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brew / rank 111

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

Generic library support script. Version 2.6.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install libltdl-dev.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install libtool

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install libtool

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

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add libtool

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

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libtool

Debian stable package indexes · libtool · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install libtool

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

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#libtool

nixpkgs package indexes · libtool · source: raw.githubusercontent.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S libtool

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

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libtool

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libtool · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Generic library support script

Commands and aliases

  • glibtool
  • glibtoolize
  • libtool
  • libtool-next-version
  • libtoolize

history

Project history and usage

GNU Libtool is the GNU portable library tool: a shell-script based layer that hides the platform-specific details of building, linking, installing, and loading shared libraries behind a consistent interface.

Project history

The Libtool manual describes the project as a response to a mid-1990s portability problem in GNU packages: shared-library support mattered, but each Unix and Unix-like platform had different compiler flags, linker behavior, filename conventions, runtime search paths, and dynamic loading rules. Libtool standardized those mechanics for package authors and was designed to integrate with Autoconf and Automake while remaining usable outside the GNU build system.

By 1999, Libtool 1.3 had added maintainers, a GNU-hosted home page, portable dlopen support through libltdl, convenience archives, export-symbol controls, and many platform fixes. The old GNU news page also notes that March 15, 1999 was treated by the team as Libtool's third birthday, placing the project origin in March 1996.

Adoption history

Libtool became a standard part of Autotools-era source distributions, especially for C and C++ libraries that needed to build both static and shared artifacts across GNU/Linux, BSD systems, commercial Unix variants, Cygwin, and macOS/Darwin. Its adoption is visible less as a user-facing application than as generated build infrastructure embedded in countless source tarballs.

On macOS through Homebrew, GNU Libtool is installed with prefixed executable names such as glibtool and glibtoolize to avoid colliding with Apple's system libtool command.

How it is used

Package maintainers use libtool through make rules, Autoconf macros, and libtoolize-generated support files. End users usually encounter it indirectly when compiling source packages: it creates libtool object files, links libtool archives, manages PIC/non-PIC builds, and emits platform-specific install or runtime-linking commands.

Why package nerds care

Libtool is package-nerd famous because it solved a real portability mess and also became a recognizable source of noisy build logs, relinking steps, .la files, and platform edge cases. Understanding it explains a large slice of classic Unix packaging, Autotools conventions, and why Homebrew exposes GNU Libtool as glibtool.

Timeline

  • 1996: GNU Libtool project origin, inferred from the GNU news page's March 15, 1999 third-birthday note.
  • 1998: GNU Libtool 1.1-era documentation described the tool as generic shared-library support for GNU packages.
  • 1999: GNU Libtool 1.3 added libltdl and broader platform support.
  • 2000: GNU's old news page recorded continued 1.3.x maintenance releases.
  • 2024: GNU Libtool 2.5.4 documentation described the maintained manual edition.

Related projects

  • GNU Autoconf and GNU Automake are the companion build-system tools with which Libtool was designed to integrate.
  • GNU libltdl is distributed with Libtool to abstract dynamic module loading.
  • slibtool is a later independent implementation in the same problem space.

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

CommandKindExposureNote
glibtoolexecutableindexed executableDiscovered from the local executable index.
glibtoolizeexecutableindexed executableDiscovered from the local executable index.
libtoolexecutableindexed executableDiscovered from the local executable index.
libtool-next-versionexecutableindexed executableDiscovered from the local executable index.
libtoolizeexecutableindexed executableDiscovered 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 version2.6.2
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
  • okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:libtool
Version2.6.2
Package managerHomebrew
Homepagehttps://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/
Bottlenot recorded
Servicenone 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%

libltdl-dev 2.5.4-4

System independent dlopen wrapper for GNU libtool (headers)

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apt install libltdl-dev
  • Section: libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libtool
  • 2 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • 2 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libltdl-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libltdl7 2.5.4-4

System independent dlopen wrapper for GNU libtool

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apt install libltdl7
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libtool
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libltdl7 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libtool 2.5.4-4

Generic library support script

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apt install libtool
  • Section: devel
  • Architecture: all
  • 7 dependencies
  • 7 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libtool from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libtool-bin 2.5.4-4

Generic library support script (libtool binary)

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apt install libtool-bin
  • Section: devel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libtool
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libtool-bin from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

libtool-doc 2.5.4-4

Generic library support script (documentation)

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apt install libtool-doc
  • Section: doc
  • Architecture: all
  • Source Package: libtool
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libtool-doc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

libtool

nix profile install nixpkgs#libtool
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
nixpkgs package indexes · raw.githubusercontent.com · nixpkgs package indexes: libtool from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
Ubuntu apt95%

libltdl-dev 2.4.7-7build1

System independent dlopen wrapper for GNU libtool (headers)

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apt install libltdl-dev
  • Section: libdevel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libtool
  • 2 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • 2 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libltdl-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libltdl7 2.4.7-7build1

System independent dlopen wrapper for GNU libtool

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apt install libltdl7
  • Section: libs
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libtool
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libltdl7 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libtool 2.4.7-7build1

Generic library support script

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apt install libtool
  • Section: devel
  • Architecture: all
  • 7 dependencies
  • 7 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libtool from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libtool-bin 2.4.7-7build1

Generic library support script (libtool binary)

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apt install libtool-bin
  • Section: devel
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: libtool
  • 1 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libtool-bin from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

libtool-doc 2.4.7-7build1

Generic library support script (documentation)

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apt install libtool-doc
  • Section: doc
  • Architecture: all
  • Source Package: libtool
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libtool-doc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

libltdl 2.6.2-r0

Runtime libraries for GNU Libtool Dynamic Module Loader

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apk add libltdl
  • License: LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: libtool
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libltdl from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

libltdl-static 2.6.2-r0

Generic library support script (static library)

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apk add libltdl-static
  • License: LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: libtool
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libltdl-static from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

libtool 2.6.2-r0

Generic library support script

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apk add libtool
  • License: LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: libtool
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libtool from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

libtool-doc 2.6.2-r0

Generic library support script (documentation)

https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo apk add libtool-doc
  • License: LGPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: libtool
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: libtool-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

libtool 2.5.4-11.fc45

The GNU Portable Library Tool

http://www.gnu.org/software/libtool/

sudo dnf install libtool
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-2.0-or-later WITH Autoconf-exception-generic AND GPL-2.0-or-later WITH Libtool-exception AND LGPL-2.0-or-later WITH Libtool-exception
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: libtool
  • 7 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Libtool
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: libtool from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

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.

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