netcat ☆

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Description:
Utility for managing network connections

Type: Formula | Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Networking

Tags: networking utility tcp udp debugging

Install: brew install netcat

About:
Netcat is a versatile networking utility that reads and writes data across network connections using TCP or UDP. Often referred to as the 'Swiss Army knife' of networking, it allows for raw TCP/UDP communication, port scanning, and file transfers. Its primary value lies in providing a simple yet powerful interface for network debugging and exploration.

Key Features:

TCP and UDP connection support
Port scanning capabilities
File transfer over network
Network testing and debugging

Use Cases:

Testing server connectivity and port availability
Transferring files between systems without dedicated FTP/SCP services
Debugging network services and protocols manually

Alternatives:

nmap – Nmap is specialized for advanced port scanning and network discovery, while netcat offers broader general-purpose networking tasks.
socat – Socat is more complex and powerful, supporting bidirectional data flows and multiple address types, whereas netcat is simpler and more lightweight.

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 15, 2025 7:46am		0	VERSION_BUMP	f39c6b9d