# 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 ```sh sudo av install brew:wireguard-tools ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install wireguard-tools ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install wireguard-tools ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: net/wireguard-tools/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add wireguard-tools ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wireguard-tools from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install wireguard-tools ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: wireguard-tools from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install wireguard-tools ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: wireguard-tools 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#wireguard-tools ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/wi/wireguard-tools/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S wireguard-tools ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: wireguard-tools from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install wireguard-tools ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: wireguard-tools from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:wireguard-tools - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.0.20260223 - **Source summary:** Tools for the WireGuard secure network tunnel - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-only - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-18T12:02:02-04:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - wg (cli) - wg-quick (cli) - wg (alias) - wg-quick (alias) ## Dependencies - bash - wireguard-go ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.0.20260223 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-18 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.wireguard.com/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## 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 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: /etc/wireguard/INTERFACE.conf ## Credential files - Unix: /etc/wireguard/INTERFACE.conf ## 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:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - wireguard-tools - 1.0.20210914-3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: wireguard-tools from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | fast, modern, secure kernel VPN tunnel (userland utilities) | https://www.wireguard.com - Nix - wireguard-tools: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/wi/wireguard-tools/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - wireguard-tools - 1.0.20210914-1ubuntu4: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: wireguard-tools from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | fast, modern, secure kernel VPN tunnel (userland utilities) | https://www.wireguard.com - apk - wireguard-tools - 1.0.20260223-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wireguard-tools from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools | https://www.wireguard.com - apk - wireguard-tools-bash-completion - 1.0.20260223-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wireguard-tools-bash-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Bash completions for wireguard-tools | https://www.wireguard.com - apk - wireguard-tools-doc - 1.0.20260223-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wireguard-tools-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools (documentation) | https://www.wireguard.com - apk - wireguard-tools-openrc - 1.0.20260223-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wireguard-tools-openrc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools (OpenRC init scripts) | https://www.wireguard.com - apk - wireguard-tools-systemd - 1.0.20260223-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wireguard-tools-systemd from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools (systemd files) | https://www.wireguard.com - apk - wireguard-tools-wg - 1.0.20260223-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wireguard-tools-wg from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools (wg) | https://www.wireguard.com - apk - wireguard-tools-wg-quick - 1.0.20260223-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: wireguard-tools-wg-quick from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Next generation secure network tunnel: userspace tools (wg-quick) | https://www.wireguard.com - dnf - wireguard-tools - 1.0.20260223-1.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: wireguard-tools from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Fast, modern, secure VPN tunnel | https://www.wireguard.com/ - pacman - wireguard-tools - 1.0.20260223-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: wireguard-tools from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | next generation secure network tunnel - tools for configuration | https://www.wireguard.com/ - zypper - wireguard-tools - 1.0.20260223-1.2: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: wireguard-tools from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | WireGuard userspace tools | https://www.wireguard.com/ - MacPorts - wireguard-tools: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: net/wireguard-tools/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/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. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Security and crypto packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/security-crypto-tools/) - Matched security, identity, cryptography, password, signing, or certificate metadata. - [bash](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bash/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [wireguard-go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/wireguard-go/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [openvpn](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openvpn/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, network-security, networking, tunneling, vpn. - [boringtun](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/boringtun/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, vpn, wireguard. - [dsvpn](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dsvpn/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, tunneling, vpn. - [fastd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fastd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, tunneling, vpn. - [headscale-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/headscale-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, vpn, wireguard. - [onioncat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/onioncat/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, tunneling, vpn. - [openiked](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openiked/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, network-security, networking, vpn. - [sshuttle](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sshuttle/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, tunneling, vpn. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/wireguard-tools.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/wireguard-tools.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