macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install liblockfilelocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 11344
Install liblockfile with Homebrew, apk, dnf, Nix, pacman, apt, zypper
Library providing functions to lock standard mailboxes. Version 1.17 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install liblockfile-bin.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add liblockfileAlpine Linux edge package indexes · liblockfile · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install liblockfileFedora Rawhide package metadata · liblockfile · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#liblockfilenixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/liblockfile/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S liblockfileArch Linux sync databases · liblockfile · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install liblockfile-binDebian stable package indexes · liblockfile-bin · source: deb.debian.org
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install liblockfile-developenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · liblockfile-devel · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Library providing functions to lock standard mailboxes
Project links
Commands and aliases
- dotlockfile
history
Project history and usage
liblockfile is a small Unix system library and utility package for creating NFS-safe lockfiles, especially the dot-lock files traditionally used to protect mailboxes in /var/mail.
Project history
The upstream README describes liblockfile as an implementation of functions found in -lmail on SysV systems, extended with functions to create, manage, and remove generic lockfiles. Its locking algorithm uses a temporary file and link(2) to create lockfiles atomically, including workarounds for NFS server behavior.
The dotlockfile utility is documented as a command-line tool to create, test, touch, and remove lockfiles. Its name comes from the traditional mailbox convention of appending .lock to the mailbox path.
Adoption history
liblockfile has a long Debian packaging history and remains represented as Debian source package liblockfile, producing liblockfile-bin, liblockfile-dev, and liblockfile1. Its practical audience is mail tools, shell scripts, and legacy Unix software that need interoperable dot-locking rather than newer advisory-lock APIs.
How it is used
The library is used by programs that need NFS-safe lock creation. The dotlockfile command is used directly in scripts or as the setgid mail helper that lets mailbox-locking programs avoid carrying setgid mail themselves.
Why package nerds care
liblockfile is interesting because it packages an old but still sharp Unix portability problem: locking mail spools safely across local and NFS filesystems. It is small, unglamorous infrastructure that explains why some packages still ship helpers for mail-era filesystem semantics.
Timeline
- 2011: Changelog entry for liblockfile 1.09 recorded Debian bug fixes and cross-build cleanup.
- 2016: Upstream GitHub repository created on November 22, 2016.
- 2017: dotlockfile manual page dated January 10, 2017.
- 2019: liblockfile 1.16 simplified permission checking and quiet-mode behavior.
- 2021: liblockfile 1.17 added dotlockfile -P and -i options.
Related projects
- The README names procmail, exim, and mutt as compatible NFS-safe lockfile users.
- Debian packaging is maintained separately at the liblockfile-debian repository.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
dotlockfile | 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 version1.17
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:liblockfile |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.17 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/liblockfile |
| 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%
liblockfile-bin 1.17-2
support binaries for and cli utilities based on liblockfile
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo apt install liblockfile-bin- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
Debian apt95%
liblockfile-dev 1.17-2
Development library for liblockfile
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo apt install liblockfile-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
Debian apt95%
liblockfile1 1.17-2
NFS-safe locking library
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo apt install liblockfile1- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
Nix95%
liblockfile
nix profile install nixpkgs#liblockfile- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
Ubuntu apt95%
liblockfile-bin 1.17-1build3
support binaries for and cli utilities based on liblockfile
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo apt install liblockfile-bin- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
Ubuntu apt95%
liblockfile-dev 1.17-1build3
Development library for liblockfile
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo apt install liblockfile-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
Ubuntu apt95%
liblockfile1 1.17-1build3
NFS-safe locking library
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo apt install liblockfile1- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
apk95%
liblockfile 1.17-r4
Shared library with NFS-safe locking functions
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo apk add liblockfile- License: LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
apk95%
liblockfile-dev 1.17-r4
Shared library with NFS-safe locking functions (development files)
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo apk add liblockfile-dev- License: LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
apk95%
liblockfile-doc 1.17-r4
Shared library with NFS-safe locking functions (documentation)
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo apk add liblockfile-doc- License: LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
apk95%
liblockfile-static 1.17-r4
Shared library with NFS-safe locking functions (static library)
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo apk add liblockfile-static- License: LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
dnf95%
liblockfile 1.17-13.fc45
This implements a number of functions found in -lmail on SysV systems
http://packages.qa.debian.org/libl/liblockfile.html
sudo dnf install liblockfile- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 3 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
dnf95%
liblockfile-devel 1.17-13.fc45
Development files for liblockfile
http://packages.qa.debian.org/libl/liblockfile.html
sudo dnf install liblockfile-devel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
pacman95%
liblockfile 1.17_2-1
a library with NFS-safe locking functions
https://packages.debian.org/unstable/libs/liblockfile1
sudo pacman -S liblockfile- License: GPL
- Architecture: x86_64
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
zypper95%
liblockfile-devel 1.17-1.12
Development files for liblockfile
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo zypper install liblockfile-devel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Development/Libraries/C and C++
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
zypper95%
liblockfile1 1.17-1.12
Library with NFS-safe locking functions
https://github.com/miquels/liblockfile
sudo zypper install liblockfile1- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: System/Libraries
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: liblockfile
- 2 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Liblockfile
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