Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install vmtouch with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper

Portable file system cache diagnostics and control. Version 1.3.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install vmtouch

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install vmtouch

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/vmtouch/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add vmtouch

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · vmtouch · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install vmtouch

Debian stable package indexes · vmtouch · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install vmtouch

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · vmtouch · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#vmtouch

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/vm/vmtouch/package.nix · source: api.github.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install vmtouch

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · vmtouch · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Portable file system cache diagnostics and control

Commands and aliases

  • vmtouch

history

Project history and usage

vmtouch, the Virtual Memory Toucher, is a portable Unix tool for seeing and influencing which file pages are resident in the filesystem cache. It exposes low-level virtual-memory primitives such as `mmap`, `mincore`, `mlock`, `msync`, and `posix_fadvise` through a compact command-line interface.

Project history

The upstream README identifies vmtouch as Doug Hoyte's project, with copyright years 2009-2017 and contributors tracked in the CHANGES file. The changelog records 0.7.1 as the first public release, followed by portability work for Solaris, OS X, and HP-UX by the 0.8.0 release in December 2012.

The 2015-2018 releases show the tool maturing from a cache-inspection utility into a more scriptable systems tool. Version 1.0.1 added page-range support, version 1.1.0 improved large-value checking and Linux block-device handling, version 1.2.0 added include/exclude filename patterns, version 1.3.0 added batch input mode, and version 1.3.1 added PID-file support for daemonized memory locking.

Adoption history

vmtouch's adoption story is mostly that of a niche tool spreading across Unix-like operating systems because it maps directly to common performance investigations. The manual lists confirmed support for Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, OS X, and HP-UX, while noting that eviction support varies by kernel API.

How it is used

With no options, vmtouch reports cache residency by mapping files read-only and querying resident pages with `mincore`. Operators use `-t` to fault pages into cache, `-e` to ask the OS to evict pages, and `-l` or `-L` to lock pages in physical memory for as long as the process runs. Directory recursion, page ranges, ignore/include patterns, and batch lists make it usable against large trees.

Why package nerds care

vmtouch is significant in package-manager culture because it gives administrators a repeatable way to demonstrate and manipulate the otherwise invisible filesystem cache. It is especially handy for benchmarking, warming hot datasets, testing cold-cache behavior, and explaining why a second run of a workload is faster than the first.

Timeline

  • 2009: Doug Hoyte begins vmtouch, according to the upstream copyright range.
  • 0.7.1: First public release, per the CHANGES file.
  • 2012-12-04: Version 0.8.0 adds full OS X support and HP-UX support.
  • 2015-10-16: Version 1.0.1 adds page-range mode.
  • 2017-03-16: Version 1.3.0 adds batch mode and filesystem-boundary traversal control.
  • 2018-11-16: Version 1.3.1 adds PID-file support for daemon mode.

Related projects

  • vmtouch is conceptually adjacent to `vmstat`, `touch`, and OS primitives such as `mincore`, `mlock`, `msync`, `madvise`, and `posix_fadvise`; the upstream manual lists those interfaces as related references.

Sources

  • vmtouch CHANGES: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hoytech/vmtouch/master/CHANGES
  • vmtouch README: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hoytech/vmtouch/master/README.md
  • vmtouch manual: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hoytech/vmtouch/master/vmtouch.pod

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

CommandKindExposureNote
vmtouchcliglobal 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 version1.3.1
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv1.3.1

https://github.com/hoytech/vmtouch

  • infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:vmtouch
Version1.3.1
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/vmtouch
Homepagehttps://hoytech.com/vmtouch/
Repositoryhttps://github.com/hoytech/vmtouch
Upstream docshttps://github.com/hoytech/vmtouch#readme
LicenseBSD-3-Clause
Source archivehttps://github.com/hoytech/vmtouch/archive/refs/tags/v1.3.1.tar.gz
Bottleavailable (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-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namevmtouch
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • head
  • stable

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%

vmtouch 1.3.1-3

Portable file system cache diagnostics and control

https://hoytech.com/vmtouch/

sudo apt install vmtouch
  • Section: admin
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Vmtouch
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: vmtouch from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

vmtouch

nix profile install nixpkgs#vmtouch
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Vmtouch
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/vm/vmtouch/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

vmtouch 1.3.1-2

Portable file system cache diagnostics and control

https://hoytech.com/vmtouch/

sudo apt install vmtouch
  • Section: universe/admin
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Vmtouch
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: vmtouch from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

vmtouch 1.3.1-r0

Portable file system cache diagnostics and control

https://hoytech.com/vmtouch/

sudo apk add vmtouch
  • License: BSD-3-Clause
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: vmtouch
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Vmtouch
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: vmtouch from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

vmtouch-doc 1.3.1-r0

Portable file system cache diagnostics and control (documentation)

https://hoytech.com/vmtouch/

sudo apk add vmtouch-doc
  • License: BSD-3-Clause
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: vmtouch
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Vmtouch
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: vmtouch-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

vmtouch 1.3.1-12.fc44

Portable file system cache diagnostics and control

http://hoytech.com/vmtouch/

sudo dnf install vmtouch
  • License: LicenseRef-Callaway-BSD
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: vmtouch
  • 2 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Vmtouch
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: vmtouch from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
zypper95%

vmtouch 1.3.1-1.21

Portable file system cache diagnostics and control

http://hoytech.com/vmtouch/

sudo zypper install vmtouch
  • License: BSD-3-Clause
  • Category: System/Utilities
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: vmtouch
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Vmtouch
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: vmtouch from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
MacPorts95%

vmtouch

sudo port install vmtouch
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Vmtouch
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/vmtouch/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Same workflow

  • iopingShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system.
  • libcpucyclesShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system.
  • libeatmydataShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system.
  • eatmemoryShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, memory, system.
  • mbwShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, memory, performance, system.
  • numactlShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, memory, performance, system.

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.

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