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Description:
Tiniest x86-64-linux emulator

Type: Formula | Latest Version: 1.1.0@0 | Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Developer tools

Tags: emulator linux cross-platform developer-tools binary-compatibility

Install: brew install blink

About:
Blink is a lightweight, dependency-free x86-64 Linux emulator that allows running Linux binaries on non-Linux systems like macOS. It provides a high-performance, single-file solution for executing ELF executables without the overhead of full virtualization. Its primary value is enabling seamless cross-platform development and execution workflows.

Key Features:

Single-file executable with no external dependencies
High-performance dynamic recompilation (JIT)
Supports Linux ELF binaries on macOS and other platforms
Minimal footprint and fast startup time

Use Cases:

Running Linux command-line tools on macOS without Docker
Cross-platform software development and testing
Embedded systems development and emulation

Alternatives:

Docker – Docker provides full containerization with higher overhead, while Blink is a lightweight emulator for binary compatibility.
QEMU – QEMU is a full system emulator with broader architecture support but significantly more complex and resource-intensive than Blink.

License: ISC

Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 12, 2025 7:03pm		0	VERSION_BUMP	b65e5c34