Homebrew Package Manager

Complete Homebrew command reference and usage guide for installing, managing, and troubleshooting macOS packages.

When to Use

• - Installing packages or applications (brew install X)
• Searching for available packages (brew search X)
• Updating and upgrading existing packages
• Checking package information and dependencies
• Troubleshooting installation issues
• Managing installed packages

Command Reference

Package Search & Information

brew search TEXT|/REGEX/

Usage: Find packages by name or regex pattern When to use: When user asks to find or search for a package Examples: CODEBLOCK0

brew info [FORMULA|CASK...]

Usage: Display detailed information about one or more packages When to use: Before installing to see dependencies, options, and details Examples: CODEBLOCK1

Installation & Upgrades

brew install FORMULA|CASK...

Usage: Install one or more packages or applications When to use: When user says "install X" or "use brew to install X" Notes:

• - FORMULA = command-line tools (installed to /usr/local/bin)
• CASK = GUI applications (installed to /Applications)
• Can install multiple at once: INLINECODE5

Examples: CODEBLOCK2

brew update

Usage: Fetch the newest version of Homebrew and all formulae When to use: When brew seems outdated or before major operations Notes: Doesn't upgrade packages, just updates the package list Examples: CODEBLOCK3

brew upgrade [FORMULA|CASK...]

Usage: Upgrade installed packages or specific packages When to use: When user wants to update to newer versions Notes:

• - Without args: upgrades all outdated packages
• With args: upgrades only specified packages

Examples: CODEBLOCK4

Package Management

brew uninstall FORMULA|CASK...

Usage: Remove installed packages When to use: When user wants to remove/delete a package Notes: Can uninstall multiple at once Examples: CODEBLOCK5

brew list [FORMULA|CASK...]

Usage: List installed packages or files from specific packages When to use: When user wants to see what's installed or what files a package contains Examples: CODEBLOCK6

Configuration & Troubleshooting

brew config

Usage: Display Homebrew configuration and environment info When to use: Debugging installation issues or checking system setup Shows:

• - Installation path
• Xcode location
• Git version
• CPU architecture

Examples: CODEBLOCK7

brew doctor

Usage: Check for potential problems with Homebrew installation When to use: When experiencing installation issues or errors Returns: Warnings and suggestions for fixing issues Examples: CODEBLOCK8

brew install --verbose --debug FORMULA|CASK

Usage: Install with verbose output and debug information When to use: When standard install fails and you need detailed error messages Examples: CODEBLOCK9

Advanced Usage

brew create URL [--no-fetch]

Usage: Create a new formula from source code When to use: Creating custom packages (advanced users) Options:

• - --no-fetch = don't download source immediately

Examples: CODEBLOCK10

brew edit [FORMULA|CASK...]

Usage: Edit formula or cask definition When to use: Customizing package installation (advanced users) Examples: CODEBLOCK11

brew commands

Usage: Show all available brew commands When to use: Learning about additional brew features Examples: CODEBLOCK12

brew help [COMMAND]

Usage: Get help for specific command When to use: Need detailed help for a specific command Examples: CODEBLOCK13

Quick Reference

Task	Command
Search for package	INLINECODE18
Get package info

brew info FORMULA | | Install package | brew install FORMULA | | Install app | brew install CASK | | Update package list | brew update | | Upgrade all packages | brew upgrade | | Upgrade specific package | brew upgrade FORMULA | | Remove package | brew uninstall FORMULA | | List installed | brew list | | Check config | brew config | | Troubleshoot | brew doctor |

Common Workflows

Installing a New Package

1. 1. Search: INLINECODE29
2. Get info: INLINECODE30
3. Install: INLINECODE31

Troubleshooting Installation

1. 1. Check config: INLINECODE32
2. Run doctor: INLINECODE33
3. Retry with debug: INLINECODE34

Maintaining Homebrew

1. 1. Update: INLINECODE35
2. Check what's outdated: brew upgrade (shows what would upgrade)
3. Upgrade all: INLINECODE37

Key Concepts

FORMULA: Command-line tools and libraries (e.g., python, git, node)
CASK: GUI applications (e.g., google-chrome, vscode, slack)
TAP: Third-party formula repositories (e.g., brew tap homebrew/cask-versions)

Notes

• - All brew commands require Homebrew to be installed
• Xcode Command Line Tools are required for building from source
• Some packages may prompt for sudo password
• Different packages have different installation times
• Package names are case-insensitive but shown lowercase by convention

Resources

• - Official docs: https://docs.brew.sh
• Formula documentation: https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-core
• Cask documentation: https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-cask