# Install melange with Homebrew, apk, Nix, pacman, zypper Build APKs from source code. Version 0.56.5 via Homebrew; verified 2026-08-03. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#melange. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:melange ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install melange ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add melange ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: melange from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#melange ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/me/melange/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S melange ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: melange from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install melange ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: melange from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:melange - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Version:** 0.56.5 - **Source summary:** Build APKs from source code - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Last updated:** 2026-08-03T03:52:01Z - **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00 ## Executables - melange (alias) ## Install behavior - Bottle: not available ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-08-03 - Package-manager version: 0.56.5 ## Project history and usage melange is Chainguard's declarative build tool for producing APK packages from source. The README describes it as a pipeline-oriented APK builder commonly used for packages that feed container images built with apko, especially in the Wolfi and Alpine Linux ecosystems. ### Project history The project was created for supply-chain-aware package production, where software is built into APK artifacts with controlled pipelines and provenance rather than copied directly into images. The README frames this as part of secure software factories: build and capture software artifacts into packages so images can be assembled from auditable components. The v0.1.0 release appeared in June 2022. Since then melange has become a core piece of the Chainguard/Wolfi packaging stack, with release automation, multi-architecture support, QEMU-based emulation, pipeline libraries, package signing, and documentation for build files, pipelines, testing, and updates. ### Adoption history melange's adoption is strongly tied to Wolfi, Chainguard Images, and apko-based image construction. The upstream README says the majority of its APKs are built for the Wolfi or Alpine Linux ecosystems, and the supplied package facts list Homebrew, Alpine, Nix, pacman, and openSUSE packaging. For teams building minimal container images, melange provides a package-native alternative to ad hoc Dockerfile build steps. That makes it relevant in reproducible-build and SBOM-heavy workflows where APKs are easier to scan, sign, attest, and reuse. ### How it is used A melange build file declares package metadata, build environment contents, pipeline steps, subpackages, and tests. The README shows melange build examples/gnu-hello.yaml and a containerized invocation with cgr.dev/chainguard/melange. The tool writes architecture-specific APK outputs under a packages directory. It can generate signing keys with melange keygen and accepts --signing-key during builds. ### Why package nerds care melange is package-nerd catnip because it brings distro-style package recipes into cloud-native image builds. It is small in concept but high leverage: YAML recipes, APK outputs, signing, pipelines, and apko integration let maintainers replace one-off container build scripts with reusable package metadata. ### Timeline - 2022-06-02: Release v0.1.0 published. - 2022 onward: melange used with apko, Wolfi, and Alpine-oriented APK production. - 2026-06-29: Release v0.55.0 published with ongoing pipeline improvements. ### Related projects - apko: Chainguard's tool for building OCI images from APK packages. - Wolfi: the APK-based Linux distribution ecosystem frequently built with melange. - Alpine Linux: the APK package ecosystem whose package format melange targets. ### Sources - - - - - source_facts.package-manager-url ## Security Notes No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for melange. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL. ## 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 - Unix: melange.yaml, melange.yml ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - melange: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/me/melange/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - apk - melange - 0.56.4-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: melange from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Build apk packages using declarative pipelines | https://github.com/chainguard-dev/melange - apk - melange-bash-completion - 0.56.4-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: melange-bash-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Bash completions for melange | https://github.com/chainguard-dev/melange - apk - melange-fish-completion - 0.56.4-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: melange-fish-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Fish completions for melange | https://github.com/chainguard-dev/melange - apk - melange-zsh-completion - 0.56.4-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: melange-zsh-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Zsh completions for melange | https://github.com/chainguard-dev/melange - pacman - melange - 0.52.0-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: melange from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Build APKs from source code | https://github.com/chainguard-dev/melange - zypper - melange - 0.56.4-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: melange from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Build APKs from source code | https://github.com/chainguard-dev/melange - zypper - melange-bash-completion - 0.56.4-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: melange-bash-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Bash Completion for melange | https://github.com/chainguard-dev/melange - zypper - melange-fish-completion - 0.56.4-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: melange-fish-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Fish Completion for melange | https://github.com/chainguard-dev/melange - zypper - melange-zsh-completion - 0.56.4-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: melange-zsh-completion from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Zsh Completion for melange | https://github.com/chainguard-dev/melange ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/melange.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/melange.yml) ## Sources - pkg.so package database - Geiger risk classifier - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - pkgdb category and tag curation - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph