# Install dexter with Homebrew, Nix

Automatic indexer for Postgres. Version 0.6.3 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#dexter.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:dexter
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install dexter
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

### Linux

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#dexter
```

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

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:dexter
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 0.6.3
- **Source summary:** Automatic indexer for Postgres
- **Homepage:** <https://github.com/ankane/dexter>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/ankane/dexter>
- **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:03:09-07:00
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- dexter (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 0.6.3
## Project history and usage

Dexter is an automatic index recommender for PostgreSQL that analyzes query sources and proposes indexes using HypoPG before optionally creating them.

### Project history

The official tag history starts in 2017, and the changelog shows a steady 0.x series focused on safer index suggestions, more input sources, PostgreSQL compatibility, Docker and Linux packaging, and support for newer Ruby and PostgreSQL versions.

### Adoption history

Dexter entered the PostgreSQL performance-tool niche as a command-line utility that can read pg_stat_statements, live activity, log files, SQL files, and stdin. Its README documents installation through RubyGems, Docker, Homebrew, and Linux packages.

### How it is used

A typical run points Dexter at a database and a query source, such as `dexter -d dbname --pg-stat-statements`. By default it reports candidate indexes; creating indexes requires an explicit `--create` flag.

### Why package nerds care

The package is notable because it bridges application-level package managers and database-server extension packaging: the CLI is easy to install, but useful operation also depends on HypoPG being present and enabled on the PostgreSQL server.

### Timeline

- 2017: v0.1.0 appears in the official tag history.
- 2017: early releases add pg_stat_statements, psql-style connection options, CSV input, multicolumn indexes, and schema support.
- 2023: v0.5.0 adds normalized-query support and changes several input and HypoPG safety defaults.
- 2025: v0.6.0 adds Linux packages for Ubuntu 24.04 and Debian 12 while dropping older runtime support.

### Related projects

- Dexter is tightly related to PostgreSQL, pg_stat_statements, pg_stat_activity, server log analysis, pg_query, and the HypoPG extension for hypothetical indexes.

### Sources

- <https://github.com/ankane/dexter#readme>
- <https://github.com/ankane/dexter/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md>
- <https://github.com/ankane/dexter/tags>


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Nix - dexter: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/de/dexter/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## Combined YAML source

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


## Sources

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