macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install lifelineslocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install lifelinesMacPorts ports tree · genealogy/lifelines/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 11371
Install lifelines with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix, zypper
Text-based genealogy software. Version 3.1.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install lifelines.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install lifelinesDebian stable package indexes · lifelines · source: deb.debian.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#lifelinesnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/lifelines/package.nix · source: api.github.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install lifelinesopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · lifelines · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Text-based genealogy software
Project links
Commands and aliases
- btedit
- dbverify
- llexec
- llines
history
Project history and usage
LifeLines is a text-based genealogy system with its own report language and GEDCOM-oriented database model. It is much older than its GitHub repository: the project site says Tom Wetmore wrote it circa 1991-1994 and later placed it under an MIT-style license.
Project history
LifeLines grew from early-1990s Unix genealogy software into a community-maintained open-source project. The README credits Thomas T. Wetmore IV as the original author and says the open-source community maintains it.
The project site emphasizes GEDCOM storage and scripting. Its report scripts generate ancestor and descendant reports, LaTeX books, PostScript charts, and other genealogy outputs.
The NEWS file records later maintenance work: the 3.1.0 stable line moved from SourceForge to GitHub and improved build infrastructure, while the 3.2.0 line targeted a full 64-bit port and Mac OS X support.
Adoption history
LifeLines built a long-running user community around the LINES-L mailing list, which the project site says was established in 1992. Package managers kept it available for users who preferred a scriptable terminal genealogy database instead of GUI-first family-tree programs.
How it is used
Users import or maintain GEDCOM data, browse and edit family records in a text interface, verify databases with dbverify, and run LifeLines report scripts through tools such as llexec.
Why package nerds care
LifeLines is package-nerd interesting because it preserves a pre-web, terminal-first genealogy workflow in modern package systems. It is also a reminder that package managers carry cultural software, not only developer tools and servers.
Timeline
- 1991-1994: Project site says Tom Wetmore wrote LifeLines during this period.
- 1992: Project site says the LINES-L discussion list was established.
- 3.0.29: Project site says native language support began for several languages.
- 3.1.0: NEWS records the move from SourceForge to GitHub.
- 3.2.0: NEWS records full 64-bit port and Mac OS X support work.
Related projects
- Related projects and communities include GEDCOM genealogy data, RootsWeb, LINES-L, report-script collections, SourceForge-era LifeLines hosting, and packaged Unix genealogy tools.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
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.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
~/.linesrc./.linesrc- Windows
lines.cfg
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
btedit | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
dbverify | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
llexec | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
llines | 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 version3.1.1
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:lifelines |
|---|---|
| Version | 3.1.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://lifelines.github.io/lifelines/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/lifelines/lifelines |
| 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%
lifelines 3.0.61-5
text-based genealogy software
http://lifelines.github.io/lifelines/
sudo apt install lifelines- Section: misc
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lifelines
Debian apt95%
lifelines-doc 3.0.61-5
documentation for lifelines, a genealogy software system
http://lifelines.github.io/lifelines/
sudo apt install lifelines-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: lifelines
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lifelines
Debian apt95%
lifelines-doc-sv 3.0.61-5
swedish documentation for lifelines, a genealogy software system
http://lifelines.github.io/lifelines/
sudo apt install lifelines-doc-sv- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: lifelines
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lifelines
Debian apt95%
lifelines-reports 3.0.61-5
reports for lifelines, a genealogy software system
http://lifelines.github.io/lifelines/
sudo apt install lifelines-reports- Section: misc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: lifelines
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lifelines
Nix95%
lifelines
nix profile install nixpkgs#lifelines- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lifelines
Ubuntu apt95%
lifelines 3.0.61-3
text-based genealogy software
http://lifelines.github.io/lifelines/
sudo apt install lifelines- Section: universe/misc
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lifelines
Ubuntu apt95%
lifelines-doc 3.0.61-3
documentation for lifelines, a genealogy software system
http://lifelines.github.io/lifelines/
sudo apt install lifelines-doc- Section: universe/doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: lifelines
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lifelines
Ubuntu apt95%
lifelines-doc-sv 3.0.61-3
swedish documentation for lifelines, a genealogy software system
http://lifelines.github.io/lifelines/
sudo apt install lifelines-doc-sv- Section: universe/doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: lifelines
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lifelines
Ubuntu apt95%
lifelines-reports 3.0.61-3
reports for lifelines, a genealogy software system
http://lifelines.github.io/lifelines/
sudo apt install lifelines-reports- Section: universe/misc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: lifelines
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lifelines
zypper95%
lifelines 3.1.1+42ce4bda-1.4
The Lifelines Genealogy Program
https://github.com/lifelines/lifelines
sudo zypper install lifelines- License: MIT
- Category: Productivity/Scientific/Other
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: lifelines
- 5 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lifelines
MacPorts95%
lifelines
sudo port install lifelines- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Lifelines
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 configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation