macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install tarsnapperlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 9070
Install tarsnapper with Homebrew, Nix
Tarsnap wrapper which expires backups using a gfs-scheme. Version 0.5.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-14. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#tarsnapper.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#tarsnappernixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ta/tarsnapper/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Tarsnap wrapper which expires backups using a gfs-scheme
Project links
Commands and aliases
- tarsnapper
history
Project history and usage
Tarsnapper is a command-line wrapper around Tarsnap that defines backup jobs and expires old archives according to flexible Grandfather-father-son-style retention intervals.
Project history
The public repository dates to 2010. Tarsnapper developed as a Python utility for describing multiple backup jobs in YAML and for applying retention rules to archives whether or not Tarsnapper created them. Its design avoids fixed weekly or monthly generations and instead chooses archives that best satisfy user-supplied time deltas.
Adoption history
A Debian changelog records an initial package release in 2012, while the official README documents pip installation. The supplied metadata records current Homebrew and Nix packages, reflecting the tool's continued niche in Unix backup automation.
How it is used
Users can run a one-off backup with --target, --sources, and --deltas, or pass a YAML job file with -c. The make command creates a backup and applies retention; expire can prune existing archive sets independently, and --dry-run previews deletions. Tarsnap itself remains responsible for its configuration and keyfile.
Why package nerds care
Tarsnapper is a package-nerd utility because it converts a hosted backup CLI into reproducible cron-friendly jobs with explicit retention policy, while remaining composable with archives created by other scripts.
Timeline
- 2010: The public Tarsnapper repository was created and version 0.1 was tagged.
- 2012: The Debian changelog recorded an initial package release.
- 2020: Version 0.5 was tagged after continued retention-rule maintenance.
- Current package metadata: Homebrew and Nix distribute Tarsnapper.
Related projects
- Tarsnap provides the underlying encrypted backup service and command; the README contrasts Tarsnapper's retention approach with tarsnap-generations.
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:backup
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
tarsnapper | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
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 generated2026-08-03
manager version0.5.0
manager updated2026-07-14
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:tarsnapper |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.5.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://github.com/miracle2k/tarsnapper |
| Last updated | 2026-07-14T17:14:17+09:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
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%
tarsnapper
nix profile install nixpkgs#tarsnapper- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Tarsnapper
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
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation