macOS
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brew install libsecretprovider-native install command
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Install libsecret with Homebrew
Library for storing/retrieving passwords and other secrets. Version 0.21.7 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Library for storing/retrieving passwords and other secrets
Project links
Commands and aliases
- secret-tool
history
Project history and usage
libsecret is GNOME's GObject-based client library for the freedesktop.org Secret Service D-Bus API. It is the package behind many Linux desktop applications that need to store passwords, tokens, and other secrets without binding directly to a particular keyring implementation.
Project history
The freedesktop.org Secret Service specification was authored by GNOME Keyring and KWallet developers and describes collections, items, sessions, prompts, and D-Bus interfaces for desktop secret storage. libsecret implements the client side of that model for GNOME-style C, GObject Introspection, JavaScript, Python, and Vala users.
The GNOME API documentation identifies libsecret as a Secret Service D-Bus client library authored by Stef Walter, Daiki Ueno, and Niels De Graef. GitLab tag history shows the project publishing 0.1 in March 2012 and reaching the 0.20 and 0.21 series in the 2020s.
Adoption history
libsecret's adoption is tied to the move from application-specific password files toward desktop keyring services reachable over D-Bus. It gives GNOME applications, command-line helpers such as secret-tool, and language bindings a shared library interface over the Secret Service API.
How it is used
Applications define schemas and attributes, then store, look up, and delete secrets through the Secret Service. The official usage documentation shows pkg-config integration for C, imports through GObject Introspection for JavaScript and Python, and Vala package usage.
Why package nerds care
libsecret is a small but sensitive dependency: it bridges package-managed applications to session keyrings without each package carrying its own password-storage backend. It is also a common build dependency for tools that only need secret storage on desktop Linux.
Timeline
- 2008-2011: The Secret Service API copyright period covers the specification authorship window.
- 2012: libsecret 0.1 was tagged in March.
- 2020: libsecret 0.20.0 was tagged in January.
- 2023: libsecret 0.21.0 was tagged in August.
- 2025: libsecret 0.21.7 was tagged in March.
Related projects
- Related projects include GNOME Keyring, KWallet, D-Bus, GObject Introspection, freedesktop.org Secret Service, and secret-tool.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
secret-tool | 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 version0.21.7
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:libsecret |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.21.7 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/Libsecret |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
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
- Nucleus package database
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation