macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install wireguard-toolslocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install wireguard-toolsMacPorts ports tree · net/wireguard-tools/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install wireguard-tools with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Tools for the WireGuard secure network tunnel. Version 1.0.20260223 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-18.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add wireguard-toolsAlpine Linux edge package indexes · wireguard-tools · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install wireguard-toolsDebian stable package indexes · wireguard-tools · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install wireguard-toolsFedora Rawhide package metadata · wireguard-tools · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#wireguard-toolsnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/wi/wireguard-tools/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S wireguard-toolsArch Linux sync databases · wireguard-tools · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install wireguard-toolsopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · wireguard-tools · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Tools for the WireGuard secure network tunnel
Project links
Commands and aliases
- wg
- wg-quick
history
Project history and usage
wireguard-tools is the command-line companion package for WireGuard. It supplies `wg`, the low-level configuration utility, and `wg-quick`, the convenience script that turns simple interface configuration files into working tunnels.
Project history
WireGuard was designed around a deliberately small kernel or userspace tunnel implementation plus simple userspace configuration. The official repositories page identifies wireguard-tools as the cross-platform userspace tooling for configuring WireGuard implementations, including `wg(8)` and `wg-quick(8)`.
`wg` became the protocol-specific tool for setting and reading interface state, peers, keys, endpoints, allowed IPs, handshakes, and transfer counters. `wg-quick` grew into the pragmatic wrapper for common host setups: it reads an interface-named config file, adds the interface, assigns addresses, configures routes, and then tears that setup down again on request.
Adoption history
The tools package became the everyday interface to WireGuard both before and after the protocol reached Linux 5.6. Before mainline inclusion, it paired with out-of-tree kernel modules and userspace implementations; after inclusion, it remained necessary because the kernel feature alone does not provide the user-facing `wg` and `wg-quick` commands.
Its cross-platform scope also matters: the official project describes wireguard-tools as tooling for WireGuard implementations rather than only for Linux. Package ecosystems therefore treat it as the stable CLI surface that can sit on top of kernel drivers, BSD ports, macOS interfaces, Windows support, and wireguard-go.
How it is used
`wg` is used for precise interface inspection and configuration: showing runtime status, setting peers, applying keys, and dumping machine-readable state for scripts. It is the command admins reach for when they need to see whether a tunnel has handshaken or exactly which allowed IPs are active.
`wg-quick` is the fast path for common deployments. It looks for an interface config such as `/etc/wireguard/wg0.conf`, applies WireGuard settings, assigns addresses, and infers routes from peer allowed IPs, while still allowing more advanced users to bypass it and call `wg` plus platform networking commands directly.
Why package nerds care
This is the package that turns WireGuard from a kernel feature or protocol implementation into something shell users can operate. For many systems, installing WireGuard really means installing the tunnel implementation plus wireguard-tools.
The package is also beloved in automation because `wg` has script-friendly output and `wg-quick` keeps the common one-file tunnel pattern boring. That combination made WireGuard unusually approachable for sysadmins compared with older VPN stacks that relied on larger daemon configurations and certificate-heavy workflows.
Timeline
- 2017: The WireGuard paper describes a separate userspace `wg(8)` tool for configuration.
- 2019: WireGuard is accepted into the net-next path toward Linux 5.6, increasing the importance of stable userspace tooling around the kernel implementation.
- 2020: Linux 5.6 ships WireGuard support; wireguard-tools remains the common CLI package for configuring it.
- 2026: The upstream cgit repository continues to publish tagged wireguard-tools releases and cross-platform fixes.
Related projects
- wireguard-go can create a userspace WireGuard interface that is then configured with `wg`.
- NetworkManager and desktop network settings tools can cover higher-level workflows, but wireguard-tools remains the reference command-line layer.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:network
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
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
/etc/wireguard/INTERFACE.conf
Credential files
Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.
- Unix
/etc/wireguard/INTERFACE.conf
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
wg | cli | global executable | |
wg-quick | 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 version1.0.20260223
manager updated2026-05-18
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.wireguard.com/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:wireguard-tools |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.0.20260223 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/wireguard-tools |
| Homepage | https://www.wireguard.com/ |
| Repository | https://git.zx2c4.com/wireguard-tools |
| Upstream docs | https://www.wireguard.com/compilation |
| License | GPL-2.0-only |
| Source archive | https://git.zx2c4.com/wireguard-tools/snapshot/wireguard-tools-1.0.20260223.tar.xz |
| Last updated | 2026-05-18T12:02:02-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | bash, wireguard-go |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, 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 | wireguard-tools |
| 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%
wireguard-tools 1.0.20210914-3
fast, modern, secure kernel VPN tunnel (userland utilities)
sudo apt install wireguard-tools- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: wireguard
- 1 dependencies
- 6 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
Nix95%
wireguard-tools
nix profile install nixpkgs#wireguard-tools- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
Ubuntu apt95%
wireguard-tools 1.0.20210914-1ubuntu4
fast, modern, secure kernel VPN tunnel (userland utilities)
sudo apt install wireguard-tools- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: wireguard
- 1 dependencies
- 4 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
apk95%
wireguard-tools 1.0.20260223-r0
Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools
sudo apk add wireguard-tools- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wireguard-tools
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
apk95%
wireguard-tools-bash-completion 1.0.20260223-r0
Bash completions for wireguard-tools
sudo apk add wireguard-tools-bash-completion- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wireguard-tools
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
apk95%
wireguard-tools-doc 1.0.20260223-r0
Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools (documentation)
sudo apk add wireguard-tools-doc- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wireguard-tools
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
apk95%
wireguard-tools-openrc 1.0.20260223-r0
Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools (OpenRC init scripts)
sudo apk add wireguard-tools-openrc- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wireguard-tools
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
apk95%
wireguard-tools-systemd 1.0.20260223-r0
Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools (systemd files)
sudo apk add wireguard-tools-systemd- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wireguard-tools
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
apk95%
wireguard-tools-wg 1.0.20260223-r0
Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools (wg)
sudo apk add wireguard-tools-wg- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wireguard-tools
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
apk95%
wireguard-tools-wg-quick 1.0.20260223-r0
Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools (wg-quick)
sudo apk add wireguard-tools-wg-quick- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wireguard-tools
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
dnf95%
wireguard-tools 1.0.20260223-1.fc45
Fast, modern, secure VPN tunnel
sudo dnf install wireguard-tools- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wireguard-tools
- 4 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
pacman95%
wireguard-tools 1.0.20260223-1
next generation secure network tunnel - tools for configuration
sudo pacman -S wireguard-tools- License: GPL
- Architecture: x86_64
- 1 dependencies
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
zypper95%
wireguard-tools 1.0.20260223-1.2
WireGuard userspace tools
sudo zypper install wireguard-tools- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Productivity/Networking/Security
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wireguard-tools
- 3 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
MacPorts95%
wireguard-tools
sudo port install wireguard-tools- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wireguard Tools
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