piknik
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Description:
Copy/paste anything over the network
Type: Formula  |  Latest Version: 0.10.2@0  |  Tracked Since: Oct 10, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Productivity
Tags: clipboard network copy-paste cross-platform utility
Install: brew install piknik
About:
Piknik is a command-line tool that enables users to copy and paste text, files, and other data across different machines over a network without shared filesystems. It functions as a distributed clipboard, using a server to which clients connect to send or retrieve clipboard content. This provides a simple and secure way to transfer information between devices, especially in environments where traditional clipboard sharing is unavailable.
Key Features:
  • Cross-platform clipboard sharing over TCP
  • Supports copying text, files, and binary data
  • Optional encryption for secure data transfer
  • Simple command-line interface (copy/paste commands)
  • Can run as a server or client
Use Cases:
  • Sharing clipboard content between different remote servers or VMs
  • Transferring configuration snippets or logs between development machines
  • Quickly moving small files or text data across a local network
Alternatives:
  • pbcopy/pbpaste – macOS built-in tools; only work locally on the same machine
  • xclip – Linux clipboard manager; local X11 clipboard access only
  • netcat (nc) – Generic network tool; requires manual setup for clipboard-like functionality
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Oct 10, 2025 4:52pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 00000856
Sep 16, 2025 11:33am 0 VERSION_BUMP 22860130
Dec 12, 2024 4:02pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 5a9a60d8
Sep 13, 2024 5:59am 0 VERSION_BUMP 0c41c414