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:

brew search python
brew search /^node/

`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:

brew info python
brew info chrome google-chrome

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: brew install git python nodejs Examples:

brew install python
brew install google-chrome  # installs as cask
brew install git python nodejs

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Usage: Fetch the newest version of Homebrew and all formulae When to use: When brew seems outdated or before major operations Notes: Doesn't upgrade packages, just updates the package list Examples:

brew update

`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Without args: upgrades all outdated packages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:

brew upgrade              # upgrade all outdated packages
brew upgrade python       # upgrade just python
brew upgrade python git   # upgrade multiple

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:

brew uninstall python
brew uninstall google-chrome

`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:

brew list                 # show all installed packages
brew list python          # show files installed by python

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:

brew config

`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:

brew doctor

`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:

brew install --verbose --debug python

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:

brew create https://example.com/package.tar.gz

`brew edit [FORMULA|CASK...]`

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

brew edit python

`brew commands`

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

brew commands

`brew help [COMMAND]`

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

brew help install
brew help upgrade

Quick Reference

| Task | Command | |------|---------| | Search for package | brew search TEXT | | 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

Search: brew search python
Get info: brew info python@3.11
Install: brew install python@3.11

Troubleshooting Installation

Check config: brew config
Run doctor: brew doctor
Retry with debug: brew install --verbose --debug FORMULA

Maintaining Homebrew

Update: brew update
Check what's outdated: brew upgrade (shows what would upgrade)
Upgrade all: brew upgrade

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