macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install rdatelocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 13610
Install rdate with Homebrew, apt, dnf
Set the system's date from a remote host. Version 1.5 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-13. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install rdate.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install rdateDebian stable package indexes · rdate · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install openrdateFedora Rawhide package metadata · openrdate · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
overview
Package summary
Set the system's date from a remote host
Project links
Commands and aliases
- rdate
history
Project history and usage
rdate is a small command-line client for RFC 868 time servers. It can print a remote host's time or set the local system clock.
Project history
This maintained implementation uses protocol-independent socket code and supports both IPv4 and IPv6. Its official source tree retains a traditional Autotools layout, manual page, NEWS file, and ChangeLog.
Adoption history
The supplied package metadata records rdate packages for Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, and Fedora's `openrdate` package, preserving the utility for compatibility and lightweight system-administration workflows.
How it is used
Users supply a time-server hostname and choose whether to print the returned time or set the system clock. Setting the clock generally requires elevated privileges.
No official configuration or credentials file is documented; behavior is selected through command-line options.
Why package nerds care
rdate represents the small-tool era of Unix network administration: it performs one task through the simple RFC 868 Time Protocol. It remains useful for legacy environments and protocol testing, even though NTP-based tools are preferred for continuous clock discipline.
Timeline
- Legacy Unix utility: rdate became associated with the RFC 868 Time Protocol workflow.
- Modern maintained version: Protocol-independent networking added IPv4 and IPv6 operation.
Related projects
- NTP clients such as ntpd, chrony, and systemd-timesyncd provide continuous synchronization and modern clock-correction behavior.
- RFC 868 time servers are the remote counterparts used by rdate.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 12 platform targets.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
rdate | 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 generated2026-09-19
manager version1.5
manager updated2026-09-13
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://www.aelius.com/njh/rdate/
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.aelius.com/njh/rdate/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:rdate |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.5 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/rdate |
| Homepage | https://www.aelius.com/njh/rdate/ |
| Upstream docs | https://www.aelius.com/njh/rdate/ |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://www.aelius.com/njh/rdate/rdate-1.5.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-09-13T05:19:16Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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 | rdate |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| 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%
rdate 1:1.11-3
sets the system's date from a remote host with network time protocol
https://github.com/resurrecting-open-source-projects/openrdate
sudo apt install rdate- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdate
Ubuntu apt95%
rdate 1:1.11-3ubuntu2
sets the system's date from a remote host with network time protocol
https://github.com/resurrecting-open-source-projects/openrdate
sudo apt install rdate- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdate
dnf95%
openrdate 1.2-33.fc45
Good-old rdate date and time-setting software
http://sourceforge.net/projects/openrdate
sudo dnf install openrdate- License: LicenseRef-Callaway-BSD AND LicenseRef-Callaway-BSD-with-advertising
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: openrdate
- 2 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Rdate
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