macOS
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brew install shallow-backuplocal Homebrew formula metadata
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Install shallow-backup with Homebrew
Git-integrated backup tool for macOS and Linux devs. Version 6.6 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-04.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Git-integrated backup tool for macOS and Linux devs
Project links
Commands and aliases
- shallow-backup
history
Project history and usage
shallow-backup is a Git-integrated command-line backup and restoration tool for macOS and Linux development environments.
Project history
Aaron Lichtman created shallow-backup to copy dotfiles from their original locations, record installed packages and applications, and support idempotent restoration without requiring a symlink-based dotfile layout.
Later releases added configuration-driven ignore rules and secret-scanning safeguards for Git-backed backups.
Adoption history
The project is distributed through Homebrew and is also installable through pipx or directly from source.
How it is used
Users can interactively or selectively back up and restore dotfiles, application settings, fonts, and package inventories. Backups can be committed and pushed to a remote Git repository.
Because backed-up configuration may contain API keys or SSH material, users should inspect the generated repository before publishing it. The project excludes sensitive paths by default and runs secret scanning.
Why package nerds care
shallow-backup treats package inventories and dotfiles as reproducible machine state. This makes it useful to package enthusiasts who routinely rebuild workstations or synchronize development environments.
Timeline
- v4.0: Git ignore rules moved into the main configuration format.
- v5.2: The project introduced default configuration permissions and warnings about writable configuration files.
- v6.2: TruffleHog became a required pre-commit secret scan.
Related projects
- Its workflow overlaps with dotfile managers and package inventory tools, while emphasizing a single Git-integrated backup and restoration process.
Sources
- https://github.com/alichtman/shallow-backup#readme
- source_facts.package-manager
security posture
No protected-tool coverage found yet
No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for shallow-backup. 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 1 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 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
$SHALLOW_BACKUP_CONFIG_DIR/shallow-backup.json$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/shallow-backup.json~/.config/shallow-backup.json
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
shallow-backup | 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 version6.6
manager updated2026-09-04
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/alichtman/shallow-backup
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/alichtman/shallow-backupnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:shallow-backup |
|---|---|
| Version | 6.6 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/shallow-backup |
| Homepage | https://github.com/alichtman/shallow-backup |
| Repository | https://github.com/alichtman/shallow-backup |
| License | MIT |
| Source archive | https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/16/25/621fbd73cadb2e18f56ea89ae602b2c93d88c77d9858ae16f541c523e9b3/shallow_backup-6.6.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-09-04T11:39:06Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | python@3.14 |
| Build dependencies | maturin, rust |
| Bottle | available (on all) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | shallow-backup |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 6 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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 configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation