Fossil is a software configuration management, bug tracking system and wiki software server for use in software development created by D. Richard Hipp.
Fossil is a cross-platform distributed version control system that runs on Linux, BSD derivatives, Mac and Windows. It is capable of performing distributed version control, bug tracking, wiki services, and documentation.
The software has a built-in web interface, accessible from the executable via a standalone HTTP server or as a CGI application. This interface provides features akin to a software forge, including bug tracking, documentation viewing, and commit timelines.
To simplify centralized development, Fossil provides an "autosync" mode to automatically sync changes when commits are made, in a similar manner to centralized version control systems.
Content is stored in an SQLite database, allowing it to benefit from the latter's atomic transactions for corruption resistance.
From the Wikipedia article “Fossil (software)”, CC BY-SA 4.0
What is Fossil?
Fossil by D. Richard Hipp is open-source Windows software in the project management category. It ranks 47th by popularity among project management in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2006. It is written in C and SQL. Besides Windows, it is available for cross-platform.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit and 32-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 2.28, released on March 11, 2026. The version history goes back to March 18, 2023: 8 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 2.7 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
Wikipedia has an article about it in 8 of our languages. Similar programs include GanttProject, XrmToolBox and Todoist.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Also runs on cross-platform
- Mature project (since 2006)
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: Fossil is an open-source project management tool for 64-bit and 32-bit PCs.
Is Fossil safe to download?
- The file is served by fossil-scm.org, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
51283885E86AEE10C5E9A8936D852F94D7391DB5DAF590FAF1DE4BAE9EAC7DAE· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 8 versions ›8 versions over 3 years · about 2.7 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.28Latest | March 11, 2026 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 2.27 | September 30, 2025 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 2.26 | April 30, 2025 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 2.25 | November 6, 2024 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 2.24 | April 23, 2024 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 2.23 | November 1, 2023 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 2.22 | May 31, 2023 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 2.21 | March 18, 2023 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Fossil.Fossil -escoop install main/fossilRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install fossilInformation
- Publisher
- D. Richard Hipp
- Category
- Project management
- Licence
- BSD 2-Clause
- Price
- Free
- Written in
- C and SQL
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Other platforms
- cross-platform
- Version
- 2.28
- Released
- March 11, 2026
- First release
- 2006
- Added to the catalogue
- March 18, 2023
- Versions listed
- 8
- Updates / year
- 2.7
- Website
- fossil-scm.org
- winget ID
- Fossil.Fossil
- Scoop package
- main/fossil
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Fossil free?
Yes. Fossil is open-source software under the BSD 2-Clause licence.
Is Fossil safe to download?
The download comes from fossil-scm.org, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Fossil with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does Fossil run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit and 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Fossil?
The versions page lists all 8 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 18, 2023.
Can I use Fossil without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to Fossil?
GanttProject, XrmToolBox, Todoist, DooTask and Cal. The alternatives page compares them.
