install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install piknik

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add piknik

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#piknik

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

overview

Package summary

Copy/paste anything over the network

Project links

Commands and aliases

piknik

history

Project history and usage

Piknik is a cross-platform command-line network clipboard and streaming-transfer tool that relays end-to-end encrypted data through a staging server.

Project history

Frank Denis created Piknik as a network clipboard capable of transferring text or binary data between hosts without SSH or a direct inbound path. Its design uses a TCP staging server while keeping clipboard contents end-to-end encrypted and signed.

The project later added real-time push/pull streaming, allowing a sender to stream authenticated data to waiting receivers rather than storing one clipboard object.

Adoption history

The official project documents binaries for macOS, Linux, Windows, DragonFly BSD, NetBSD, and FreeBSD, while the supplied package mappings record distribution through Homebrew, Alpine, and Nix.

How it is used

Generate fresh keys with `piknik -genkeys`, place only the server section on the staging host and the client section on client machines, and protect the configuration file because it contains secret keys. Run `piknik -server` on the reachable relay, then pipe data into `piknik -copy` and retrieve it with `piknik -paste` or `piknik -move`. Push/pull commands provide live streaming.

Why package nerds care

Piknik turns shell standard input and output into an encrypted clipboard shared by separately networked machines. Its small Go binary, self-hostable relay, pipe-friendly interface, and explicit split between server and client key material appeal to users who prefer composable Unix tools over account-based file-sharing services.

Timeline

Initial design: Added encrypted copy, paste, and move operations backed by a staging server.
Later development: Added authenticated real-time push/pull streaming and optional content identifiers.

Related projects

croc and Magic Wormhole address the neighboring task of encrypted ad hoc transfer between computers, but use invitation-code-oriented transfer workflows rather than Piknik's reusable shared clipboard configuration.

Sources

https://github.com/jedisct1/piknik#readme
source_facts.package-manager

security posture

Risk level: orange

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. formula declares a Homebrew service.

Risk classifier

orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
formula declares a Homebrew service

Signals

metadata:service
text:network

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Formula metadata declares a service or daemon block.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 9 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 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.

local files

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

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: ~/.piknik.toml
Windows: piknik.toml

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: ~/.piknik.toml
Windows: piknik.toml

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`piknik`	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 version0.10.2

manager updated2026-09-20

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detected0.10.2

https://github.com/jedisct1/piknik

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:piknik
Version	0.10.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/piknik
Homepage	https://github.com/jedisct1/piknik
Repository	https://github.com/jedisct1/piknik
License	BSD-2-Clause
Source archive	https://github.com/jedisct1/piknik/archive/refs/tags/0.10.2.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-09-20T12:53:29-04:00
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_golden_gate, arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	declared
Caveats	In order to get convenient shell aliases, add the following to your shell profile e.g. ~/.profile or ~/.zshrc: . $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/etc/profile.d/piknik.sh

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	piknik
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	head 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%

piknik

nix profile install nixpkgs#piknik

normalized package name match
Matched by: Piknik

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

apk95%

piknik 0.10.2-r14

Copy/paste anything over the network

https://github.com/jedisct1/piknik

sudo apk add piknik

License: BSD-2-Clause
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: piknik
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Piknik

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

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/piknik.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
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

Install piknik with Homebrew, apk, Nix