install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install xcursorgen

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install xcursorgen

MacPorts ports tree · x11/xcursorgen/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add xcursorgen

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

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install xcursorgen

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#xcursorgen

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install xcursorgen

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

overview

Package summary

Create an X cursor file from a collection of PNG images

Project links

Commands and aliases

xcursorgen

history

Project history and usage

xcursorgen is the X.Org utility for compiling PNG cursor artwork and a small cursor manifest into the binary Xcursor file format used by libXcursor and X11 cursor themes.

Project history

The xcursorgen man page is credited to Keith Packard in 2002, matching the early Xcursor work that added ARGB cursor files, nominal sizes, hotspots, and animated cursor frames to the X11 desktop stack.

The repository history reflects the larger XFree86-to-X.Org transition. It contains imported XFree86-era history in 2003 and 2004, then gains its modular app build system and a 1.0 version in July 2005 as X.Org split formerly monolithic tree components into separately released modules.

Adoption history

xcursorgen spread as part of the X.Org application set rather than as a standalone trend-driven tool. It is the small build-time utility cursor theme authors need when converting source PNG assets into files that libXcursor can discover through theme directories.

Package-manager adoption follows the X.Org stack: the input package facts list it across Homebrew, Linux distributions, MacPorts, Nix, and related systems, which is typical for small X11 compatibility utilities that are still needed outside Linux desktops too.

How it is used

Users write a config file whose lines name cursor size, hotspot coordinates, image filename, and optional frame delay. xcursorgen reads that file and writes an Xcursor output file; multiple images with the same size become an animated cursor sequence.

In practice, it is most often used by cursor theme maintainers and packaging scripts, not by everyday shell users. It turns editable PNG sources into the format expected under an Xcursor theme cursors directory.

Why package nerds care

xcursorgen is classic package-nerd material: tiny, old, easy to overlook, but part of the toolchain that lets themed desktops exist. Its separate Homebrew formula is useful on macOS for people building or inspecting X11 cursor themes without pulling in a whole desktop environment.

Timeline

2002: xcursorgen man page copyright date, during Keith Packard Xcursor work.
2003-11-14: First imported revision in the current X.Org app repository history.
2005-07-06: Modular xcursorgen build system added and version set to 1.0.
2005-12-15: XORG-7_0 tag in the modular X.Org era.
2025-05-18: xcursorgen-1.0.9 tag.

Related projects

libXcursor: runtime library that locates and loads Xcursor files.
X.Org modular app releases: release family that distributes xcursorgen as a small standalone utility.
Cursor theme packages: downstream consumers that compile PNG cursor assets into Xcursor files.

Sources

Git history and tags: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/app/xcursorgen
Xcursor man page: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/lib/libxcursor/-/blob/master/man/Xcursor.man
xcursorgen README: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/app/xcursorgen
xcursorgen man page: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/app/xcursorgen/-/blob/master/man/xcursorgen.man

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:image

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Installs with 3 runtime dependencies.
Build metadata lists 3 build dependencies.

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

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`xcursorgen`	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 version1.0.9

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/app/xcursorgen

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/app/xcursorgennone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:xcursorgen
Version	1.0.9
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/xcursorgen
Homepage	https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/app/xcursorgen
Repository	https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/app/xcursorgen
Upstream docs	https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/app/xcursorgen/-/blob/master/man/xcursorgen.man
License	MIT
Source archive	https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/app/xcursorgen/-/archive/xcursorgen-1.0.9/xcursorgen-xcursorgen-1.0.9.tar.bz2
Dependencies	libpng, libx11, libxcursor
Build dependencies	meson, ninja, pkgconf
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	xcursorgen
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	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.

Nix95%

xcursorgen

nix profile install nixpkgs#xcursorgen

normalized package name match
Matched by: Xcursorgen

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/xc/xcursorgen/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

apk95%

xcursorgen 1.0.9-r0

Create and X cursor file from PNG images

https://xorg.freedesktop.org/archive/individual/app/

sudo apk add xcursorgen

License: Custom
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: xcursorgen
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Xcursorgen

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: xcursorgen from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

xcursorgen-doc 1.0.9-r0

Create and X cursor file from PNG images (documentation)

https://xorg.freedesktop.org/archive/individual/app/

sudo apk add xcursorgen-doc

License: Custom
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: xcursorgen
normalized package name match
Matched by: Xcursorgen

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: xcursorgen-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

dnf95%

xcursorgen 1.0.9-3.fc44

Prepare X11 cursor sets for use with libXcursor

https://www.x.org

sudo dnf install xcursorgen

License: HPND-sell-variant
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: xcursorgen
5 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Xcursorgen

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: xcursorgen from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

zypper95%

xcursorgen 1.0.9-1.4

Utility to create an X cursor file from a collection of PNG images

https://xorg.freedesktop.org/

sudo zypper install xcursorgen

License: MIT
Category: System/X11/Utilities
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: xcursorgen
4 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Xcursorgen

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: xcursorgen from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

xcursorgen

sudo port install xcursorgen

normalized package name match
Matched by: Xcursorgen

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: x11/xcursorgen/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.

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.

combined/xcursorgen.yml

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

Install xcursorgen with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper