brew / rank 2447

Install libnfs with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, apt, zypper

C client library for NFS. Version 6.0.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install libnfs-dev.

Install command Security notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install libnfs

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install libnfs

MacPorts ports tree · devel/libnfs/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add libnfs

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · libnfs · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install libnfs

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · libnfs · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#libnfs

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/libnfs/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S libnfs

Arch Linux sync databases · libnfs · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install libnfs-dev

Debian stable package indexes · libnfs-dev · source: deb.debian.org

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install libnfs-devel

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libnfs-devel · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

C client library for NFS

Project links

Homepage

Commands and aliases

nfs-cat
nfs-cp
nfs-ls
nfs-stat

history

Project history and usage

libnfs is a C client library for accessing NFS shares over a network. It packages NFS and related RPC protocol handling into reusable APIs instead of requiring callers to mount a filesystem through the operating system.

Project history

The sahlberg/libnfs repository presents the library around three APIs: a raw asynchronous RPC interface, an asynchronous high-level NFS interface, and a synchronous high-level interface. The README also documents a version 2 API break with changed async task functions and read/write signatures.

The project broadened from NFSv3-oriented client access into NFSv4, server-side RPC examples, Windows and macOS build fixes, and later zero-copy read/write support for NFS v3/v4. Its changelog is organized by version transitions rather than narrative release notes.

Adoption history

libnfs is useful to media applications, backup tools, embedded systems, emulators, test programs, and cross-platform software that needs NFS URL access without a kernel mount. The README documents platform coverage for Linux, Cygwin, macOS, iOS, FreeBSD, Solaris, Windows, Android, AROS, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3.

How it is used

Applications can use nfs:// URLs, choose sync or async APIs, select NFS versions through URL arguments or API calls, and tune behavior such as timeouts, retries, mount traversal, directory caching, TLS transport security, and UID/GID handling. The package also provides small tools such as nfs-cat, nfs-cp, nfs-ls, and nfs-stat.

Why package nerds care

libnfs is package-nerd interesting because it turns a traditionally kernel-mounted network filesystem into a linkable userspace protocol library. That makes it attractive in sandboxed, portable, or media-heavy software, but it also brings protocol-version, credential, TLS, and platform-build details into ordinary dependency graphs.

Timeline

1.11.0 era: The changelog records support for RPC timeouts, low-level NFSv4 work, and building RPC servers.
2.0.0 era: The changelog records NFSv4 support, lockf and fcntl locking support for NFSv4, CMake support, URL arguments for NFS version selection, and a testsuite.
4.0.0 era: The changelog records multithread support for Linux and Windows and fixes for NFSv4 chmod, chown, and utimes behavior.
5.0.2 era: The changelog records zero-copy write/read work, NFS 4.1 structure additions, and notes that new development had shifted to a libnfs-next-gen branch.

Related projects

Related protocol pieces include ONC RPC, XDR, NFSv3, NFSv4, portmapper, mount, NLM, NSM, and rquota support.
The repository includes examples for raw RPC access, asynchronous NFS access, synchronous NFS access, RPC servers, and an LD_PRELOAD experiment for NFS-aware command-line utilities.

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
`nfs-cat`	executable	indexed executable	Discovered from the local executable index.
`nfs-cp`	executable	indexed executable	Discovered from the local executable index.
`nfs-ls`	executable	indexed executable	Discovered from the local executable index.
`nfs-stat`	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 version6.0.2

manager updated

local dataunknown

upstreamnot available

latest detectednot detected

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:libnfs
Version	6.0.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Homepage	https://github.com/sahlberg/libnfs
Repository	https://github.com/sahlberg/libnfs
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%

libnfs-dev 5.0.2-1+b2

NFS client library (development files)