macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install libfaketimelocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install libfaketimeMacPorts ports tree · sysutils/libfaketime/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 2392
Install libfaketime with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Report faked system time to programs. Version 0.9.12 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install libfaketime.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add libfaketimeAlpine Linux edge package indexes · libfaketime · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libfaketimeDebian stable package indexes · libfaketime · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install libfaketimeFedora Rawhide package metadata · libfaketime · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#libfaketimenixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/libfaketime/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S libfaketimeArch Linux sync databases · libfaketime · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libfaketimeopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libfaketime · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Report faked system time to programs
Project links
Commands and aliases
- faketime
history
Project history and usage
libfaketime is a preload-based library and faketime wrapper that makes selected programs see modified dates and times without changing the system clock. It is packaged as a developer/testing utility because it exercises time-sensitive code at the process boundary.
Project history
The project's NEWS file tracks changes back to version 0.1, beginning with fixes around time(NULL) and growing through clock_gettime interception, wrapper scripts, fractional offsets, speed changes, system-wide faketimerc files, macOS support, pthread-aware builds, deterministic time, and deterministic getrandom support.
Starting with libfaketime 0.9.5, the developer README says development and issue handling moved completely to GitHub, with official releases tagged there.
Adoption history
Package managers adopted libfaketime because it solves a practical test problem: run one process under a fake clock while leaving the host clock alone. The README names deterministic builds, expired-certificate debugging, and year-2038 testing as intended use cases.
How it is used
Most users run the faketime wrapper or set preload-related environment variables directly. The README also documents important limits: statically linked and setuid binaries are not covered by the preload mechanism, some Java/JVM cases need monotonic-clock care, and programs that dynamically load timing libraries can bypass interception.
Why package nerds care
libfaketime is beloved packaging glue because it gives build systems and test suites a cheap fake clock without patching application code. That makes it useful for reproducible builds, certificate-expiry tests, date rollover tests, and awkward legacy software checks.
Timeline
- 0.1: NEWS records initial fixes around time(NULL).
- 0.2: NEWS records clock_gettime interception.
- 0.7: NEWS records the wrapper shell script and man page.
- 0.9.5: Developer README records GitHub as the development and issue-handling home.
- 2025-06: README identifies version 0.9.12 and NEWS records improved macOS compatibility.
Related projects
- Related mechanisms include LD_PRELOAD, dyld interposing on macOS, faketimerc files, reproducible-build tooling, test harnesses, and language wrappers around libfaketime.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
library-like package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- library-like package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:library-like
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
faketime | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version0.9.12
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:libfaketime |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.9.12 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://github.com/wolfcw/libfaketime |
| Repository | https://github.com/wolfcw/libfaketime |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
libfaketime 0.9.10+2024-06-05+gba9ed5b2-0.6
Report faked system time to programs (preload library)
https://github.com/wolfcw/libfaketime
sudo apt install libfaketime- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: faketime
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libfaketime
Nix95%
libfaketime
nix profile install nixpkgs#libfaketime- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libfaketime
Ubuntu apt95%
libfaketime 0.9.10-2.1
Report faked system time to programs (preload library)
https://github.com/wolfcw/libfaketime
sudo apt install libfaketime- Section: universe/utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: faketime
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libfaketime
apk95%
libfaketime 0.9.12-r0
intercept system calls related to time and return user-defined values
https://github.com/wolfcw/libfaketime
sudo apk add libfaketime- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libfaketime
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libfaketime
apk95%
libfaketime-doc 0.9.12-r0
intercept system calls related to time and return user-defined values (documentation)
https://github.com/wolfcw/libfaketime
sudo apk add libfaketime-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libfaketime
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libfaketime
dnf95%
libfaketime 0.9.12-14.fc45
Manipulate system time per process for testing purposes
https://github.com/wolfcw/libfaketime
sudo dnf install libfaketime- License: GPL-3.0-only AND GPL-2.0-only AND BSD-1-Clause
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: libfaketime
- 5 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libfaketime
pacman95%
libfaketime 0.9.12-1
Report fake dates and times to programs without having to change the system-wide time.
https://github.com/wolfcw/libfaketime
sudo pacman -S libfaketime- License: GPL2
- Architecture: x86_64
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libfaketime
zypper95%
libfaketime 0.9.12-2.3
FakeTime Preload Library
https://github.com/wolfcw/libfaketime
sudo zypper install libfaketime- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libfaketime
- 3 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libfaketime
MacPorts95%
libfaketime
sudo port install libfaketime- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libfaketime
Debian apt92%
faketime 0.9.10+2024-06-05+gba9ed5b2-0.6
Report faked system time to programs (command-line tool)
https://github.com/wolfcw/libfaketime
sudo apt install faketime- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 2 dependencies
- installed executable or alias match
- Matched by: Faketime
Ubuntu apt92%
faketime 0.9.10-2.1
Report faked system time to programs (command-line tool)
https://github.com/wolfcw/libfaketime
sudo apt install faketime- Section: universe/utils
- Architecture: amd64
- 2 dependencies
- installed executable or alias match
- Matched by: Faketime
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation