# 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 ```sh sudo av install brew:vmtouch ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install vmtouch ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install vmtouch ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/vmtouch/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add vmtouch ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: vmtouch from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install vmtouch ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: vmtouch from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install vmtouch ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: vmtouch from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#vmtouch ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/vm/vmtouch/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install vmtouch ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: vmtouch from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:vmtouch - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.3.1 - **Source summary:** Portable file system cache diagnostics and control - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** BSD-3-Clause - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - vmtouch (cli) - vmtouch (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.3.1 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/hoytech/vmtouch - Upstream latest detected: v1.3.1 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## 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 Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** vmtouch - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - vmtouch - 1.3.1-3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: vmtouch from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Portable file system cache diagnostics and control | https://hoytech.com/vmtouch/ - Nix - vmtouch: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/vm/vmtouch/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - vmtouch - 1.3.1-2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: vmtouch from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Portable file system cache diagnostics and control | https://hoytech.com/vmtouch/ - apk - vmtouch - 1.3.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: vmtouch from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Portable file system cache diagnostics and control | https://hoytech.com/vmtouch/ - apk - vmtouch-doc - 1.3.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: vmtouch-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Portable file system cache diagnostics and control (documentation) | https://hoytech.com/vmtouch/ - dnf - vmtouch - 1.3.1-12.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: vmtouch from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Portable file system cache diagnostics and control | http://hoytech.com/vmtouch/ - zypper - vmtouch - 1.3.1-1.21: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: vmtouch from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Portable file system cache diagnostics and control | http://hoytech.com/vmtouch/ - MacPorts - vmtouch: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/vmtouch/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. - [ioping](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ioping/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system. - [libcpucycles](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libcpucycles/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system. - [libeatmydata](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libeatmydata/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system. - [eatmemory](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/eatmemory/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, memory, system. - [mbw](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mbw/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, memory, performance, system. - [numactl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/numactl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, memory, performance, system. - [asitop](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/asitop/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, performance, system. - [clinfo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/clinfo/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, system. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/vmtouch.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/vmtouch.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - 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