liblockfile
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Description:
Library providing functions to lock standard mailboxes
Type: Formula  |  Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: System utilities
Tags: library locking mailbox system-utility c-library
Install: brew install liblockfile
About:
Liblockfile is a shared library that provides a consistent API for creating and managing lock files in Unix-like systems. It is specifically designed to safely lock standard mailboxes and other system resources, preventing race conditions and data corruption. Its main value is offering a reliable, standardized mechanism for mail transport agents and other system utilities.
Key Features:
  • Provides a simple C API for file locking
  • Supports both blocking and non-blocking lock attempts
  • Handles lock file creation and cleanup automatically
  • Designed for use by mail-related system software
Use Cases:
  • Locking mailboxes in mail delivery agents (MDAs)
  • Preventing concurrent access to shared resource files in system scripts
  • Building mail transport agents (MTAs) that require safe locking
Alternatives:
  • flock(1) – A kernel-level locking utility, whereas liblockfile provides a library API for application integration.
  • dotlockfile – A command-line tool that is part of the liblockfile package, used for shell scripting.
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Sep 14, 2025 3:00am 0 VERSION_BUMP 71eae84f