Install iproute2mac with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, apk, winget

Project links

• Homepage

Commands and aliases

• bridge
• ip
• ss

Project history

The project README describes a deliberately limited wrapper for basic macOS network utilities, not a complete reimplementation of Linux iproute2. Its goal is to make routine macOS network configuration and debugging easier for administrators already fluent in Linux-style ip commands.

The changelog shows an incremental compatibility project: early 1.0.x releases fixed ip address and neighbor handling; v1.1.0 added ip route get source-address output and marked acceptance into Homebrew master; v1.3.0 migrated to Python 3; v1.5.0 added JSON output and bridge; and v1.7.0 added ss plus brief/oneline output options.

Adoption history

iproute2mac found its audience in the macOS admin and developer niche where muscle memory from Linux is valuable but macOS networking remains built on ifconfig, netstat, route, ndp, arp, and networksetup. The README explicitly sends advanced users back to those native tools for deeper work.

Distribution through Homebrew is part of the project's identity: the README lists Homebrew as the preferred installation path and notes the formula is maintained by the project author. It also documents MacPorts and NixOS packaging.

How it is used

The command set covers common inspection and light configuration tasks: ip link, ip addr, ip route, ip neigh, bridge link, and ss, with selected support for JSON, color, brief, and oneline output. Its value is ergonomic consistency, not total kernel feature parity.

Because macOS lacks Linux netlink and tc semantics, iproute2mac translates familiar syntax onto native macOS tools and data sources. The README warns that functionality and output compatibility are limited, which is the right contract for a portability shim.

Why package nerds care

iproute2mac is interesting because it packages muscle memory. It is a small Python wrapper that turns a platform mismatch into a command-line convenience, while keeping the boundary visible enough that serious macOS networking work still goes through native tools.

Timeline

• v1.0.x: Early releases fix ip addr, ip neigh, help, and versioning behavior.
• v1.1.0: Project is accepted into Homebrew master and no longer requires a tap.
• v1.3.0: Codebase migrates to Python 3.
• v1.5.0: JSON output and bridge command support are added.
• v1.7.0: ss command and brief/oneline output options are added.

Related projects

• Linux iproute2 is the direct inspiration and compatibility target.
• macOS ifconfig, netstat, ndp, arp, route, and networksetup are the native tools beneath or beside the wrapper.
• MacPorts and NixOS provide alternate package-manager routes alongside Homebrew.

Sources

• Homebrew formula metadata supplies package-manager presence, formula description, macOS requirement, and adoption signals.
• The GitHub README supplies project goal, limitations, command coverage, installation paths, changelog, and related native macOS tools.