# Install tarsnap with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, pacman

Online backups for the truly paranoid. Version 1.0.41 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#tarsnap.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:tarsnap
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install tarsnap
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install tarsnap
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/tarsnap/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#tarsnap
```

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

- pacman (92%):

```sh
sudo pacman -S tarsnap
```

  Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: tarsnap from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:tarsnap
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Package manager page:** <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/tarsnap>
- **Version:** 1.0.41
- **Source summary:** Online backups for the truly paranoid
- **Homepage:** <https://www.tarsnap.com/>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/Tarsnap/tarsnap>
- **Upstream docs:** <https://www.tarsnap.com/>
- **License:** 0BSD
- **Source archive:** <https://www.tarsnap.com/download/tarsnap-autoconf-1.0.41.tgz>
- **Generated:** 2026-08-04T22:13:35+00:00

## Executables

- tarsnap (cli)
- tarsnap-keygen (cli)
- tarsnap-keymgmt (cli)
- tarsnap-keyregen (cli)
- tarsnap-recrypt (cli)
- tarsnap (alias)
- tarsnap-keygen (alias)
- tarsnap-keymgmt (alias)
- tarsnap-keyregen (alias)
- tarsnap-recrypt (alias)

## Dependencies

- openssl@3

## Uses from macOS

- bzip2

## Install behavior

- Post-install hook: not defined
- Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-04
- Package-manager version: 1.0.41
- Local data: ok
- Upstream repository: https://www.tarsnap.com/
- info: No package-manager update timestamp was available.
- info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.
## Project history and usage

Tarsnap is a secure, efficient command-line online backup service for Unix-like systems, centered on client-side keys, deduplication, and pay-for-actual-usage storage. It is famous among command-line and security-minded users because its normal interface is a tar-like CLI rather than a consumer backup app.

### Project history

The official site describes Tarsnap as a command-line backup service for Linux, the BSDs, macOS, and other Unix-like systems. The official client repository is for developers who want to watch changes, investigate bugs, or test unreleased features, while the website recommends official release downloads for normal use.

### Adoption history

Official news shows active public releases and service milestones from at least 2009, including the move from beta-era web pages to the main website in September 2009, Tarsnap 1.0.26 in December 2009, bug bounties in 2011, a Tarsnap book in 2015, and Tarsnap 1.0.41 in March 2025. The supplied package-manager metadata shows Tarsnap packaged in Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, and Arch.

### How it is used

Users create, list, extract, delete, verify, and recover encrypted remote archives with the tarsnap CLI and related key utilities. The official man page documents keyfile and cachedir driven operation, default configuration files, archive listing, fsck/recovery modes, and examples for cron-based full-system backups.

### Why package nerds care

Package nerds care because Tarsnap is a compact, scriptable backup primitive with serious cryptographic and operational opinions. Its package surface includes multiple binaries, configuration files, key generation, cache directories, man pages, and a GUI-facing initialization mode, all of which make it a classic Unix packaging case rather than a single executable.

### Timeline

- 2009-09: Official news says the non-minimalist tarsnap.com website replaced scattered beta-era information.
- 2009-12: Tarsnap 1.0.26 released.
- 2011-04: Official bug bounty program announced.
- 2015-03: Official news notes publication of Tarsnap Mastery.
- 2015-05: Official GitHub repository created for client-code development visibility.
- 2022-02: Tarsnap 1.0.40 released.
- 2025-03: Tarsnap 1.0.41 released with XDG config support and other changes.

### Related projects

- Tarsnap GUI, tarsnap-keygen, tarsnap-keymgmt, tarsnap-keyregen, tarsnap-recrypt, tar, libarchive, scrypt, spiped.

### Sources

- <https://github.com/Tarsnap/tarsnap official repository README: developer repo purpose and release-download recommendation.>
- <https://www.tarsnap.com/ official site: supported systems, encryption, source-code availability, deduplication, pricing, latest release.>
- <https://www.tarsnap.com/man-tarsnap-keygen.1.html official man page: key generation and keyfile purpose.>
- <https://www.tarsnap.com/man-tarsnap.1.html official man page: CLI modes, config files, keyfile/cachedir operation, examples.>
- <https://www.tarsnap.com/news.html official news: release and service timeline.>
- input source_facts.package-manager: brew, MacPorts, Nix, Arch packaging.


## Security Notes

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

- **Geiger risk:** blue / medium
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal


## 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

- Unix: /usr/local/etc/tarsnap.conf, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/tarsnap/tarsnap.conf, ~/.config/tarsnap/tarsnap.conf, ~/.tarsnaprc

## Credential files

- Unix: keyfile path passed via --keyfile, keyfile path configured in tarsnap.conf
## Source Database Details

- **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API
- **Tap:** homebrew/core
- **Full Name:** tarsnap
- **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

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Nix - tarsnap: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ta/tarsnap/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- pacman - tarsnap - 1.0.41-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: tarsnap from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | An online encrypted snapshotted backup service | https://www.tarsnap.com/
- MacPorts - tarsnap: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/tarsnap/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## Related links

- [Secret-risk packages](https://pkg.so/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals.
- [Terminal utility packages](https://pkg.so/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata.
- [Archive and compression packages](https://pkg.so/archive-compression-tools/) - Matched archive or compression metadata.
- [Networking and protocol packages](https://pkg.so/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata.
- [openssl@3](https://pkg.so/brew/openssl-3/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [tarsnapper](https://pkg.so/brew/tarsnapper/) - Popular package that depends on this formula.
- [tarsnap-gui](https://pkg.so/brew/tarsnap-gui/) - Popular package that depends on this formula.
- [skm](https://pkg.so/brew/skm/) - Shares pkgdb curated category or tags: backup, cli, security.
- [qrkey](https://pkg.so/brew/qrkey/) - Shares pkgdb curated category or tags: backup, cli, security.
- [gnutls](https://pkg.so/brew/gnutls/) - Shares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, security.
- [p11-kit](https://pkg.so/brew/p11-kit/) - Shares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, security.
- [gnupg](https://pkg.so/brew/gnupg/) - Shares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, security.
- [scrypt](https://pkg.so/brew/scrypt/) - Security-sensitive metadata or terminology overlaps. Shared terms: cli, openssl, security.
- [prowler](https://pkg.so/brew/prowler/) - Security-sensitive metadata or terminology overlaps. Shared terms: cli, cloud, openssl, openssl-3, security.

## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/tarsnap.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/tarsnap.yml)


## Sources

- pkg.so package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- package-page enrichment
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- package version freshness
- pkgdb category and tag curation
- package relationship graph
- external package-manager database matches
- cross-ecosystem install command graph