macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install vpn-slicelocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install vpn-sliceMacPorts ports tree · net/vpn-slice/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 4031
Install vpn-slice with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix
Vpnc-script replacement for easy and secure split-tunnel VPN setup. Version 0.16.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-10. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#vpn-slice.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add vpn-sliceAlpine Linux edge package indexes · vpn-slice · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#vpn-slicenixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/vp/vpn-slice/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Vpnc-script replacement for easy and secure split-tunnel VPN setup
Project links
Commands and aliases
- vpn-slice
history
Project history and usage
vpn-slice is a Python replacement for the vpnc-script hook used by OpenConnect and VPNC. Its purpose is split-tunnel VPN setup: route only selected hosts or subnets through the VPN while leaving ordinary network traffic on the normal interface.
Project history
The project grew out of a long-standing OpenConnect/VPNC architecture in which the VPN client handles the tunnel connection but delegates operating-system routing and DNS changes to an external script, traditionally called vpnc-script.
vpn-slice's README presents it as a deliberate alternative to corporate-VPN behavior that reroutes all traffic through the tunnel. It credits an earlier split-tunnelling tutorial for the basic approach, sshuttle's host-discovery options for inspiration, and a community pull request for cleaner OS-dependent separation and macOS support.
Adoption history
The OpenConnect project documents vpn-slice as an alternative script written by one of the OpenConnect developers, focused on limiting VPN-routed traffic to a specific subset. That gives vpn-slice a recognized niche among OpenConnect users who need client-side split tunneling even when the VPN server or corporate client defaults to full-tunnel routing.
Package listings in ecosystems such as PyPI, MacPorts, Alpine, and FreeBSD ports reflect practical adoption by users who combine OpenConnect with scripting-friendly network setup. Its adoption is niche, but the niche is clear: developers and administrators forced to use restrictive VPNs while preserving local Internet routing.
How it is used
Users invoke vpn-slice as the OpenConnect or VPNC script hook and pass the hosts, domains, or subnets that should be reachable through the tunnel. The tool can resolve named hosts using VPN DNS servers, write temporary host entries, and avoid broad resolver changes outside the VPN slice.
The tool is not intended for privacy VPN use cases where all traffic should go through the tunnel. Its README explicitly frames the use case as minimizing exposure to monitored or filtering corporate VPN networks.
Why package nerds care
vpn-slice is the kind of small Unix networking tool package managers preserve well: one command that fills a very specific gap between a general VPN client and local routing policy.
Its value is highest for people who already know OpenConnect, vpnc-script, route tables, and DNS side effects; for those users it replaces a fragile personal shell-script wrapper with a maintained upstream tool.
Timeline
- 2010s: vpn-slice emerges as a Python vpnc-script replacement for OpenConnect/VPNC split tunneling.
- 2019: Public questions around OpenConnect plus vpn-slice show use in Nix and macOS workflows.
- 2020s: OpenConnect documentation lists vpn-slice as a recognized alternative script for limited-subset routing.
Related projects
- vpn-slice is directly related to OpenConnect, VPNC, and vpnc-script.
- The upstream README also relates it conceptually to sshuttle, whose automatic host lookup behavior influenced vpn-slice's own host handling.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: yellow
generalized runtime or code generation signal.
Risk classifier
yellow risk · medium confidence · runtime
Why
- generalized runtime or code generation signal
Signals
- text:repl
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
vpn-slice | 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 generated2026-08-04
manager version0.16.1
manager updated2026-07-10
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/dlenski/vpn-slice
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/dlenski/vpn-slicenone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:vpn-slice |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.16.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/vpn-slice |
| Homepage | https://github.com/dlenski/vpn-slice |
| Repository | https://github.com/dlenski/vpn-slice |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/74/fd/6c9472e8ed83695abace098d83ba0df4ea48e29e7b2f6c77ced73b9f7dce/vpn-slice-0.16.1.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-07-10T10:09:48-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | python@3.14 |
| Bottle | available (on 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 | vpn-slice |
| 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.
Nix95%
vpn-slice
nix profile install nixpkgs#vpn-slice- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Vpn Slice
apk95%
vpn-slice 0.16.1-r5
vpnc-script replacement for easy and secure split-tunnel VPN setup
https://github.com/dlenski/vpn-slice
sudo apk add vpn-slice- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: vpn-slice
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Vpn Slice
apk95%
vpn-slice-pyc 0.16.1-r5
Precompiled Python bytecode for vpn-slice
https://github.com/dlenski/vpn-slice
sudo apk add vpn-slice-pyc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: vpn-slice
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Vpn Slice
MacPorts95%
vpn-slice
sudo port install vpn-slice- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Vpn Slice
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