl.c by Niibe Yutaka as the original inspiration.
- uhubctl depends on libusb for portable USB access and, on newer Linux kernels, can use the kernel port-disable interface.
Sources
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 8 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
uhubctl | 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 version2.6.0
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv2.6.0
https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:uhubctl |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.6.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/uhubctl |
| Homepage | https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl |
| Repository | https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl |
| License | GPL-2.0-only |
| Source archive | https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl/archive/refs/tags/v2.6.0.tar.gz |
| Dependencies | libusb |
| Build dependencies | pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, 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 | uhubctl |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| 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%
uhubctl 2.6.0-1
USB hub per-port power control
https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl
sudo apt install uhubctl- Section: electronics
- Architecture: amd64
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Uhubctl
Nix95%
uhubctl
nix profile install nixpkgs#uhubctl- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Uhubctl
Ubuntu apt95%
uhubctl 2.5.0-1
USB hub per-port power control
https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl
sudo apt install uhubctl- Section: universe/electronics
- Architecture: amd64
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Uhubctl
apk95%
uhubctl 2.5.0-r0
USB hub per-port power control
https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl
sudo apk add uhubctl- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: uhubctl
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Uhubctl
dnf95%
uhubctl 2.6.0-5.fc44
USB hub per-port power control
https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl
sudo dnf install uhubctl- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: uhubctl
- 4 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Uhubctl
zypper95%
uhubctl 2.6.0-1.5
USB hub per-port power control
https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl
sudo zypper install uhubctl- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Development/Tools/Other
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: uhubctl
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Uhubctl
MacPorts95%
uhubctl
sudo port install uhubctl- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Uhubctl
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