macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install pulseaudiolocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install pulseaudioMacPorts ports tree · audio/pulseaudio/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 374
Install pulseaudio with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Sound system for POSIX OSes. Version 17.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-10-08. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install libpulse-dev.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add pulseaudioAlpine Linux edge package indexes · pulseaudio · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install pulseaudioDebian stable package indexes · pulseaudio · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install pulseaudioFedora Rawhide package metadata · pulseaudio · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#pulseaudionixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/pu/pulseaudio/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S pulseaudioArch Linux sync databases · pulseaudio · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install pulseaudioopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · pulseaudio · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Sound system for POSIX OSes
Project links
Commands and aliases
- pa-info
- pacat
- pacmd
- pactl
- padsp
- pamon
- paplay
- parec
- parecord
- pasuspender
- pulseaudio
history
Project history and usage
PulseAudio is a network-capable sound server for POSIX systems. It brokers audio between applications and hardware while providing software mixing, routing, per-stream controls, device policy, and client libraries.
Project history
PulseAudio began under the name Polypaudio and was developed by Lennart Poettering as a network-capable sound server and improved replacement for the Enlightened Sound Daemon. Official source notices date the early code to 2004–2006.
The project grew into the freedesktop.org audio stack, combining a server, client libraries, command-line tools, loadable modules, compatibility layers, resampling, device discovery, and network-audio facilities.
Adoption history
PulseAudio became a standard desktop sound layer in major Linux distributions during the late 2000s. Its official project history lists adoption across Mandriva, Pardus, openSUSE, FreeBSD, NetBSD, and embedded distributions, while Fedora documented it as a desktop feature.
Many newer Linux desktops use PipeWire as the active media server while providing a PulseAudio-compatible server. Consequently, PulseAudio's client protocol, utilities, and application-facing interfaces remain relevant even on systems that no longer run the original daemon.
How it is used
Applications normally connect through libpulse or compatibility plugins while the server manages the underlying devices. Users inspect and alter live state with pactl, play or record audio with tools such as paplay and parec, and use pavucontrol for graphical stream routing.
Administrators customize client.conf, daemon.conf, and startup scripts such as default.pa. Advanced uses include choosing fallback devices, loading protocol or routing modules, network playback, and controlling authentication with a shared cookie.
Why package nerds care
PulseAudio is a defining package in desktop Linux audio history. It moved mixing, per-stream volume, device switching, network transport, and audio policy into a common userspace sound server above lower-level systems such as ALSA.
Its interface has proved more durable than its position as the default daemon: PipeWire deliberately implements PulseAudio server compatibility, preserving existing clients and workflows during migration.
Timeline
- 2004–2006: Early Polypaudio and PulseAudio source notices establish the project's initial development period.
- 2007: Fedora 8 includes PulseAudio as a desktop feature.
- 2008: The official project history records default adoption by Mandriva and Pardus.
- 2021: Fedora changes its desktop audio default to PipeWire while retaining PulseAudio client compatibility.
Related projects
- PipeWire is the principal modern replacement on many Linux desktops and provides PulseAudio protocol compatibility.
- ALSA commonly supplies the Linux kernel and userspace device layer beneath PulseAudio.
- pavucontrol is a graphical controller commonly used to manipulate PulseAudio devices and individual streams.
Sources
- https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Desktop
- https://pipewire.pages.freedesktop.org/pipewire/page_pulse.html
- https://www.freedesktop.org/software/pulseaudio/doxygen/
- https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/PulseAudio/
- https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/PulseAudio/About/
- https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/PulseAudio/Documentation/User/
- https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/PulseAudio/FAQ/
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:audio,record
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 5 platform targets.
- Installs with 8 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 4 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
~/.pulse/client.conf/etc/pulse/client.conf/etc/pulse/daemon.conf/etc/pulse/default.pa
Credential files
Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.
- Unix
~/.config/pulse/cookie
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
pa-info | cli | global executable | |
pacat | cli | global executable | |
pacmd | cli | global executable | |
pactl | cli | global executable | |
padsp | cli | global executable | |
pamon | cli | global executable | |
paplay | cli | global executable | |
parec | cli | global executable | |
parecord | cli | global executable | |
pasuspender | cli | global executable | |
pulseaudio | 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 version17.0
manager updated2026-10-08
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://wiki.freedesktop.org/www/Software/PulseAudio/
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://wiki.freedesktop.org/www/Software/PulseAudio/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:pulseaudio |
|---|---|
| Version | 17.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/pulseaudio |
| Homepage | https://wiki.freedesktop.org/www/Software/PulseAudio/ |
| Upstream docs | https://wiki.freedesktop.org/www/Software/PulseAudio/ |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later AND BSD-3-Clause |
| Source archive | https://www.freedesktop.org/software/pulseaudio/releases/pulseaudio-17.0.tar.xz |
| Last updated | 2026-10-08T15:34:00-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | gettext, glib, libsndfile, libsoxr, libtool, openssl@4, orc, speexdsp |
| Build dependencies | gettext, meson, ninja, pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_golden_gate, arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_tahoe, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | pulseaudio |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 1 |
| 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%
libpulse-dev 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
PulseAudio client development headers and libraries
sudo apt install libpulse-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
libpulse-mainloop-glib0 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
PulseAudio client libraries (glib support)
sudo apt install libpulse-mainloop-glib0- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
libpulse0 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
PulseAudio client libraries
sudo apt install libpulse0- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 8 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
libpulsedsp 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
PulseAudio OSS pre-load library
sudo apt install libpulsedsp- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
pulseaudio 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
PulseAudio sound server
sudo apt install pulseaudio- Section: sound
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 32 dependencies
- 8 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
pulseaudio-equalizer 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
Equalizer sink module for PulseAudio sound server
sudo apt install pulseaudio-equalizer- Section: sound
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 9 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
pulseaudio-module-bluetooth 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
Bluetooth module for PulseAudio sound server
sudo apt install pulseaudio-module-bluetooth- Section: sound
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 10 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
pulseaudio-module-gsettings 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
GSettings module for PulseAudio sound server
sudo apt install pulseaudio-module-gsettings- Section: sound
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 6 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
pulseaudio-module-jack 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
jackd modules for PulseAudio sound server
sudo apt install pulseaudio-module-jack- Section: sound
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 6 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
pulseaudio-module-lirc 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
lirc module for PulseAudio sound server
sudo apt install pulseaudio-module-lirc- Section: sound
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
pulseaudio-module-raop 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
RAOP module for PulseAudio sound server
sudo apt install pulseaudio-module-raop- Section: sound
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 7 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
pulseaudio-module-zeroconf 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
Zeroconf module for PulseAudio sound server
sudo apt install pulseaudio-module-zeroconf- Section: sound
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 7 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Debian apt95%
pulseaudio-utils 17.0+dfsg1-2+b1
Command line tools for the PulseAudio sound server
sudo apt install pulseaudio-utils- Section: sound
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 7 dependencies
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Nix95%
pulseaudio
nix profile install nixpkgs#pulseaudio- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Ubuntu apt95%
libpulse-dev 1:16.1+dfsg1-2ubuntu10
PulseAudio client development headers and libraries
sudo apt install libpulse-dev- Section: universe/libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
Ubuntu apt95%
libpulse-mainloop-glib0 1:16.1+dfsg1-2ubuntu10
PulseAudio client libraries (glib support)
sudo apt install libpulse-mainloop-glib0- Section: sound
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: pulseaudio
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pulseaudio
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 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