brew / rank 554

Install parallel with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget

Shell command parallelization utility. Version 20261022 via Homebrew; verified 2026-10-31. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install parallel.

Install command Security notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install parallel

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install parallel

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/parallel/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add parallel

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

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install parallel

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

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install parallel

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#parallel

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/pa/parallel/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S parallel

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

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/sem

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/sem.json · source: api.github.com

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%

winget install --id AtaraxyLabs.sem -e

Windows Package Manager source index · AtaraxyLabs.sem · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

overview

Package summary

Shell command parallelization utility

Project links

Commands and aliases

env_parallel
env_parallel.ash
env_parallel.bash
env_parallel.csh
env_parallel.dash
env_parallel.fish
env_parallel.ksh
env_parallel.mksh
env_parallel.pdksh
env_parallel.sh
env_parallel.tcsh
env_parallel.zsh
niceload
parallel
parcat
parset
parsort
sem
sql

history

Project history and usage

GNU Parallel is a shell tool for running independent commands concurrently on one or more computers. It accepts work from standard input, argument lists, or files and is designed to fit into ordinary Unix pipelines.

Project history

Ole Tange's first `parallel` dates to January 2002 and initially generated a makefile for `make -j`. A separate tool called `xxargs`, developed from 2002 through 2005 to improve xargs-style quoting and whitespace handling, was merged into Parallel in 2005.

After unsuccessful proposals to GNU findutils and moreutils, the project was accepted as an official GNU package in 2010. Remote execution and the remaining xargs-compatible features followed its GNU adoption.

Adoption history

GNU adopted Parallel as an official GNU tool in 2010. Its shell-oriented interface, support for local and SSH-distributed jobs, extensive manual, and research citation guidance helped it become a standard package in Unix, administration, and scientific-computing environments.

The supplied package metadata records broad availability across Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, Alpine, Nix, and MacPorts families.

How it is used

Typical use pipes an argument stream into `parallel`, or supplies values with `:::` and files with `::::`. Replacement expressions such as `{}` build each command. Options cover job counts, ordered or grouped output, pipe splitting, retries, SSH hosts, semaphores, and exported shell environments.

Why package nerds care

GNU Parallel is a characteristic package-nerd power tool: it composes with existing commands and pipelines, converting independent shell work into concurrent jobs without requiring those programs to understand concurrency. Its name collision with moreutils' smaller `parallel` command is also an enduring packaging concern.

Timeline

2002-01-06: First `parallel` implementation was written.
2005: `xxargs` and the original `parallel` were merged.
2007: Unit tests were added and hosting moved to Savannah.
2009: moreutils introduced a different command named `parallel`.
2010: Parallel became an official GNU package.

Related projects

GNU Parallel deliberately overlaps with `xargs` while adding richer job control, output grouping, replacement expressions, remote execution, and streaming modes. moreutils independently ships a smaller command with the same executable name.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: yellow

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. generalized runtime or code generation signal.

Risk classifier

yellow risk · medium confidence · runtime

Why

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
generalized runtime or code generation signal

Signals

text:shell
text:sql

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 platform targets.

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: /etc/parallel/config~/.parallel/config~/.parallel/ignored_vars

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`env_parallel`	cli	global executable
`env_parallel.ash`	cli	global executable
`env_parallel.bash`	cli	global executable
`env_parallel.csh`	cli	global executable
`env_parallel.dash`	cli	global executable
`env_parallel.fish`	cli	global executable
`env_parallel.ksh`	cli	global executable
`env_parallel.mksh`	cli	global executable
`env_parallel.pdksh`	cli	global executable
`env_parallel.sh`	cli	global executable
`env_parallel.tcsh`	cli	global executable
`env_parallel.zsh`	cli	global executable
`niceload`	cli	global executable
`parallel`	cli	global executable
`parcat`	cli	global executable
`parset`	cli	global executable
`parsort`	cli	global executable
`sem`	cli	global executable
`sql`	cli	global executable

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 generated2026-11-04

manager version20261022

manager updated2026-10-31

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/parallel/

infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/parallel/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:parallel
Version	20261022
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/parallel
Homepage	https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/parallel/
Upstream docs	https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/parallel/
License	GPL-3.0-or-later
Source archive	https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/parallel/parallel-20261022.tar.bz2
Last updated	2026-10-31T21:44:22Z
Pulse	updated
Bottle	available (on all)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared
Caveats	To use the --csv option, the Perl Text::CSV module has to be installed. You can install it via: perl -MCPAN -e'install Text::CSV'

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	parallel
Version Scheme	1
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Conflicts With	moreutils
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

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%

parallel 20240222+ds-2

build and execute command lines from standard input in parallel

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

sudo apt install parallel

Section: utils
Architecture: all
3 dependencies
5 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Parallel

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

Nix95%

parallel

nix profile install nixpkgs#parallel

normalized package name match
Matched by: Parallel

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

Ubuntu apt95%

parallel 20231122+ds-1

build and execute command lines from standard input in parallel

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

sudo apt install parallel

Section: universe/utils
Architecture: all
3 dependencies
5 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Parallel

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: parallel from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

apk95%

parallel 20260722-r0

Shell tool for executing jobs in parallel

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

sudo apk add parallel

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: parallel
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Parallel

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: parallel from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

parallel-bash-completion 20260722-r0

Bash completions for parallel

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

sudo apk add parallel-bash-completion

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: parallel
normalized package name match
Matched by: Parallel

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: parallel-bash-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

parallel-doc 20260722-r0

Shell tool for executing jobs in parallel (documentation)

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

sudo apk add parallel-doc

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: parallel
normalized package name match
Matched by: Parallel

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: parallel-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

parallel-zsh-completion 20260722-r0

Zsh completions for parallel

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

sudo apk add parallel-zsh-completion

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: parallel
normalized package name match
Matched by: Parallel

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: parallel-zsh-completion from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

dnf95%

parallel 20260722-1.fc45

Shell tool for executing jobs in parallel

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

sudo dnf install parallel

License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND GFDL-1.3-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: noarch
Source Package: parallel
2 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Parallel

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: parallel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/652278618dec9c023176a80c435a32a2c8154869fb0eb662c267a54df28d77d9-primary.xml.zst

pacman95%

parallel 20260722-1

A shell tool for executing jobs in parallel

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

sudo pacman -S parallel

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Architecture: any
2 dependencies
1 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Parallel

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

MacPorts95%

parallel

sudo port install parallel

normalized package name match
Matched by: Parallel

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/parallel/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

MacPorts94%

sem

sudo port install sem

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Sem

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: devel/sem/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Nix92%

sem

nix profile install nixpkgs#sem

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Sem

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

Scoop92%

main/sem

scoop install main/sem

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Sem

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/sem.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

winget92%

AtaraxyLabs.sem

winget install --id AtaraxyLabs.sem -e

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Sem

Windows Package Manager source index · cdn.winget.microsoft.com · Windows Package Manager source index: AtaraxyLabs.sem from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix

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.

combined/parallel.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment
pkg.so package database
pkgdb category and tag curation

Install parallel with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Windows

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

Risk level: yellow

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

Recommended review

Configuration and credential file locations

Configuration files

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Related tools

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources