macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install pwgenlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install pwgenMacPorts ports tree · sysutils/pwgen/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 1625
Install pwgen with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Password generator. Version 2.08 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-18. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install pwgen.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add pwgenAlpine Linux edge package indexes · pwgen · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install pwgenDebian stable package indexes · pwgen · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install pwgenFedora Rawhide package metadata · pwgen · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#pwgennixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/pw/pwgen/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S pwgenArch Linux sync databases · pwgen · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install pwgenopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · pwgen · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Chocolateyverified · 92%
choco install pwgenChocolatey community package catalog · pwgen · source: community.chocolatey.org
overview
Package summary
Password generator
Project links
Commands and aliases
- pwgen
history
Project history and usage
pwgen generates pronounceable or fully random passwords from the command line, with options governing length, character classes, capitalization, numerals, and symbols.
Project history
Theodore Ts'o maintains pwgen as a command-line password generator. Its official SourceForge history includes project infrastructure dating to 2001 and later additions such as reproducible SHA-1-based generation and character exclusion.
Adoption history
pwgen is packaged across numerous Unix-like ecosystems, including Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, Alpine, Nix, MacPorts, and openSUSE, reflecting its long-standing role as a small command-line utility.
How it is used
Users invoke `pwgen` interactively or from shell scripts to generate one or more passwords. It does not require an account, credential store, or persistent configuration file.
Why package nerds care
pwgen exemplifies the classic Unix package: a focused executable, minimal operational state, and broad availability across otherwise distinct package collections.
Timeline
- 2001: Source history records the addition of build and packaging infrastructure.
- 2005: Reproducible SHA-1-based generation was added.
- 2017: Character-exclusion support and related command-line documentation were updated.
- 2019: Official repository activity included Debian packaging updates for version 2.08.
Related projects
- Related tools include password managers, passphrase generators, and system utilities such as OpenSSL that can also emit random material.
Sources
- Official homepage: https://pwgen.sourceforge.net/
- Official source repository: https://sourceforge.net/p/pwgen/code/
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 12 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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
pwgen | 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 generated2026-09-19
manager version2.08
manager updated2026-09-18
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://pwgen.sourceforge.net/
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://pwgen.sourceforge.net/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:pwgen |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.08 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/pwgen |
| Homepage | https://pwgen.sourceforge.net/ |
| Upstream docs | https://pwgen.sourceforge.net/ |
| License | GPL-2.0-only |
| Source archive | https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/pwgen/pwgen/2.08/pwgen-2.08.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-09-18T09:17:53+02:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_big_sur, 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 | pwgen |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| 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.
Debian apt95%
pwgen 2.08-2
Automatic Password generation
https://github.com/tytso/pwgen
sudo apt install pwgen- Section: admin
- Architecture: amd64
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pwgen
Nix95%
pwgen
nix profile install nixpkgs#pwgen- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pwgen
Ubuntu apt95%
pwgen 2.08-2build2
Automatic Password generation
https://github.com/tytso/pwgen
sudo apt install pwgen- Section: universe/admin
- Architecture: amd64
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pwgen
apk95%
pwgen 2.08-r3
A Password Generator
https://github.com/tytso/pwgen
sudo apk add pwgen- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: pwgen
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pwgen
apk95%
pwgen-doc 2.08-r3
A Password Generator (documentation)
https://github.com/tytso/pwgen
sudo apk add pwgen-doc- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: pwgen
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pwgen
dnf95%
pwgen 2.08-19.fc45
Automatic password generation
sudo dnf install pwgen- License: GPL-1.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: pwgen
- 2 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pwgen
pacman95%
pwgen 2.08-3
Password generator for creating easily memorable passwords
https://sourceforge.net/projects/pwgen/
sudo pacman -S pwgen- License: GPL
- Architecture: x86_64
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pwgen
zypper95%
pwgen 2.08-3.8
Password generator
https://sourceforge.net/projects/pwgen/
sudo zypper install pwgen- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Productivity/Security
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: pwgen
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pwgen
MacPorts95%
pwgen
sudo port install pwgen- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pwgen
Chocolatey95%
pwgen
choco install pwgen- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pwgen
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