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brew install ucspi-tcpprovider-native install command
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Install ucspi-tcp with Homebrew
Tools for building TCP client-server applications. Version 0.88 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-14.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Tools for building TCP client-server applications
Project links
Commands and aliases
- addcr
- argv0
- date@
- delcr
- finger@
- fixcrio
- http@
- mconnect
- mconnect-io
- rblsmtpd
- recordio
- tcpcat
- tcpclient
- tcprules
- tcprulescheck
- tcpserver
- who@
history
Project history and usage
ucspi-tcp is Daniel J. Bernstein's Unix Client-Server Program Interface implementation for TCP. It provides small command-line tools such as tcpserver and tcpclient for building TCP services and clients around ordinary Unix programs.
Project history
The UCSPI specification is dated 1996 and defines a command-line interface for client-server communication tools. ucspi-tcp applies that model to TCP, with clients and servers setting descriptors and environment variables before executing an application.
The official install page identifies ucspi-tcp 0.88 as the latest published package, and the official tarball has a March 18, 2000 last-modified date. The project is distributed from Bernstein's cr.yp.to site rather than through a public source-control repository.
Adoption history
ucspi-tcp became part of the classic djb software ecosystem, especially alongside daemontools-style service supervision and qmail-era mail setups. The input package metadata shows that, despite its age and tarball distribution model, it remains packaged in Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, MacPorts, Nix, and other Unix package collections.
How it is used
Package users most often encounter tcpserver, tcpclient, tcprules, tcprulescheck, recordio, rblsmtpd, and helper tools. The official docs describe tcpserver as a way to accept TCP connections and run another program, while rblsmtpd is documented as an SMTP wrapper that blocks mail from listed sites when used under tcpserver.
Why package nerds care
For package nerds, ucspi-tcp is historically significant because it is a compact Unix networking toolkit from the pre-systemd, pre-framework era. It represents a style where small binaries, environment variables, file-descriptor conventions, and package-manager preservation keep old but sharp infrastructure tools available.
Timeline
- 1996: UCSPI specification copyrighted by D. J. Bernstein.
- 2000: ucspi-tcp 0.88 tarball published according to official HTTP metadata.
- 2002: rblsmtpd documentation records then-current public RBL source status updates.
- Current packaging: source_facts lists Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, MacPorts, Nix, and other package-manager entries.
Related projects
- The official rblsmtpd page points to tcpserver and tcprules as companion programs within the suite.
- The documentation also points to rbldns from djbdns for running RBL or anti-RBL sources.
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:http,record,client,server
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
addcr | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
argv0 | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
date@ | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
delcr | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
finger@ | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
fixcrio | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
http@ | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mconnect | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
mconnect-io | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
rblsmtpd | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
recordio | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
tcpcat | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
tcpclient | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
tcprules | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
tcprulescheck | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
tcpserver | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
who@ | 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 version0.88
manager updated2026-07-14
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:ucspi-tcp |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.88 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://cr.yp.to/ucspi-tcp.html |
| Last updated | 2026-07-14T20:07:12+09:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
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
- Nucleus package database
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation