# Install openfpgaloader with Homebrew, apk, apt, Nix, pacman

Universal utility for programming FPGA. Version 1.1.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-15. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install openfpgaloader.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:openfpgaloader
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install openfpgaloader
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

### Linux

- apk (92%):

```sh
sudo apk add openfpgaloader
```

  Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: openfpgaloader from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install openfpgaloader
```

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

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#openfpgaloader
```

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

- pacman (92%):

```sh
sudo pacman -S openfpgaloader
```

  Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: openfpgaloader from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:openfpgaloader
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 1.1.1
- **Source summary:** Universal utility for programming FPGA
- **Homepage:** <https://trabucayre.github.io/openFPGALoader/>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/trabucayre/openFPGALoader>
- **Last updated:** 2026-06-15T10:20:22-04:00
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- openFPGALoader (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 1.1.1
## Project history and usage

openFPGALoader is a cross-platform utility for programming FPGA devices and their attached flash memories. It targets a broad spread of boards, cables, and FPGA families from vendors including Xilinx, Altera/Intel, Lattice, Gowin, Efinix, Anlogic, and Cologne Chip.

### Project history

The openFPGALoader repository was created in September 2019 and the first GitHub release, v0.1, was published in July 2020. Its documentation frames the project as a universal loader that hides vendor- and board-specific programming differences behind one command-line tool.

The project grew by adding board, cable, and vendor support rather than by becoming a synthesis or place-and-route framework. Its compatibility pages and vendor notes are central to the project because the practical challenge is recognizing and programming many slightly different JTAG, FTDI, DFU, CMSIS-DAP, and board-level configurations.

### Adoption history

openFPGALoader became part of the open FPGA toolchain story because bitstream generation and bitstream loading are separate problems. F4PGA documentation describes it as a universal FPGA programming tool and an alternative to fragmented bitstream-loading tools, and package managers distribute it across Homebrew, Debian/Ubuntu, Arch Linux, Alpine, Nix, and other systems.

### How it is used

Developers use openFPGALoader after producing a bitstream, selecting a board or cable and then writing the bitstream to SRAM or flash. The Ubuntu man page documents options for board selection, cable selection, device probing, JTAG frequency, DFU mode, bitstream arguments, and flash detection.

In practice it is especially useful for labs, teaching, CI benches, and hobbyist workflows where a small command-line programmer is easier to script than a vendor IDE.

### Why package nerds care

openFPGALoader matters in package catalogs because it is a rare hardware-facing developer tool that can be installed like ordinary software while replacing a mess of vendor-specific programming utilities for many day-to-day FPGA boards.

### Timeline

- September 2019: the openFPGALoader GitHub repository was created.
- July 2020: v0.1 was published as the first GitHub release.
- 2021: releases through v0.5.0 indicate early rapid expansion of supported hardware and workflows.
- 2025: v1.1.x releases appear on the GitHub releases page and package-manager metadata.

### Related projects

- openFPGALoader is commonly mentioned with F4PGA and other open FPGA tooling, and it overlaps operationally with vendor programmers, OpenOCD-style JTAG tooling, FTDI-based adapters, CMSIS-DAP probes, DirtyJTAG, and board-specific flash utilities.

### Sources

- <https://api.github.com/repos/trabucayre/openFPGALoader>
- <https://github.com/trabucayre/openFPGALoader>
- <https://github.com/trabucayre/openFPGALoader/releases>
- <https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/questing/man1/openFPGALoader.1.html>
- <https://trabucayre.github.io/openFPGALoader/>
- <https://trabucayre.github.io/openFPGALoader/compatibility/board.html>
- <https://trabucayre.github.io/openFPGALoader/compatibility/cable.html>


## 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 - openfpgaloader - 0.13.1-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: openfpgaloader from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Universal utility for programming FPGAs | https://github.com/trabucayre/openFPGALoader
- Nix - openfpgaloader: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/op/openfpgaloader/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Ubuntu apt - openfpgaloader - 0.12.0-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: openfpgaloader from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Universal utility for programming FPGAs | https://github.com/trabucayre/openFPGALoader
- apk - openfpgaloader - 0.11.0-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: openfpgaloader from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Universal utility for programming FPGAs | https://github.com/trabucayre/openFPGALoader
- pacman - openfpgaloader - 1.1.1-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: openfpgaloader from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Universal utility for programming FPGA | https://github.com/trabucayre/openFPGALoader


## Combined YAML source

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