# Install clair with Homebrew, Nix, zypper

Vulnerability Static Analysis for Containers. Version 4.8.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-27. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#clair.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:clair
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install clair
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

### Linux

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#clair
```

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

- zypper (92%):

```sh
sudo zypper install clair
```

  Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: clair from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:clair
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 4.8.0
- **Source summary:** Vulnerability Static Analysis for Containers
- **Homepage:** <https://quay.github.io/clair/>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/quay/clair>
- **Last updated:** 2026-07-27T22:04:00+02:00
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- clair (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 4.8.0
## Project history and usage

Clair is Quay's open source service for static analysis of vulnerabilities in application container images, including OCI and Docker images. It is notable in package-manager culture because it made vulnerability metadata, image indexing, and registry-side security scanning part of the ordinary container toolchain.

### Project history

The public repository was created in November 2015 and its README describes the project goal as making container-based infrastructure more transparent. Clair later evolved into the v4 architecture documented in the Clair book, with separate indexer, matcher, notifier, and combo operating modes configured by YAML or JSON.

### Adoption history

Clair is distributed as a Homebrew formula and appears in other package sets in the supplied input, while its README also points users to stable GitHub releases and a Quay container image. Its adoption path is tied to container registries and CI systems that need image vulnerability matching against known vulnerability feeds.

### How it is used

Clients use the Clair API to index container images and match indexed contents against vulnerability data. Operators run Clair with a structured configuration file, commonly under /etc/clair, and select a service mode such as indexer, matcher, notifier, or combo.

### Why package nerds care

Clair matters to package nerds because it connects OS-package and language-package vulnerability databases to container layers. It sits at the point where package manifests, distribution advisories, OCI images, and registry policy meet.

### Timeline

- 2015: Public GitHub repository created and initial public release v0.0.1 published.
- 2016: v1 releases established Clair as a container vulnerability analysis service.
- 2020: Clair v4 line documented a service-oriented architecture with indexer, matcher, and notifier modes.
- 2024: v4.7.0 added documented drop-in configuration file support.
- 2025: v4.9.0 release published.

### Related projects

- Related projects include Quay, OCI image tooling, Docker image tooling, vulnerability databases consumed by Clair matchers, and other image scanners such as Trivy and Grype.

### Sources

- <https://github.com/quay/clair>
- <https://quay.github.io/clair>
- <https://quay.github.io/clair/reference/config.html>
- <https://api.github.com/repos/quay/clair/releases>


## Security Notes

infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal.

- **Geiger risk:** orange / medium
- infrastructure mutation or orchestration 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: /etc/clair/config.yaml, /etc/clair/config.json
## Other Package-Manager Records

- Nix - clair: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cl/clair/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- zypper - clair - 4.9.0-1.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: clair from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Vulnerability Static Analysis for Containers | https://github.com/quay/clair
- zypper - clairctl - 4.9.0-1.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: clairctl from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | CLI for the Clair Vulnerability scanner | https://github.com/quay/clair


## Combined YAML source

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


## Sources

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