# Install espflash with Homebrew, Nix, pacman

Serial flasher utility for Espressif SoCs and modules based on esptool.py. Version 4.5.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-09. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#espflash.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:espflash
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install espflash
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

### Linux

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#espflash
```

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

- pacman (92%):

```sh
sudo pacman -S espflash
```

  Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: espflash from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:espflash
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 4.5.0
- **Source summary:** Serial flasher utility for Espressif SoCs and modules based on esptool.py
- **Homepage:** <https://github.com/esp-rs/espflash>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/esp-rs/espflash>
- **Last updated:** 2026-07-09T10:07:07Z
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- espflash (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 4.5.0
## Project history and usage

espflash is a Rust ecosystem serial flasher for Espressif devices, described by its project as loosely based on esptool.py.

### Project history

The project sits in the esp-rs organization and provides both `espflash` and a related `cargo-espflash` workflow for Rust-on-Espressif development.

### Adoption history

Its adoption is tied to the Rust embedded Espressif community rather than to Espressif's official Python tooling. Homebrew, Nix, Pacman, crates.io, and the repository README make it discoverable as a package-manager and Cargo-installable flashing tool.

### How it is used

The command-line tool flashes ELF-format applications, monitors serial output, prints board information, erases flash or regions, calculates checksums, and generates shell completions for Espressif chips.

### Why package nerds care

For package nerds, espflash is interesting because it packages a Rust-native alternative around a workflow historically dominated by Python esptool.py, and because `cargo-espflash` makes flashing feel like part of the Rust build loop.

### Timeline

- 2020s: espflash grows with esp-rs as a Rust-oriented Espressif flashing utility.

### Related projects

- The project explicitly relates itself to esptool.py and ships alongside cargo-espflash for Cargo-integrated flashing.

### Sources

- <https://github.com/esp-rs/espflash>
- <https://github.com/esp-rs/espflash/tree/main/espflash>


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

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


## 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

- Linux: ~/.config/espflash/espflash.toml, ~/.config/espflash/espflash_ports.toml
- macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/rs.esp.espflash/espflash.toml, ~/Library/Application Support/rs.esp.espflash/espflash_ports.toml
- Unix: ./espflash.toml, ./espflash_ports.toml
- Windows: %APPDATA%\esp\espflash\espflash.toml, %APPDATA%\esp\espflash\espflash_ports.toml
## Other Package-Manager Records

- Nix - espflash: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/es/espflash/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- pacman - espflash - 4.5.0-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: espflash from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Cargo subcommand for flashing Espressif devices over serial | https://github.com/esp-rs/espflash


## Combined YAML source

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