# Install xdelta with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, scoop, zypper, apk, pacman Binary diff, differential compression tools. Version 3.2.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-21. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:xdelta ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install xdelta ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install xdelta ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: archivers/xdelta/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install libxdelta2-dev ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: libxdelta2-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install xdelta ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: xdelta 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#xdelta ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/xd/xdelta/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install xdelta3 ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: xdelta3 from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add xdelta3 ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: xdelta3 from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S xdelta3 ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: xdelta3 from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install main/xdelta ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/xdelta.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:xdelta - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 3.2.0 - **Source summary:** Binary diff, differential compression tools - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-21T10:48:23Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - xdelta3 (cli) - xdelta3 (alias) ## Dependencies - blake3 - xz ## Build dependencies - cmake ## 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: 3.2.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-21 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/jmacd/xdelta - Upstream latest detected: v3.2.0 (current) ## Project history and usage xdelta is a long-running binary differencing and delta-compression project. The modern xdelta3 command and library implement VCDIFF/RFC 3284 streams, letting users create compact patch files between related binary inputs and reconstruct targets from a source plus delta. ### Project history The xdelta3 README carries copyright years beginning in 2001 and describes the project as a command-line interface and source distribution for VCDIFF differential compression. RFC 3284, published in June 2002 and co-authored by Josh MacDonald, standardized the VCDIFF generic differencing and compression data format that xdelta3 implements. The public Git history in the current repository starts with 2006 source snapshots and concentrated work around large-file and checksum behavior. By the 3.0 series, xdelta3 had become the maintained branch users generally meant when they installed an xdelta package. The current upstream documentation presents xdelta version 3 as both a C library and a command-line tool, with the maintained 3.2.x series using CMake, optional liblzma secondary compression, static release binaries, and an embeddable libxdelta3 API. ### Adoption history xdelta adoption has always followed the practical need to ship changes without shipping whole files: game patches, ROM patching communities, software update systems, and package workflows all benefit from binary deltas. Its VCDIFF basis matters because the delta format is documented outside a single implementation. Package availability is broad in the input facts: Alpine, Homebrew, Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, Scoop, and openSUSE-family packages all carry xdelta or xdelta3 names. That cross-platform packaging matches upstream release binaries for Linux, macOS, and Windows. ### How it is used The core command pattern is encode with an old source file, a new target file, and an output delta, then decode later with the same source and the delta to reconstruct the target. The upstream README shows xdelta3 -e and -d examples with -s for the source file. Modern xdelta3 can also be embedded as a library through xdelta3.h and build-system integration. This matters for software that wants VCDIFF behavior internally rather than shelling out to the xdelta3 executable. ### Why package nerds care xdelta is a package-nerd staple because it sits at the intersection of compression, patch distribution, archival workflows, and reproducible binary transformations. It is small enough to be a CLI utility, but backed by a standards-track format and decades of compatibility expectations. For package indexes, it is also a naming lesson: users may search for xdelta, xdelta3, or VCDIFF depending on platform and era, while the executable commonly exposed by modern packages is xdelta3. ### Timeline - 2001: xdelta3 README copyright years begin, indicating early xdelta3 development. - 2002-06: RFC 3284 publishes the VCDIFF data format. - 2006-08-27: First source snapshot in the current GitHub repository history. - 2015-03-30: v3.0.9 tag in the long-lived 3.0 release line. - 2016-01-07: v3.0.11 and v3.1.0 tags. - 2026-06-20: v3.2.0 tag and maintained 3.2.x series documented upstream. ### Related projects - VCDIFF/RFC 3284: standardized delta format implemented by xdelta3. - XZ Utils/liblzma: optional secondary compression support in upstream builds. - BLAKE3: used by modern xdelta3 armor mode for whole-file verification. - bsdiff and courgette-style binary patchers: related binary-delta tools with different formats and tradeoffs. ### Sources - Git history and tags: https://github.com/jmacd/xdelta - README, jmacd/xdelta: https://github.com/jmacd/xdelta#readme - RFC 3284: https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3284 - Xdelta documentation: https://jmacd.github.io/xdelta/ - xdelta3 README: https://github.com/jmacd/xdelta/blob/main/xdelta3/README.md ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** xdelta - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - libxdelta2-dev - 1.1.3-10.7: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libxdelta2-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Xdelta development files - Debian apt - libxdelta2t64 - 1.1.3-10.7: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libxdelta2t64 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Xdelta runtime library - Debian apt - xdelta - 1.1.3-10.7: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: xdelta from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | A diff utility which works with binary files - Nix - xdelta: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/xd/xdelta/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - libxdelta2-dev - 1.1.3-10.6build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libxdelta2-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Xdelta development files - Ubuntu apt - libxdelta2t64 - 1.1.3-10.6build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libxdelta2t64 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Xdelta runtime library - Ubuntu apt - xdelta - 1.1.3-10.6build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: xdelta from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | A diff utility which works with binary files - dnf - xdelta - 3.1.0-24.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: xdelta from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | A binary file delta generator | https://github.com/jmacd/xdelta - zypper - xdelta3 - 3.1.0-6.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: xdelta3 from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | A diff utility which works with binary files | https://github.com/jmacd/xdelta-gpl - MacPorts - xdelta: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: archivers/xdelta/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Scoop - main/xdelta: normalized package name match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/xdelta.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Debian apt - xdelta3 - 3.0.11-dfsg-1.2: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: xdelta3 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Diff utility which works with binary files | http://xdelta.org/ - Ubuntu apt - xdelta3 - 3.0.11-dfsg-1.2: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: xdelta3 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Diff utility which works with binary files | http://xdelta.org/ - apk - xdelta3 - 3.1.0-r2: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: xdelta3 from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A diff utility which works with binary files | http://xdelta.org/ - apk - xdelta3-doc - 3.1.0-r2: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: xdelta3-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A diff utility which works with binary files (documentation) | http://xdelta.org/ - pacman - xdelta3 - 3.1.0-9: installed executable or alias match | Arch Linux sync databases: xdelta3 from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Diff utility for binary files | https://github.com/jmacd/xdelta ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [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. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [xz](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xz/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [cmake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cmake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [snapcraft](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/snapcraft/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [bsdiff](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bsdiff/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: binary-diff, cli, delta-compression, developer-tools, diff. - [vbindiff](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/vbindiff/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: binary-diff, cli, developer-tools, diff. - [colordiff](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/colordiff/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff. - [diff-so-fancy](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/diff-so-fancy/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff. - [diffnav](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/diffnav/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff. - [diffoci](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/diffoci/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff. - [diffoscope](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/diffoscope/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff. - [diffr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/diffr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff. - [wandio](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/wandio/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, compression, developer, developer-tools, file. - [pixz](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pixz/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, compression, developer, developer-tools, xz. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/xdelta.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/xdelta.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