macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install libgit2local Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install libgit2MacPorts ports tree · devel/libgit2/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 171
Install libgit2 with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, apt, zypper
C library of Git core methods that is re-entrant and linkable. Version 1.9.6 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install libgit2-1.9.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add libgit2Alpine Linux edge package indexes · libgit2 · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#libgit2nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/libgit2/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S libgit2Arch Linux sync databases · libgit2 · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libgit2-1.9Debian stable package indexes · libgit2-1.9 · source: deb.debian.org
Ubuntu aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libgit2-1.7Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · libgit2-1.7 · source: archive.ubuntu.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libgit2-1_9openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libgit2-1_9 · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
C library of Git core methods that is re-entrant and linkable
Project links
Commands and aliases
- git2
history
Project history and usage
libgit2 is a portable C implementation of Git core methods as a re-entrant, linkable library. It became important because the original Git executable was not designed as an embeddable library, while editors, forges, desktop clients, hosting providers, and language bindings needed Git behavior inside long-running applications.
Project history
GitHub's 2010 project announcement describes libgit2 as started by Shawn Pearce a few years earlier, then revived through a Google Summer of Code project by Vicent Marti with Scott Chacon as mentor. The immediate motivation was practical: Git's own code called die() and was not re-entrant, so GUI, web, and scripting users often had to fork and parse the Git binary.
The upstream README describes libgit2 as a portable pure-C implementation with a solid API, usable from C directly and through bindings. By 2020, maintainer Edward Thomson announced libgit2 1.0 after many years of planning and bug fixing; by late 2024 maintainers were publicly discussing planned ABI/API changes for libgit2 2.0 and SHA-256 support.
Adoption history
libgit2's adoption followed the rise of Git as a developer platform rather than only a command-line tool. The upstream README says it is used by GUI clients, hosting providers, forges, utilities, and applications, with bindings for Ruby, .NET, Python, Node.js, Rust, and more.
Because it is a shared C library with many language bindings, package managers ship libgit2 as infrastructure for other packages. Its releases matter to downstreams when Git compatibility, transport security, SHA-1/SHA-256 behavior, or ABI stability changes.
How it is used
Applications use libgit2 to open repositories, inspect objects and references, read and write commits, perform network operations, and embed Git workflows without shelling out to the Git CLI.
The library is especially attractive for IDEs, Git GUI clients, web services, and language ecosystems that want native bindings. The included git2 executable is secondary; the main value is the API surface.
Why package nerds care
libgit2 is one of the canonical examples of turning a famous CLI tool's behavior into a stable embeddable library. For package nerds, the interesting part is not just Git support; it is ABI management, language binding compatibility, bundled-versus-system crypto and SSH choices, and the long path to a 1.0 library release.
It also explains why some packages depend on libgit2 even when Git itself is installed: they need in-process repository operations and predictable APIs, not subprocess output.
Timeline
- 2008: Shawn Pearce had started libgit2 by the period described in GitHub's 2010 announcement.
- 2010: GitHub announced renewed libgit2 work after a Google Summer of Code effort by Vicent Marti.
- 2020: libgit2 0.99 was released on 19 February 2020 as the project approached 1.0.
- 2020: libgit2 1.0 was announced on 1 April 2020.
- 2024: Maintainers stated that libgit2 v1.9 was expected to be the final v1.x release line.
- 2025: libgit2 v1.9.2 release notes documented security fixes for external SSH execution and SSH credential creation.
Related projects
- Git is the reference command-line system whose repository behavior libgit2 implements as a library. Rugged, pygit2, NodeGit, git2-rs, and .NET bindings are language-level entry points. GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket-style forges, IDEs, and desktop Git clients are common application categories cited by project material.
Sources
- https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/libgit2
- https://github.blog/news-insights/libgit2-a-git-linkable-library/
- https://github.com/libgit2/libgit2
- https://github.com/libgit2/libgit2/discussions/6988
- https://github.com/libgit2/libgit2/releases
- https://libgit2.org/
- https://libgit2.org/docs
- https://www.edwardthomson.com/blog
security posture
Risk level: green
library-like package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- library-like package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:library-like
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.
- Build metadata lists 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
git2 | 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 generated2026-08-04
manager version1.9.6
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv1.9.6
https://github.com/libgit2/libgit2
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:libgit2 |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.9.6 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/libgit2 |
| Homepage | https://libgit2.org/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/libgit2/libgit2 |
| Upstream docs | https://libgit2.org/ |
| License | GPL-2.0-only WITH GCC-exception-2.0 |
| Source archive | https://github.com/libgit2/libgit2/archive/refs/tags/v1.9.6.tar.gz |
| Dependencies | libssh2, llhttp |
| Build dependencies | cmake, 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 | libgit2 |
| Aliases |
|
| 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%
libgit2-1.9 1.9.0+ds-2
low-level Git library
sudo apt install libgit2-1.9- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libgit2
- 9 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
Debian apt95%
libgit2-dev 1.9.0+ds-2
low-level Git library (development files)
sudo apt install libgit2-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libgit2
- 6 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
Debian apt95%
libgit2-fixtures 1.9.0+ds-2
low-level Git library - test suite examples
sudo apt install libgit2-fixtures- Section: libs
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: libgit2
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
Nix95%
libgit2
nix profile install nixpkgs#libgit2- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
Ubuntu apt95%
libgit2-1.7 1.7.2+ds-1ubuntu3
low-level Git library
sudo apt install libgit2-1.7- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libgit2
- 7 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
Ubuntu apt95%
libgit2-dev 1.7.2+ds-1ubuntu3
low-level Git library (development files)
sudo apt install libgit2-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libgit2
- 6 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
Ubuntu apt95%
libgit2-fixtures 1.7.2+ds-1ubuntu3
low-level Git library - test suite examples
sudo apt install libgit2-fixtures- Section: universe/libs
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: libgit2
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
apk95%
libgit2 1.9.6-r0
linkable library for Git
sudo apk add libgit2- License: GPL-2.0-only WITH GCC-exception-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libgit2
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
apk95%
libgit2-dbg 1.9.6-r0
linkable library for Git (debug symbols)
sudo apk add libgit2-dbg- License: GPL-2.0-only WITH GCC-exception-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libgit2
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
apk95%
libgit2-dev 1.9.6-r0
linkable library for Git (development files)
sudo apk add libgit2-dev- License: GPL-2.0-only WITH GCC-exception-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libgit2
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
apk95%
libgit2-static 1.9.6-r0
linkable library for Git (static library)
sudo apk add libgit2-static- License: GPL-2.0-only WITH GCC-exception-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libgit2
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
apk95%
libgit2-tests 1.9.6-r0
linkable library for Git (tests)
sudo apk add libgit2-tests- License: GPL-2.0-only WITH GCC-exception-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libgit2
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
apk95%
libgit2-tools 1.9.6-r0
linkable library for Git (tools)
sudo apk add libgit2-tools- License: GPL-2.0-only WITH GCC-exception-2.0
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libgit2
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
pacman95%
libgit2 1:1.9.6-1
A linkable library for Git
https://github.com/libgit2/libgit2
sudo pacman -S libgit2- License: LicenseRef-GPL-2.0-only-with-linking-exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- 11 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
zypper95%
libgit2-1_9 1.9.6-1.2
C git library
sudo zypper install libgit2-1_9- License: GPL-2.0-only WITH GCC-exception-2.0
- Category: System/Libraries
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libgit2
- 7 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
zypper95%
libgit2-devel 1.9.6-1.2
C git library
sudo zypper install libgit2-devel- License: GPL-2.0-only WITH GCC-exception-2.0
- Category: Development/Libraries/C and C++
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libgit2
- 3 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libgit2
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
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation