macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install physfslocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install physfsMacPorts ports tree · devel/physfs/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 2372
Install physfs with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, pacman, zypper
Library to provide abstract access to various archives. Version 3.2.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-10-30. Also installable with apk: sudo apk add physfs.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add physfsAlpine Linux edge package indexes · physfs · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install physfsFedora Rawhide package metadata · physfs · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S physfsArch Linux sync databases · physfs · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libphysfs-developenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libphysfs-devel · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Library to provide abstract access to various archives
Project links
Commands and aliases
- test_physfs
history
Project history and usage
PhysicsFS is a portable C library that exposes directories and several archive formats through one virtual filesystem, with writes confined to an application-selected directory.
Project history
Ryan C. Gordon created PhysicsFS as a portable file-I/O abstraction intended primarily for games. Its design was partly inspired by Quake III's filesystem: applications define one protected write directory and a search path composed of directories and archives that appear as a single hierarchy.
The official download archive begins with PhysicsFS 0.1.0 in August 2001. Version 1.0.0 followed in 2004, 2.0.0 in 2009, and 3.0.0 in 2017. The project progressively added formats including 7z, ISO, VDF, SLB, GRP, PAK, HOG, MVL, WAD, and native directories.
Adoption history
PhysicsFS became a broadly packaged dependency for games and multimedia applications. Its official homepage highlights portable C, straightforward embedding, extensive platform support, and distribution through operating-system package managers.
How it is used
Developers mount asset directories or archives into a search path and use the PhysicsFS API to read them through a uniform hierarchy. Applications separately select a write directory for saves, configuration, generated data, or other mutable files. The installed test_physfs executable is principally a diagnostic tool; the package's normal role is as a linked or embedded library.
Why package nerds care
PhysicsFS is a characteristic game-development dependency: small, portable, ABI-sensitive, and usually encountered transitively rather than invoked directly. It gives packagers a common abstraction for asset archives, mods, patches, save data, and platform-specific paths without requiring a complete game engine.
Timeline
- 2001: PhysicsFS 0.1.0 appeared in the official download archive.
- 2004: PhysicsFS 1.0.0 was released.
- 2009: PhysicsFS 2.0.0 introduced the next major API generation.
- 2017: PhysicsFS 3.0.0 added another stable major series.
- 2019: PhysicsFS 3.0.2 was published on the official site.
Related projects
- PhysicsFS was inspired in part by Quake III's filesystem design. It is commonly embedded by games, engines, and multimedia applications that need archive-transparent asset access.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:archive
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 platform targets.
- Build metadata lists 1 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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
test_physfs | 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 version3.2.0
manager updated2026-10-30
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/icculus/physfs
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/icculus/physfsnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:physfs |
|---|---|
| Version | 3.2.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/physfs |
| Homepage | https://icculus.org/physfs/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/icculus/physfs |
| Upstream docs | https://icculus.org/physfs/ |
| License | Zlib |
| Source archive | https://github.com/icculus/physfs/archive/refs/tags/release-3.2.0.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-10-30T11:15:13+02:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Build dependencies | cmake |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_golden_gate, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | physfs |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
apk95%
physfs 3.2.0-r2
Library providing access to various archives, for use in video games
sudo apk add physfs- License: Zlib
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: physfs
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
apk95%
physfs-dev 3.2.0-r2
Library providing access to various archives, for use in video games (development files)
sudo apk add physfs-dev- License: Zlib
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: physfs
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
apk95%
physfs-static 3.2.0-r2
Library providing access to various archives, for use in video games (static library)
sudo apk add physfs-static- License: Zlib
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: physfs
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
dnf95%
mingw32-physfs 3.2.0-5.fc45
MinGW compiled physfs library for the Win32 target
https://www.icculus.org/physfs/
sudo dnf install mingw32-physfs- License: Zlib
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: physfs
- 4 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
dnf95%
mingw32-physfs-static 3.2.0-5.fc45
Static version of the MinGW Win32 compiled physfs library
https://www.icculus.org/physfs/
sudo dnf install mingw32-physfs-static- License: Zlib
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: physfs
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
dnf95%
mingw64-physfs 3.2.0-5.fc45
MinGW compiled physfs library for the Win64 target
https://www.icculus.org/physfs/
sudo dnf install mingw64-physfs- License: Zlib
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: physfs
- 4 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
dnf95%
mingw64-physfs-static 3.2.0-5.fc45
Static version of the MinGW Win64 compiled physfs library
https://www.icculus.org/physfs/
sudo dnf install mingw64-physfs-static- License: Zlib
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: physfs
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
dnf95%
physfs 3.2.0-5.fc45
Library to provide abstract access to various archives
https://www.icculus.org/physfs/
sudo dnf install physfs- License: Zlib
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: physfs
- 2 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
dnf95%
physfs-devel 3.2.0-5.fc45
Development libraries and headers for physfs
https://www.icculus.org/physfs/
sudo dnf install physfs-devel- License: Zlib
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: physfs
- 7 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
pacman95%
physfs 3.2.0-5
Portable and flexible I/O abstraction for archives
sudo pacman -S physfs- License: Zlib
- Architecture: x86_64
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
zypper95%
libphysfs-devel 3.2.0-1.12
Libraries, includes and more to develop PhysicsFS applications
https://www.icculus.org/physfs/
sudo zypper install libphysfs-devel- License: (CPL-1.0 OR LGPL-2.1-or-later) AND Zlib
- Category: Development/Libraries/C and C++
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: physfs
- 2 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
zypper95%
libphysfs1 3.2.0-1.12
PhysicsFS file abstraction layer for games
https://www.icculus.org/physfs/
sudo zypper install libphysfs1- License: (CPL-1.0 OR LGPL-2.1-or-later) AND Zlib
- Category: System/Libraries
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: physfs
- 2 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
MacPorts95%
physfs
sudo port install physfs- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Physfs
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.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- 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