# Install whistle with Homebrew, Nix HTTP, HTTP2, HTTPS, Websocket debugging proxy. Version 2.10.5 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-06. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:whistle ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install whistle ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#whistle ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/wh/whistle/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:whistle - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.10.5 - **Source summary:** HTTP, HTTP2, HTTPS, Websocket debugging proxy - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-06T16:12:49Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - w2 (cli) - whistle (cli) - wproxy (cli) - w2 (alias) - whistle (alias) - wproxy (alias) ## Dependencies - node ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on all ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.10.5 - Package-manager updated: 2026-07-06 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://wproxy.org/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage whistle is a Node.js-based cross-platform web debugging proxy for HTTP, HTTPS, HTTP/2, WebSocket, and TCP traffic. It sits in the same practical niche as Charles Proxy and Fiddler, but exposes a rule-driven, scriptable, plugin-friendly workflow. ### Project history The avwo/whistle repository was created on March 13, 2015. Its README describes whistle as a cross-platform packet-capture and debugging tool built on Node.js, with request and response inspection, modification, proxy modes, a web interface, and plugin extensibility. The official documentation centers the project around concise rules. A request URL pattern is matched to an operation, allowing users to rewrite, proxy, mock, inspect, or otherwise modify traffic without writing a full proxy server. ### Adoption history whistle built a durable audience among web, mobile, and frontend developers who need to debug traffic outside the browser's built-in developer tools. GitHub API metadata showed more than 15,000 stars and more than 1,100 forks on July 2, 2026. Its adoption is reinforced by the surrounding ecosystem: an official desktop client, plugin development documentation, and common command aliases such as `w2` make it useful both on developer laptops and headless servers. ### How it is used Typical usage is to start the local proxy, configure the system or browser proxy, install a root certificate for HTTPS inspection when appropriate, and manage rules through the web UI. Users commonly map production URLs to local files, replay requests, inspect WebSocket traffic, inject headers, mock APIs, or route matching requests through another proxy. The rule engine is the core package-nerd appeal: a small text rule can replace a temporary local service, a hosts-file edit, a browser extension, or a custom proxy script. ### Why package nerds care whistle matters as a package because it brings a GUI-grade debugging proxy into the Node/npm/Homebrew command-line world. It is installable, automatable, extensible with npm-style plugins, and friendly to repeatable debugging setups. For developers who live in terminal package managers, whistle is the open, scriptable alternative to heavier proprietary proxy applications. ### Timeline - 2015-03-13: The avwo/whistle GitHub repository was created. - 2026-07-02: GitHub API metadata showed the repository above 15,000 stars. - Ongoing: Official docs describe rule syntax, proxy modes, command-line operation, and plugin development as core parts of the project. ### Related projects - whistle-client is the official desktop client for users who prefer a packaged GUI wrapper. - Charles Proxy and Fiddler are comparable web debugging proxy tools named in whistle's GitHub topics and package culture. - Whistle plugins extend the rule engine and web interface for custom debugging workflows. ### Sources - Official getting started docs: https://wproxy.org/en/docs/getting-started.html - Official plugin development docs: https://wproxy.org/en/docs/extensions/dev.html - Official rule syntax docs: https://wproxy.org/en/docs/rules/rule.html - whistle GitHub API metadata: https://api.github.com/repos/avwo/whistle - whistle repository and README: https://github.com/avwo/whistle - whistle-client repository: https://github.com/avwo/whistle-client ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## 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 - Unix: ~/.whistlerc, ~/.WhistleAppData/.whistle/rules, ~/.WhistleAppData/.whistle/values ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** whistle - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - whistle: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/wh/whistle/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [node](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/node/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [proxyfor](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/proxyfor/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, http, https, networking, proxy. - [squid](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/squid/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, http, https, networking, proxy. - [privoxy](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/privoxy/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, http, networking, proxy. - [wwwoffle](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/wwwoffle/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, http, networking, proxy. - [brook](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/brook/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, proxy. - [cntlm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cntlm/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, proxy. - [connect](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/connect/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, proxy. - [ctrld](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ctrld/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, proxy. - [trafficserver](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/trafficserver/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, http, http2, networking, proxy. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/whistle.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/whistle.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