macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install shared-mime-infolocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install shared-mime-infoMacPorts ports tree · devel/shared-mime-info/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 197
Install shared-mime-info with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Database of common MIME types. Version 2.5.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-10. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install shared-mime-info.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add shared-mime-infoAlpine Linux edge package indexes · shared-mime-info · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install shared-mime-infoDebian stable package indexes · shared-mime-info · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install shared-mime-infoFedora Rawhide package metadata · shared-mime-info · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#shared-mime-infonixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/sh/shared-mime-info/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S shared-mime-infoArch Linux sync databases · shared-mime-info · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install shared-mime-infoopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · shared-mime-info · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Database of common MIME types
Project links
Commands and aliases
- update-mime-database
history
Project history and usage
shared-mime-info provides the freedesktop.org database and specification used to identify file types consistently across Unix desktop environments.
Project history
The project emerged from freedesktop.org standardization work to replace separate MIME databases with a common, extensible representation.
The shared database stores static type information derived from filenames or file contents, along with metadata such as descriptions and associated application capabilities. It deliberately does not store users' preferred applications.
Adoption history
The specification was designed to unify MIME databases used by GNOME, KDE, and ROX so applications and desktops could agree on file types without duplicating metadata.
The package is available across numerous Unix-like package ecosystems, including Alpine, Debian, Fedora, Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, Ubuntu, and openSUSE, reflecting its role as common desktop infrastructure.
How it is used
Applications install or query MIME metadata, while update-mime-database rebuilds the cached database used for filename- and content-based type detection.
The database supplies shared type facts; selection of a user's preferred application is handled elsewhere.
Why package nerds care
shared-mime-info is a classic low-visibility dependency: users rarely invoke it directly, yet desktop software depends on its database for consistent file classification and application integration.
Its broad cross-distribution packaging and standards-oriented role make it an important example of freedesktop.org infrastructure shared across otherwise competing desktop stacks.
Timeline
- 2000s: freedesktop.org developed a unified shared MIME database for desktop interoperability.
- 2018: Version 0.21 of the specification was published on 2 October.
Related projects
- The specification explicitly coordinates MIME handling across GNOME, KDE, and ROX and forms part of the wider freedesktop.org/XDG interoperability ecosystem.
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:database
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
update-mime-database | 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 version2.5.1
manager updated2026-09-10
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://wiki.freedesktop.org/www/Software/shared-mime-info
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://wiki.freedesktop.org/www/Software/shared-mime-infonone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:shared-mime-info |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.5.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/shared-mime-info |
| Homepage | https://wiki.freedesktop.org/www/Software/shared-mime-info |
| Upstream docs | https://wiki.freedesktop.org/www/Software/shared-mime-info |
| License | GPL-2.0-only |
| Source archive | https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xdg/shared-mime-info/-/archive/2.5.1/shared-mime-info-2.5.1.tar.bz2 |
| Last updated | 2026-09-10T16:08:20Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | glib |
| Build dependencies | gettext, itstool, meson, ninja, pkgconf, xmlto |
| Uses from macOS | libxml2 |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, 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 | shared-mime-info |
| 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.
Debian apt95%
shared-mime-info 2.4-5+b2
FreeDesktop.org shared MIME database and spec
https://freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/shared-mime-info
sudo apt install shared-mime-info- Section: misc
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: shared-mime-info
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Shared Mime Info
Nix95%
shared-mime-info
nix profile install nixpkgs#shared-mime-info- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Shared Mime Info
Ubuntu apt95%
shared-mime-info 2.4-4
FreeDesktop.org shared MIME database and spec
https://freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/shared-mime-info
sudo apt install shared-mime-info- Section: misc
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Shared Mime Info
apk95%
shared-mime-info 2.4-r7
Freedesktop.org Shared MIME Info
https://www.freedesktop.org/Software/shared-mime-info
sudo apk add shared-mime-info- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: shared-mime-info
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Shared Mime Info
apk95%
shared-mime-info-doc 2.4-r7
Freedesktop.org Shared MIME Info (documentation)
https://www.freedesktop.org/Software/shared-mime-info
sudo apk add shared-mime-info-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: shared-mime-info
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Shared Mime Info
apk95%
shared-mime-info-lang 2.4-r7
Languages for package shared-mime-info
https://www.freedesktop.org/Software/shared-mime-info
sudo apk add shared-mime-info-lang- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: shared-mime-info
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Shared Mime Info
dnf95%
shared-mime-info 2.5.1-2.fc45
Shared MIME information database
http://freedesktop.org/Software/shared-mime-info
sudo dnf install shared-mime-info- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: shared-mime-info
- 7 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Shared Mime Info
pacman95%
shared-mime-info 2.5.1-2
Freedesktop.org Shared MIME Info
https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Specifications/shared-mime-info-spec/
sudo pacman -S shared-mime-info- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Shared Mime Info
zypper95%
shared-mime-info 2.5.1-1.1
Shared MIME Database
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xdg/shared-mime-info
sudo zypper install shared-mime-info- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: System/X11/Utilities
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: shared-mime-info
- 6 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Shared Mime Info
zypper95%
shared-mime-info-lang 2.5.1-1.1
Translations for package shared-mime-info
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xdg/shared-mime-info
sudo zypper install shared-mime-info-lang- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: System/Localization
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: shared-mime-info
- 1 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Shared Mime Info
MacPorts95%
shared-mime-info
sudo port install shared-mime-info- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Shared Mime Info
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