install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install rathole

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add rathole

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

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#rathole

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

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/rathole

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

overview

Package summary

Reverse proxy for NAT traversal

Project links

Commands and aliases

rathole

history

Project history and usage

Rathole is a Rust reverse proxy that creates tunnels between a public server and clients behind NAT, allowing otherwise unreachable services to be exposed through configured endpoints.

Project history

Rathole was created as a secure, high-performance reverse proxy for exposing services located behind NAT. The project later moved under the rathole-org GitHub organization while preserving its Rust implementation and configuration-oriented client/server model.

Development added multiple transport and security choices, service-level mappings, hot reload support, and platform packaging. The project describes itself in relation to reverse-tunneling tools such as frp and ngrok.

Adoption history

Rathole is packaged for Homebrew, Alpine Linux, Nix, and Scoop, giving the Rust binary coverage across common server and workstation environments.

How it is used

Operators prepare TOML configuration files for the public server and private client, define matching services and tokens, then start each side with `rathole` and the relevant file. A configuration containing only a server or client section lets the program infer its mode; explicit `--server` and `--client` modes are also available.

The documentation uses user-selected files such as `config.toml`; it does not prescribe a persistent platform-specific configuration or credentials-file location. Authentication tokens are normally values inside the chosen configuration.

Why package nerds care

Rathole appeals to self-hosters and infrastructure-oriented package users as a compact, cross-platform reverse-tunneling binary. Its declarative TOML setup and optional transports make it a notable Rust alternative in the NAT-traversal tool family.

Timeline

Initial project: Rathole was published as a Rust client/server reverse-tunneling utility.
Later development: The project moved to the rathole-org organization and expanded its transport, encryption, and reload capabilities.

Related projects

frp is a related open-source reverse-proxy and tunneling system.
ngrok provides a managed tunneling service for exposing local endpoints.

Sources

Official README: https://github.com/rathole-org/rathole#readme
Official documentation: https://github.com/rathole-org/rathole/tree/main/docs
source_facts.package-manager

security posture

Risk level: orange

formula declares a Homebrew service.

Risk classifier

orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure

Why

formula declares a Homebrew service

Signals

metadata:service

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Formula metadata declares a service or daemon block.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 5 platform targets.
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.

Linux: /etc/rathole/<instance>.toml~/.local/etc/rathole/<instance>.toml

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Linux: /etc/rathole/<instance>.toml~/.local/etc/rathole/<instance>.toml

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`rathole`	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 version0.5.0

manager updated2026-10-15

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv0.5.0

https://github.com/rathole-org/rathole

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:rathole
Version	0.5.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/rathole
Homepage	https://github.com/rathole-org/rathole
Repository	https://github.com/rathole-org/rathole
License	Apache-2.0
Source archive	https://github.com/rathole-org/rathole/archive/refs/tags/v0.5.0.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-10-15T23:27:01Z
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	pkgconf, rust
Bottle	available (on arm64_golden_gate, arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_tahoe, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	rathole
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	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.

Nix95%

rathole

nix profile install nixpkgs#rathole

normalized package name match
Matched by: Rathole

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

apk95%

rathole 0.5.0-r0

High-performance reverse proxy for NAT traversal

https://github.com/rapiz1/rathole

sudo apk add rathole

License: Apache-2.0
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: rathole
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Rathole

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

Scoop95%

main/rathole

scoop install main/rathole

normalized package name match
Matched by: Rathole

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

package graph

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

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/rathole.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 rathole with Homebrew, apk, Nix, scoop