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Shows detailed metadata about a specific package installed by zerobrew, including version, store key, and installation time.

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Usage

zb info <FORMULA>

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Arguments

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FORMULA
string
required
The name of the formula to get information about. The formula must be currently installed.Example: jq, wget, git

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Options

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--root
path
Environment: ZEROBREW_ROOTOverride the root directory for zerobrew’s content-addressable store.
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--prefix
path
Environment: ZEROBREW_PREFIXOverride the prefix directory where packages are linked.
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--concurrency
number
Default: 20Number of concurrent operations to perform.
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--auto-init
boolean
Alias: --yesEnvironment: ZEROBREW_AUTO_INITAutomatically initialize zerobrew if not already set up.

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Output Fields

The command displays the following information:
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Name
string
The formula name (bold formatting)
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Version
string
The installed version number
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Store key
string
The first 12 characters of the content-addressable hash used to identify this package in the store. This key is based on the formula’s contents and metadata.
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Installed
timestamp
When the package was installed, shown in local time with a relative timestamp.Format examples:
  • Recent: 14:32 (15 minutes ago)
  • Today: 2024-03-15 09:20 (5 hours ago)
  • Older: 2024-03-10 (5 days ago)

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Examples

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Get info for an installed package

zb info jq

Name:       jq
Version:    1.7.1
Store key:  a3f5d8c9b2e1
Installed:  2024-03-15 14:32 (15 minutes ago)

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Package installed days ago

zb info git

Name:       git
Version:    2.44.0
Store key:  7c2b9a1d4e6f
Installed:  2024-03-10 (5 days ago)

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Package installed hours ago

zb info wget

Name:       wget
Version:    1.21.4
Store key:  e8d7c6b5a4f3
Installed:  2024-03-15 09:20 (5 hours ago)

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Package not installed

zb info nonexistent

Formula 'nonexistent' is not installed.

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Use Cases

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Check installation time

Find out when a package was installed: 
zb info node

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Verify package version

Confirm which version of a package is installed: 
zb info [email protected]

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Debug installation issues

The store key can help identify whether a package is correctly installed in the content-addressable store: 
zb info problematic-package
If the package appears in zb list but not in zb info, there may be a database inconsistency.

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Script integration

Check if a package is installed and get its version: 
if zb info jq &>/dev/null; then
  echo "jq is installed"
  zb info jq | grep Version:
else
  echo "jq is not installed"
  zb install jq
fi

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Understanding Store Keys

The store key is the first 12 characters of the SHA-256 hash that identifies the package in zerobrew’s content-addressable store. Key properties:
  • Content-addressable: The same package with the same version and dependencies will always have the same store key
  • Deduplication: Multiple formulas that depend on the same package share the same store entry
  • Integrity: The store key ensures package integrity
Store location: 
$ZEROBREW_ROOT/store/objects/<full-hash>/
The full 64-character hash is stored in zerobrew’s database, but only the first 12 characters are displayed for readability.

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Comparison with Homebrew

FeaturezerobrewHomebrew
Package infozb info <formula>brew info <formula>
Shows installed versionYesYes
Shows available versionNoYes
Shows dependenciesNoYes
Shows installation timeYesNo (requires brew list --versions)
Shows store locationVia store keyVia brew --prefix <formula>
For more comprehensive package information (including available updates), Homebrew’s brew info provides additional details like homepage, description, and dependencies. zerobrew’s info focuses on installation metadata.

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