macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install puttylocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install puttyMacPorts ports tree · security/putty/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 993
Install putty with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper, scoop, winget
Implementation of Telnet and SSH. Version 0.85 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-24. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install pterm.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add puttyAlpine Linux edge package indexes · putty · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install puttyDebian stable package indexes · putty · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install puttyFedora Rawhide package metadata · putty · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#puttynixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/pu/putty/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S puttyArch Linux sync databases · putty · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install puttyopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · putty · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Chocolateyverified · 92%
choco install puttyChocolatey community package catalog · putty · source: community.chocolatey.org
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install extras/puttyScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/putty.json · source: api.github.com
Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id PuTTY.PuTTY -eWindows Package Manager source index · PuTTY.PuTTY · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com
overview
Package summary
Implementation of Telnet and SSH
Project links
Commands and aliases
- pageant
- plink
- pscp
- psftp
- psusan
- pterm
- putty
- puttygen
history
Project history and usage
PuTTY is a free SSH, Telnet, serial, and terminal-emulation suite for Windows and Unix.
Project history
Simon Tatham began the project in 1996 as STel, a Windows GUI Telnet client written to improve on the terminal emulation available to him. In 1998 he added a switchable protocol backend and SSH-1 support and renamed it PuTTY.
PuTTY was first published on the web in early 1999 as a single executable. Contributor and employer-supported work subsequently produced PSCP, Plink, Pageant, PuTTYgen, SSH-2 support, and X11 forwarding.
The project's major features generally evolved from maintainer needs and contributed patches rather than from a long-term roadmap. It remains independently implemented rather than being a port of OpenSSH.
Adoption history
PuTTY became closely associated with SSH access from Windows because it was a small, self-contained graphical client at a time when Windows did not ship a comparable standard SSH environment. Its suite later expanded to cover command-line connections, secure copying, SFTP, key generation, and SSH-agent use.
The project also maintains Unix builds, although its own FAQ notes that PuTTY remains best known as a Windows tool. Its terminal interaction deliberately inherited conventions familiar to Unix users, including X-style selection and paste behavior.
How it is used
Users open interactive SSH or Telnet sessions with PuTTY, automate remote commands with Plink, copy files with PSCP or PSFTP, create and convert keys with PuTTYgen, and hold unlocked keys in Pageant.
On Unix, saved sessions, host keys, and related PuTTY state are stored under ~/.putty by default. Private-key files are user-selected, so no single official credentials-file path is documented.
Why package nerds care
PuTTY is a foundational cross-platform remote-access package whose companion programs established a durable Windows SSH vocabulary: Plink for scripts, PSCP and PSFTP for file transfer, PuTTYgen for keys, and Pageant for agent-managed credentials.
Package users care about the distinction between PuTTY and OpenSSH key and session conventions, and about PuTTY's deliberately portable, standalone deployment model.
Timeline
- 1996: Simon Tatham began the Windows Telnet client STel.
- 1998: STel gained SSH-1 and a multi-protocol architecture and was renamed PuTTY.
- 1999: PuTTY was first published on the web; PSCP followed later that year.
- 2000: Plink, Pageant, PuTTYgen, and SSH-2 support emerged from a major development period.
- 2001: Contributor work added X11 forwarding.
Related projects
- OpenSSH provides the dominant Unix-oriented SSH client and server suite. PuTTY is an independent implementation with its own graphical client and companion command-line programs.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:ftp,ssh
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 7 platform targets.
- Installs with 5 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.
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
~/.putty
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
pageant | cli | global executable | |
plink | cli | global executable | |
pscp | cli | global executable | |
psftp | cli | global executable | |
psusan | cli | global executable | |
pterm | cli | global executable | |
putty | cli | global executable | |
puttygen | 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 version0.85
manager updated2026-09-24
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://putty.software/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:putty |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.85 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/putty |
| Homepage | https://putty.software/ |
| Upstream docs | https://putty.software/ |
| License | MIT |
| Source archive | https://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/0.85/putty-0.85.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-09-24T09:21:46Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | cairo, gdk-pixbuf, glib, gtk+3, pango |
| Build dependencies | cmake, halibut, pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_golden_gate, 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 | putty |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Conflicts With |
|
| 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%
pterm 0.83-3
PuTTY terminal emulator
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
sudo apt install pterm- Section: x11
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: putty
- 8 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
Debian apt95%
putty 0.83-3
Telnet/SSH client for X
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
sudo apt install putty- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- 9 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
Debian apt95%
putty-doc 0.83-3
PuTTY HTML documentation
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
sudo apt install putty-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: putty
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
Debian apt95%
putty-tools 0.83-3
command-line tools for SSH, SCP, and SFTP
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
sudo apt install putty-tools- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: putty
- 1 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
Nix95%
putty
nix profile install nixpkgs#putty- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
Ubuntu apt95%
pterm 0.81-1
PuTTY terminal emulator
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
sudo apt install pterm- Section: universe/x11
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: putty
- 8 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
Ubuntu apt95%
putty 0.81-1
Telnet/SSH client for X
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
sudo apt install putty- Section: universe/net
- Architecture: amd64
- 9 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
Ubuntu apt95%
putty-doc 0.81-1
PuTTY HTML documentation
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
sudo apt install putty-doc- Section: universe/doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: putty
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
Ubuntu apt95%
putty-tools 0.81-1
command-line tools for SSH, SCP, and SFTP
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
sudo apt install putty-tools- Section: universe/net
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: putty
- 1 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
apk95%
putty 0.85-r0
SSH and telnet client
sudo apk add putty- License: MIT
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: putty
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
apk95%
putty-doc 0.85-r0
SSH and telnet client (documentation)
sudo apk add putty-doc- License: MIT
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: putty
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
dnf95%
putty 0.85-1.fc46
SSH, Telnet and Rlogin client
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
sudo dnf install putty- License: MIT
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: putty
- 13 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
pacman95%
putty 0.85-1
A terminal integrated SSH/Telnet client
sudo pacman -S putty- License: MIT
- Architecture: x86_64
- 14 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
zypper95%
putty 0.85-1.1
SSH client with optional GTK-based terminal emulator frontend
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
sudo zypper install putty- License: MIT
- Category: System/X11/Utilities
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: putty
- 12 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
MacPorts95%
putty
sudo port install putty- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
Chocolatey95%
putty
choco install putty- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Putty
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