# Install mkcue with Homebrew, apt, Nix

Generate a CUE sheet from a CD. Version 1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install mkcue.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:mkcue
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install mkcue
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

### Linux

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install mkcue
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: mkcue from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#mkcue
```

  Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/mk/mkcue/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:mkcue
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 1
- **Source summary:** Generate a CUE sheet from a CD
- **Homepage:** <https://packages.debian.org/sid/mkcue>
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- mkcue (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 1
## Project history and usage

mkcue is a small command-line utility that generates a CUE sheet from a CD table of contents. Debian's package description presents it as a companion to abcde for backing up audio CDs as a single FLAC track plus cue sheet.

### Project history

The Debian manpage notes that it was written for Debian because the original program did not include one. The current Debian source package is maintained as `mkcue` and has an official Debian source repository on Salsa.

### Adoption history

mkcue survives mainly through distribution packaging. Debian, Ubuntu, Homebrew, and Nix package it for users maintaining optical-disc archival workflows.

### How it is used

The interface is intentionally small: `mkcue` reads a CD-ROM device, defaults to `/dev/cdrom`, and supports `-t` to exclude tracks above a given count, which is useful for CDs with data tracks.

Its role is metadata extraction for audio-CD backups rather than general cue-sheet editing.

### Why package nerds care

mkcue is package-nerd interesting because it is the kind of tiny Unix utility that remains useful only when kept alive by distributions. Its value is narrow, but it composes with abcde, FLAC, and optical-disc archival packages.

### Timeline

- 2008: Debian changelog history records Debian packaging activity for mkcue 1.
- 2021: Debian bullseye manpage documents the command interface.
- 2026: Debian sid lists source package mkcue 1-9 with Salsa as the Debian source repository.

### Related projects

- mkcue is related to abcde, FLAC ripping workflows, cuetools, cue2toc, libdiscid, and Debian sound packages.

### Sources

- <https://manpages.debian.org/bullseye/mkcue/mkcue.1.en.html>
- <https://packages.debian.org/sid/mkcue>
- <https://packages.debian.org/source/sid/mkcue>


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Debian apt - mkcue - 1-8: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: mkcue from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Generates a CUE sheet from a CD
- Nix - mkcue: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/mk/mkcue/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Ubuntu apt - mkcue - 1-7: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: mkcue from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Generates a CUE sheet from a CD


## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/mkcue.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/mkcue.yml)


## Sources

- pkg.so package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation
- external package-manager database matches
- cross-ecosystem install command graph