Repolode
Submit
Homebrew

Homebrew/brew

The package manager for macOS and Linux that installs command-line tools and GUI apps from its formula and cask repositories.

View on GitHubWebsite
Stars
50,082
Forks
11,400
Open issues
9
Last commit
12 hours ago

What is it?

Homebrew is a package manager that installs software onto macOS and Linux, filling the gap for tools that are not available through the system's own package management. It handles command-line formulae and graphical applications (casks) from a central catalogue, and it manages their dependencies and versions.

Users install and update packages with commands such as brew install, brew upgrade and brew bundle, which can install a set of packages from a Brewfile. The project also provides brew doctor for diagnosing environment problems and brew audit for checking package definitions. Package metadata, versions and anonymised usage analytics are published on formulae.brew.sh.

Homebrew is a non-profit project maintained by volunteers, and its code is released under the BSD 2-Clause license. Contributors can work on formulae or casks through the homebrew-core and homebrew-cask repositories.

Key features

  • 01Installs command-line formulae and GUI applications (casks) from a central catalogue.
  • 02Manages package dependencies and versions, with upgrade and uninstall commands.
  • 03Supports Brewfile-based bundles via brew bundle for reproducible setups.
  • 04Includes brew doctor to diagnose common environment problems.
  • 05Provides brew audit to check package definitions for issues.

Use cases

  • Installing developer tools such as git, ffmpeg or Python on a new Mac.
  • Keeping a set of command-line tools and apps in sync across machines with a Brewfile.
  • Installing and updating Linux command-line tools without root access on systems lacking newer packages.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Run the official install script from the README (downloads and runs a shell script)

  2. 2

    Check the installation with brew doctor

    brew doctor
  3. 3

    Install a package, for example ffmpeg

    brew install ffmpeg

Things to know

  • Designed for macOS and Linux only, not Windows.
  • Installs software into its own prefix, so it can take time and disk space for large packages.

Topics

#package-manager#macos#linux#cli#devtools#ruby#brew#homebrew

FAQ

What is brew?
The package manager for macOS and Linux that installs command-line tools and GUI apps from its formula and cask repositories. Homebrew is a package manager that installs software onto macOS and Linux, filling the gap for tools that are not available through the system's own package management. It handles command-line formulae and graphical applications (casks) from a central catalogue, and it manages their dependencies and versions.
Is brew free to use? What license does it have?
brew is open source under the BSD-2-Clause license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is brew still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to brew was on Oct 21, 2026.
What can I use brew for?
Installing developer tools such as git, ffmpeg or Python on a new Mac. Keeping a set of command-line tools and apps in sync across machines with a Brewfile. Installing and updating Linux command-line tools without root access on systems lacking newer packages.
How do I install brew?
Run the official install script from the README (downloads and runs a shell script) Check the installation with brew doctor: brew doctor Install a package, for example ffmpeg: brew install ffmpeg
Where can I get brew?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/Homebrew/brew

Summary generated by AI from the project's README. GitHub stats refresh daily.

Related projects