# Install libdsk with Homebrew, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, apt
Library for accessing discs and disc image files. Version 1.4.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install libdsk-utils.
## Install
```sh
sudo av install brew:libdsk
```
Additional install commands:
### macOS
- Homebrew (100%):
```sh
brew install libdsk
```
Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata
- MacPorts (94%):
```sh
sudo port install libdsk
```
Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/libdsk/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
### Linux
- dnf (92%):
```sh
sudo dnf install libdsk
```
Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: libdsk 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#libdsk
```
Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/li/libdsk/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Debian apt (92%):
```sh
sudo apt install libdsk-utils
```
Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: libdsk-utils from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
## Package facts
- **Package key:** brew:libdsk
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 1.4.2
- **Source summary:** Library for accessing discs and disc image files
- **Homepage:**
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00
## Executables
- apriboot (alias)
- dskdump (alias)
- dskform (alias)
- dskid (alias)
- dskscan (alias)
- dsktrans (alias)
- dskutil (alias)
- md3serial (alias)
## Install behavior
- Bottle: not available
## Freshness
- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 1.4.2
## Project history and usage
LibDsk is John Elliott's library and utility suite for accessing floppy disks and disk image files, especially formats used by emulators, CP/M tools, and retrocomputing workflows.
### Project history
The official LibDsk page positions the library between real floppy hardware, emulator disk-image formats, filesystem utilities, and floppy-controller emulation. It supports raw files and devices, CPCEMU/JOYCE-style .DSK images, MYZ80 hard-drive images, NanoWasp, CFI, CopyQM, TeleDisk, Compaq QRST, APRIDISK, LDBS, rcpmfs, serial-line LibDsk instances, and other formats.
The documented 1.4.x and 1.5.x histories show continued maintenance for unusual formats and preservation edge cases: JV3, CP2, Commodore D64/D64CPM, QRST, SAP, Gotek layouts, Apple Disk Copy 4.2, D88, and the LDBS/LDBST formats. The page also documents Linux kernel FDRAWCMD deprecation as a practical constraint for direct floppy access after Linux 5.18.
### Adoption history
LibDsk's adoption is concentrated in retrocomputing and emulator ecosystems. Its official page names CPMTOOLS integration, emulator tools that convert between real floppies and images, and floppy-controller emulation as intended uses, which explains why distributions package the command-line utilities even though the audience is specialized.
### How it is used
Packaged utilities such as `dskdump`, `dskform`, `dskid`, `dskscan`, `dsktrans`, `dskutil`, and related tools make LibDsk useful for converting, scanning, formatting, identifying, and transferring disk images. The library side lets emulators and filesystem tools use the same format backends.
### Why package nerds care
LibDsk matters because disk-image support is usually a graveyard of one-off converters. Packaging one maintained library with many obscure floppy formats keeps retrocomputing workflows reproducible and prevents every emulator or CP/M tool from carrying its own partial disk-format parser.
### Timeline
- 2022: Official page notes Linux FDRAWCMD deprecation in Linux 5.18+ as a direct-access concern.
- 2024: Official page lists 1.4.2 as stable and 1.5.22 as development downloads.
- 1.4.x: JV3 support and IMD driver fixes documented.
- 1.5.x: LDBS rewrite, D64/D64CPM, CP2, QRST, SAP, Gotek, dc42, LDBST, D88, and additional utilities documented.
### Related projects
- The official page links LibDsk to CPMTOOLS, JOYCE, Lib765, Diskette Tools, AUXD, CPC/PCW/Spectrum +3 CP/M use cases, Gotek USB floppy images, and emulator .DSK formats.
### Sources
-
## Security Notes
library-like package without higher-risk signals.
- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- library-like package without higher-risk signals
## Other Package-Manager Records
- Debian apt - libdsk-utils - 1.5.9+dfsg-1+b2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libdsk-utils from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | library for accessing discs and disc image file (utilities) | http://www.seasip.info/Unix/LibDsk/
- Debian apt - libdsk4 - 1.5.9+dfsg-1+b2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libdsk4 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | library for accessing discs and disc image file | http://www.seasip.info/Unix/LibDsk/
- Debian apt - libdsk4-dev - 1.5.9+dfsg-1+b2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: libdsk4-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | library for accessing discs and disc image file (development headers) | http://www.seasip.info/Unix/LibDsk/
- Nix - libdsk: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/li/libdsk/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Ubuntu apt - libdsk-utils - 1.5.9+dfsg-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libdsk-utils from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | library for accessing discs and disc image file (utilities) | http://www.seasip.info/Unix/LibDsk/
- Ubuntu apt - libdsk4 - 1.5.9+dfsg-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libdsk4 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | library for accessing discs and disc image file | http://www.seasip.info/Unix/LibDsk/
- Ubuntu apt - libdsk4-dev - 1.5.9+dfsg-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libdsk4-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | library for accessing discs and disc image file (development headers) | http://www.seasip.info/Unix/LibDsk/
- dnf - libdsk - 1.5.22-3.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: libdsk from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | Library for accessing disk images | http://www.seasip.info/Unix/LibDsk
- dnf - libdsk-devel - 1.5.22-3.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: libdsk-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | Development files for libdsk | http://www.seasip.info/Unix/LibDsk
- dnf - libdsk-tools - 1.5.22-3.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: libdsk-tools from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | Tools for use with libdsk | http://www.seasip.info/Unix/LibDsk
- MacPorts - libdsk: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: devel/libdsk/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
## Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/libdsk.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/libdsk.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