# Install global with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper, scoop

Source code tag system. Version 6.6.15 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install global.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:global
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install global
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install global
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/global/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install global
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: global from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

- dnf (92%):

```sh
sudo dnf install global
```

  Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: global from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#global
```

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

- pacman (92%):

```sh
sudo pacman -S global
```

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

- zypper (92%):

```sh
sudo zypper install global
```

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

### Windows

- Scoop (92%):

```sh
scoop install main/global
```

  Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/global.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:global
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 6.6.15
- **Source summary:** Source code tag system
- **Homepage:** <https://www.gnu.org/software/global/>
- **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:03:34-07:00
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- global (alias)
- globash (alias)
- gozilla (alias)
- gtags (alias)
- gtags-cscope (alias)
- htags (alias)
- htags-server (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 6.6.15
## Project history and usage

GNU GLOBAL is a source-code tagging and navigation system centered on `gtags` databases and the `global` query command. It indexes source trees so programmers and editor integrations can jump to definitions, references, files, and generated hypertext views.

### Project history

GNU GLOBAL's distributed README identifies it as a source code tagging system for diverse environments and carries Tama Communications Corporation copyright years beginning in 2000. The README describes support for GNU, BSD, macOS, and other POSIX-compatible systems, with language support originally focused on C, Yacc, Java, PHP4, and assembly.

GNU FTP release archives show the 6.x series beginning in 2011 and continuing with small compatibility, parser, security, and editor-integration releases. Later NEWS entries document Universal Ctags support, Pygments parser work, SQLite configuration choices, Emacs TRAMP support, and security fixes for generated HTML workflows.

### Adoption history

GLOBAL became part of the GNU developer-tool family for users who wanted a tags system broader than classic ctags. Its command set integrates with Emacs, Vim, cscope-style workflows, shell completion, and generated HTML browsing, which made it useful for large C and mixed-language source trees before language-server tooling became common.

Package-manager adoption across Unix-like systems reflects that niche: GLOBAL is not a compiler or build tool, but it is a durable code-navigation utility that developers install on workstations, build hosts, and source-analysis environments.

### How it is used

Practitioners run `gtags` at a project root to create tag databases, then use `global` to query symbols, files, references, and completion data. Companion tools such as `gozilla`, `htags`, `gtags-cscope`, `globash`, and `htags-server` connect those databases to browsers, shells, editors, and cscope-like interfaces.

The package is useful when a source tree does not have a language server, when developers need fast offline symbol lookup, or when generated cross-reference HTML is more convenient than editor-only navigation.

### Why package nerds care

GNU GLOBAL is package-nerd significant because it packages a whole source-navigation workflow as small POSIX command-line tools. It also illustrates a long-lived GNU pattern: simple generated databases, editor adapters, manpages, Texinfo docs, and optional parser plug-ins rather than a background service.

### Timeline

- 2000: README copyright range begins, matching early public GNU GLOBAL development.
- 2011: GNU FTP archive lists GLOBAL 6.0.
- 2017: GLOBAL 6.6 release line began.
- 2021: Emacs TRAMP support added to `gtags.el`.
- 2024: NEWS documents a command-injection fix in `htags`.
- 2026: GLOBAL 6.6.15 released.

### Related projects

- GNU GLOBAL is related to ctags, Universal Ctags, cscope, Emacs gtags modes, Vim integrations, Pygments parsers, and source cross-reference generators such as LXR-style HTML browsers.

### Sources

- <https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/global/>
- <https://www.gnu.org/software/global/>
- <https://www.gnu.org/software/global/globaldoc_toc.html>
- <https://www.gnu.org/software/global/manual>


## Security Notes

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

- **Geiger risk:** blue / medium
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Debian apt - global - 6.6.13-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: global from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Source code search and browse tools | https://www.gnu.org/software/global/global.html
- Nix - global: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/gl/global/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Ubuntu apt - global - 6.6.11-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: global from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Source code search and browse tools | https://www.gnu.org/software/global/global.html
- dnf - global - 6.6.15-2.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: global from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | Source code tag system | https://www.gnu.org/software/global
- dnf - global-ctags - 6.6.15-2.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: global-ctags from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | Integration of Universal Ctags and Pygments with GLOBAL | https://www.gnu.org/software/global
- pacman - global - 6.6.15-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: global from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Source code tagging system | https://www.gnu.org/software/global/
- zypper - global - 6.6.14-1.4: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: global from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Common source code tag system | https://www.gnu.org/software/global/
- MacPorts - global: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: devel/global/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Scoop - main/global: normalized package name match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/global.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## Combined YAML source

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