# 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

```sh
sudo av install brew:tarsnapper
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install tarsnapper
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

### Linux

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#tarsnapper
```

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

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:tarsnapper
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 0.5.0
- **Source summary:** Tarsnap wrapper which expires backups using a gfs-scheme
- **Homepage:** <https://github.com/miracle2k/tarsnapper>
- **Last updated:** 2026-07-14T17:14:17+09:00
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- tarsnapper (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 0.5.0
## 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

- <https://github.com/miracle2k/tarsnapper#readme>
- <https://github.com/miracle2k/tarsnapper/blob/master/debian/changelog>
- <https://github.com/miracle2k/tarsnapper/tags>
- source_facts.package-manager


## Security Notes

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.

- **Geiger risk:** blue / medium
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Nix - tarsnapper: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ta/tarsnapper/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/tarsnapper.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/tarsnapper.yml)


## Sources

- pkg.so package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation
- external package-manager database matches
- cross-ecosystem install command graph