macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install pdallocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install pdalMacPorts ports tree · gis/pdal/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 2048
Install pdal with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, dnf, zypper
Point data abstraction library. Version 2.10.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-10-17. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#pdal.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add pdalAlpine Linux edge package indexes · pdal · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#pdalnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/pd/pdal/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S pdalArch Linux sync databases · pdal · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install PDALFedora Rawhide package metadata · PDAL · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install PDALopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · PDAL · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Point data abstraction library
Project links
Commands and aliases
- pdal
- pdal-config
history
Project history and usage
PDAL is an OSGeo C++ library and command-line toolkit for translating, filtering, querying, and processing point-cloud data, particularly LiDAR.
Project history
PDAL evolved from database-storage and access work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CRREL GRiD project. General point-cloud functionality accumulating in libLAS was moved into a new library designed around geospatial extract-transform-load patterns.
The design took cues from GDAL and modeled point-cloud processing as pipelines of readers, filters, and writers that can be constructed through an API or declared in JSON.
Adoption history
PDAL became an OSGeo geospatial library and a reusable engine for point-cloud ETL. Its staged driver model lets software combine file formats, databases, network services, transformations, and analysis filters without implementing each capability independently.
The supplied package metadata shows adoption across several Unix-like package ecosystems, reflecting use as both a command-line toolkit and a native-library dependency.
How it is used
Users compose readers, filters, and writers into JSON pipelines or invoke commands such as pdal info, pdal translate, and pdal pipeline.
Common jobs include format conversion, coordinate reprojection, clipping, tiling, classification, noise removal, metadata inspection, and movement of point clouds between files, databases, and network-oriented formats.
PDAL has no single documented global runtime configuration or credentials file; individual pipeline stages accept their own options and may consume service-specific connection parameters.
Why package nerds care
PDAL fills a role for point clouds analogous to GDAL's role for raster and vector data. Its JSON pipelines are especially valuable for reproducible, inspectable geospatial processing.
For maintainers, PDAL is notable for its broad optional integration surface: available readers, writers, filters, database connectors, and cloud capabilities depend on how the package is built.
Timeline
- Origins: PDAL grew from CRREL GRiD database work and functionality previously accumulating in libLAS.
- Early design: The project adopted a staged ETL model inspired by established geospatial libraries such as GDAL.
- Ongoing adoption: PDAL became an OSGeo project used through native APIs, command-line applications, and language workflows.
Related projects
- GDAL handles raster and vector geospatial data and inspired PDAL's abstraction and pipeline approach.
- PROJ definitions and parameters are used in PDAL coordinate-reprojection workflows.
- libLAS was the earlier LAS-focused project from which general processing functionality was separated into PDAL.
Sources
security posture
No protected-tool coverage found yet
No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for pdal. Package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 5 platform targets.
- Installs with 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
pdal | cli | global executable | |
pdal-config | 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 generated2026-11-04
manager version2.10.2
manager updated2026-10-17
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/PDAL/PDALnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:pdal |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.10.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/pdal |
| Homepage | https://pdal.org/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/PDAL/PDAL |
| Upstream docs | https://pdal.org/ |
| License | BSD-3-Clause |
| Source archive | https://github.com/PDAL/PDAL/releases/download/2.10.2/PDAL-2.10.2-src.tar.bz2 |
| Last updated | 2026-10-17T05:08:24Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | apache-arrow, curl, draco, gdal, hdf5, libgeotiff, libpq, libxml2, lz4, numpy, openssl@4, proj, tiledb, xerces-c, zstd |
| Build dependencies | cmake, googletest, pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_golden_gate, arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_tahoe, 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 | pdal |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 5 |
| 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.
Nix95%
pdal
nix profile install nixpkgs#pdal- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
apk95%
libpdal-plugins 2.10.1-r2
PDAL is a C++ BSD library for translating and manipulating point cloud data.
sudo apk add libpdal-plugins- License: BSD-2-Clause
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: pdal
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
apk95%
pdal 2.10.1-r2
PDAL is a C++ BSD library for translating and manipulating point cloud data.
sudo apk add pdal- License: BSD-2-Clause
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: pdal
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
apk95%
pdal-dev 2.10.1-r2
PDAL is a C++ BSD library for translating and manipulating point cloud data. (development files)
sudo apk add pdal-dev- License: BSD-2-Clause
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: pdal
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
dnf95%
PDAL 2.10.2-4.fc45
Point Data Abstraction Library
sudo dnf install PDAL- License: BSD-3-Clause AND Apache-2.0 AND MIT AND BSL-1.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: PDAL
- 7 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
dnf95%
PDAL-devel 2.10.2-4.fc45
PDAL development header files and libraries
sudo dnf install PDAL-devel- License: BSD-3-Clause AND Apache-2.0 AND MIT AND BSL-1.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: PDAL
- 6 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
dnf95%
PDAL-libs 2.10.2-4.fc45
The shared libraries required for PDAL
sudo dnf install PDAL-libs- License: BSD-3-Clause AND Apache-2.0 AND MIT AND BSL-1.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: PDAL
- 14 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
pacman95%
pdal 2.10.1-1
A C++ library for translating and manipulating point cloud data
sudo pacman -S pdal- License: BSD
- Architecture: x86_64
- 3 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 3 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
zypper95%
PDAL 2.10.2-1.1
Point Data Abstraction Library (GDAL for point cloud data)
sudo zypper install PDAL- License: Apache-2.0 AND BSD-3-Clause AND MIT AND BSL-1.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: PDAL
- 5 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
zypper95%
PDAL-bash-completion 2.10.2-1.1
Bash completion for PDAL
sudo zypper install PDAL-bash-completion- License: Apache-2.0 AND BSD-3-Clause AND MIT AND BSL-1.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: PDAL
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
zypper95%
PDAL-devel 2.10.2-1.1
Development files and tools for PDAL applications
sudo zypper install PDAL-devel- License: Apache-2.0 AND BSD-3-Clause AND MIT AND BSL-1.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: PDAL
- 8 dependencies
- 7 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
zypper95%
PDAL-doc 2.10.2-1.1
Documentation, examples and demos for PDAL
sudo zypper install PDAL-doc- License: Apache-2.0 AND BSD-3-Clause AND MIT AND BSL-1.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: PDAL
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
zypper95%
libPDAL20 2.10.2-1.1
Point Data Abstraction Library (GDAL for point cloud data)
sudo zypper install libPDAL20- License: Apache-2.0 AND BSD-3-Clause AND MIT AND BSL-1.0
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: PDAL
- 16 dependencies
- 5 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
MacPorts95%
pdal
sudo port install pdal- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pdal
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