macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install carthagelocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install carthageMacPorts ports tree · devel/carthage/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 1179
Install carthage with Homebrew, MacPorts
Decentralized dependency manager for Cocoa. Version 0.40.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with macports: sudo port install carthage.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Decentralized dependency manager for Cocoa
Project links
Commands and aliases
- carthage
history
Project history and usage
Carthage is a decentralized dependency manager for Cocoa. Its README says it builds dependencies and provides binary frameworks while leaving project structure and build settings under the developer's control.
Project history
The public repository was created in 2014, during the period when Swift and modern Cocoa dependency management were taking shape. Carthage's official pitch was simplicity and decentralization: dependencies are declared in a Cartfile, resolved to exact versions in Cartfile.resolved, and built or downloaded without automatically editing the Xcode project.
Adoption history
Carthage became a major alternative to CocoaPods for iOS and macOS projects that preferred explicit framework integration. Its documentation emphasizes manual Xcode integration, shared schemes, tagged releases, binary framework archives, and reproducible bootstrap through committed Cartfile.resolved files.
How it is used
A typical project creates a Cartfile next to its .xcodeproj or .xcworkspace, runs carthage update, then adds built frameworks or XCFrameworks from Carthage/Build into Xcode. Carthage can also checkout dependencies into Carthage/Checkouts, use Git submodules, cache builds, and authenticate binary framework downloads through ~/.netrc when --use-netrc is set.
Why package nerds care
Carthage is one of the canonical package-manager stories in Apple development: it rejects project mutation as a feature, relies on Git tags and semantic versions, and treats dependency builds as visible artifacts. For package-manager catalogs, it is a historically important Cocoa tool because it captures a distinct design point from CocoaPods and Swift Package Manager.
Timeline
- 2014: Public GitHub repository created.
- 2021: README says version 0.37.0 encouraged XCFrameworks and required them for Apple Silicon Macs.
- 2020s: Documentation describes Cartfile, Cartfile.private, Cartfile.resolved, Carthage/Build, Carthage/Checkouts, and the shared cache under ~/Library/Caches/org.carthage.CarthageKit.
Related projects
- Official documentation compares Carthage's approach with CocoaPods.
- Carthage operates in the Cocoa, Xcode, Swift, iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS ecosystem.
- Its artifacts and binary-project-specification docs connect it to GitHub releases and HTTPS-hosted framework archives.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: orange
infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal.
Risk classifier
orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure
Why
- infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal
Signals
- text:dependency manager
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
./Cartfile./Cartfile.private./Cartfile.resolved
Credential files
Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.
- Unix
~/.netrc
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
carthage | 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 version0.40.0
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:carthage |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.40.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://github.com/Carthage/Carthage |
| Repository | https://github.com/Carthage/Carthage |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
MacPorts95%
carthage
sudo port install carthage- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Carthage
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
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation