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brew / rank 3636

Install passenger with Homebrew, apt, pacman

Server for Ruby, Python, and Node.js apps via Apache/NGINX. Version 6.2.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-10-22. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install libapache2-mod-passenger.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install passenger

local Homebrew formula metadata

overview

Package summary

Server for Ruby, Python, and Node.js apps via Apache/NGINX

Commands and aliases

  • passenger
  • passenger-config
  • passenger-install-apache2-module
  • passenger-install-nginx-module
  • passenger-memory-stats
  • passenger-status

history

Project history and usage

Phusion Passenger is an open-source web application server that manages application processes and serves Ruby, Python, Node.js, Meteor, and generic applications through Nginx, Apache, or Standalone modes.

Project history

Passenger's first work began in January 2008 under the name mod_rails, targeting simple Ruby on Rails deployment through Apache. Phusion was founded later that year around the project.

Passenger evolved into a multilingual web application server with a C++ core, watchdog supervision, and evented, threaded, and process-based operation. It added Nginx integration and a Standalone mode alongside Apache.

The project later introduced generic language support while retaining first-class Ruby, Python, Node.js, and Meteor workflows. Open-source and commercial Enterprise editions are developed in parallel.

Adoption history

Passenger's early appeal came from replacing more manually assembled Rails application-server deployments with a module integrated into an existing web server. The project subsequently developed Nginx, Apache, and Standalone modes.

Distribution as a Ruby gem, native operating-system package, source build, and Homebrew formula allowed Passenger to fit both language-level and system-level deployment workflows. Its language scope expanded beyond Ruby to Python, Node.js, Meteor, and generic applications.

How it is used

For Nginx or Apache integration, operators add Passenger directives to the host web server's configuration and manage the combined service through that server.

Passenger Standalone is started from an application directory and can persist options in Passengerfile.json; command-line arguments and environment variables take precedence.

Operational tools such as passenger-status, passenger-memory-stats, and passenger-config expose process state, memory use, installation details, and maintenance actions.

Why package nerds care

Passenger sits at an unusual boundary between language package and system infrastructure: it can be installed as a Ruby gem yet compiles a C++ application-server core and integrates deeply with Nginx or Apache.

For operators, the package combines process supervision, application spawning, request handling, status inspection, and multi-application hosting, reducing the amount of glue normally required between a language runtime and a front-end web server.

Timeline

  • 2008-01-25: The project took its first steps as mod_rails.
  • 2008-04-02: Phusion was founded around the emerging Passenger project.
  • Later development: Passenger added Nginx and Standalone integration alongside Apache and expanded beyond Ruby.
  • 2018: Generic Language Support was introduced for Passenger 6.

Related projects

  • Nginx and Apache HTTP Server are Passenger's documented integration hosts; Rack, WSGI, Node.js, and generic application adapters connect hosted applications to Passenger.

security posture

No protected-tool coverage found yet

No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for passenger. Package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 5 platform targets.
  • Installs with 4 runtime dependencies.
  • Build metadata lists 2 build dependencies.

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
<application-directory>/Passengerfile.json

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
passengercliglobal executable
passenger-configcliglobal executable
passenger-install-apache2-modulecliglobal executable
passenger-install-nginx-modulecliglobal executable
passenger-memory-statscliglobal executable
passenger-statuscliglobal 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 version6.2.1
manager updated2026-10-22
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/phusion/passenger

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:passenger
Version6.2.1
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/passenger
Homepagehttps://www.phusionpassenger.com/
Repositoryhttps://github.com/phusion/passenger
Upstream docshttps://www.phusionpassenger.com/
LicenseMIT
Source archivehttps://github.com/phusion/passenger/releases/download/release-6.2.1/passenger-6.2.1.tar.gz
Last updated2026-10-22T04:49:49Z
Pulseupdated
Dependenciesapr, apr-util, openssl@4, pcre2
Build dependencieshttpd, nginx
Uses from macOScurl, libxcrypt, ruby
Bottleavailable (on arm64_golden_gate, arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_tahoe, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared
CaveatsTo activate Phusion Passenger for Nginx, run: brew install nginx And add the following to $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/etc/nginx/nginx.conf at the top scope (outside http{}): load_module $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/passenger/libexec/modules/ngx_http_passenger_module.so; And add the following to $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/etc/nginx/nginx.conf in the http scope: passenger_root $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/passenger/libexec/src/ruby_supportlib/phusion_passenger/locations.ini; passenger_ruby /usr/bin/ruby; To activate Phusion Passenger for Apache, create /etc/apache2/other/passenger.conf: LoadModule passenger_module $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/passenger/libexec/buildout/apache2/mod_passenger.so PassengerRoot $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/passenger/libexec/src/ruby_supportlib/phusion_passenger/locations.ini PassengerDefaultRuby /usr/bin/ruby

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namepassenger
Version Scheme0
Revision1
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
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%

libapache2-mod-passenger 6.0.26+ds-1.1

web application server - apache2 integration

https://www.phusionpassenger.com/

sudo apt install libapache2-mod-passenger
  • Section: httpd
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: passenger
  • 8 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Passenger
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: libapache2-mod-passenger from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

passenger 6.0.26+ds-1.1

web application server

https://www.phusionpassenger.com/

sudo apt install passenger
  • Section: ruby
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 11 dependencies
  • 3 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Passenger
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: passenger from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Ubuntu apt95%

libapache2-mod-passenger 6.0.17+ds-1ubuntu5

web application server - apache2 integration

https://www.phusionpassenger.com/

sudo apt install libapache2-mod-passenger
  • Section: universe/web
  • Architecture: amd64
  • Source Package: passenger
  • 8 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Passenger
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libapache2-mod-passenger from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

passenger 6.0.17+ds-1ubuntu5

web application server

https://www.phusionpassenger.com/

sudo apt install passenger
  • Section: universe/ruby
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 12 dependencies
  • 3 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Passenger
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: passenger from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
pacman95%

passenger 6.2.0-1

Fast and robust web server and application server for Ruby, Python and Node.js

https://www.phusionpassenger.com

sudo pacman -S passenger
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • 5 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Passenger
Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: passenger from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Same workflow

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.

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