macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install berkeley-dbprovider-native install command
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Install berkeley-db with Homebrew
High performance key/value database. Version 18.1.40 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-21.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
High performance key/value database
Project links
Commands and aliases
- db_archive
- db_checkpoint
- db_convert
- db_deadlock
- db_dump
- db_hotbackup
- db_load
- db_log_verify
- db_printlog
- db_recover
- db_replicate
- db_stat
- db_tuner
- db_upgrade
- db_verify
history
Project history and usage
Berkeley DB is the classic embedded key/value database library lineage now distributed by Oracle. For package-manager users it is less a standalone server than a C library plus administrative utilities whose major version, license, and on-disk compatibility can matter to many dependent packages.
Project history
Berkeley DB originated in the BSD Unix world and became a general embedded database library under Sleepycat Software. Oracle acquired Sleepycat in 2006, and Oracle's current Berkeley DB pages and documentation now present the product as Oracle Berkeley DB.
The Homebrew berkeley-db package represents the current Oracle Berkeley DB line, with docs for the 18.1 series. It exposes command-line maintenance tools such as db_archive, db_checkpoint, db_dump, db_load, db_recover, db_upgrade, and db_verify in addition to the library API.
Adoption history
Berkeley DB's adoption pattern was unusual: many users never chose it directly, but installed it because another package embedded it for local indexes, metadata stores, mail/news databases, directory services, package metadata, or application state.
That indirect adoption made the package-manager story important. Distributions historically carried multiple db, db4, db5, and berkeley-db variants because applications could be tied to a specific ABI or database file format.
How it is used
Developers link Berkeley DB into an application rather than run a database daemon. Runtime state lives in application-controlled database environments, where DB_CONFIG can tune caches, logging, locking, transactions, replication, and recovery behavior.
The bundled tools are operationally important: they let maintainers dump and reload databases, recover environments, inspect logs and statistics, verify files, and upgrade database formats when moving across versions.
Why package nerds care
Berkeley DB is package-nerd canon because it is tiny in concept but huge in dependency consequences. A formula upgrade can affect ABI compatibility, license acceptability, and whether old database files can be opened.
The current brew:berkeley-db and versioned brew:berkeley-db@5 relationship is exactly the sort of thing package historians care about: the unversioned formula tracks the modern Oracle line, while @5 keeps an older major line alive for dependents that cannot simply follow the latest library.
Timeline
- 1990s: Berkeley DB grew out of BSD database code and became Sleepycat Software's embedded database product.
- 2006: Oracle acquired Sleepycat Software, bringing Berkeley DB under Oracle.
- 2011: Berkeley DB 5.3 documentation was published for the 11g Release 2 generation.
- 2018: Oracle Berkeley DB 18.1 documentation represents the later Oracle version-numbering line used by the unversioned berkeley-db package.
Related projects
- brew:berkeley-db@5 is the versioned Homebrew formula for the older Berkeley DB 5 line.
- SQLite is a related embedded database alternative, but with a relational SQL model rather than Berkeley DB's key/value API.
- LMDB is a related embedded key/value store often discussed in the same package and storage-engine context.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: yellow
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. generalized runtime or code generation signal.
Risk classifier
yellow risk · medium confidence · runtime
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
- generalized runtime or code generation signal
Signals
- text:backup,archive,database
- text:repl
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
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
<database-environment-home>/DB_CONFIG- Windows
<database-environment-home>\DB_CONFIG
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
db_archive | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_checkpoint | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_convert | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_deadlock | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_dump | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_hotbackup | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_load | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_log_verify | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_printlog | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_recover | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_replicate | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_stat | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_tuner | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_upgrade | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
db_verify | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
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 generated2026-08-03
manager version18.1.40
manager updated2026-07-21
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:berkeley-db |
|---|---|
| Version | 18.1.40 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://www.oracle.com/database/technologies/related/berkeleydb.html |
| Last updated | 2026-07-21T18:35:11-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
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
- Nucleus package database
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation