Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Homebrew

The missing package manager for macOS.

Homebrew

Homebrew Reviews and Details

This page is designed to help you find out whether Homebrew is good and if it is the right choice for you.

Screenshots and images

  • Homebrew Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-29

Features & Specs

  1. User-Friendly

    Homebrew provides an easy-to-use command-line interface that simplifies the installation and management of software packages.

  2. Wide Range of Packages

    Homebrew offers a vast repository of software, covering a broad spectrum of utilities, languages, and applications.

  3. Dependency Management

    Homebrew automatically handles dependencies, ensuring that all required packages are installed and up to date.

  4. Community Support

    Homebrew has a strong community backing and regular contributions, which ensures frequent updates and a robust support system.

  5. Cross-Platform

    Homebrew is available on macOS and Linux, allowing for consistent package management across different operating systems.

  6. Customizability

    Users can create their own formulae to install software that isnโ€™t available in the core repositories.

Badges & Trophies

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Videos

Homebrew Review: Coopers Lager - Taste Test

Homebrew Review | Alchemist Class by Mage Hand Press (featuring Designer Mike Holik)

Northern Brewer Cream Ale Homebrew Review Tasting

Social recommendations and mentions

We have tracked the following product recommendations or mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you see what people think about Homebrew and what they use it for.
  • How to Install and Configure the AWS CLI on Your Mac
    Visit the Homebrew homepage at https://brew.sh/ for the latest instructions. - Source: dev.to / 7 days ago
  • HomeBrew command Note
    Please refer to this link to install Homebrew. Just copy and paste the command into your terminal, and it will install automatically. You need to complete this step; otherwise, you wonโ€™t be able to use the brew command. - Source: dev.to / 10 days ago
  • GNU Midnight Commander
    Midnight Commander is available under Brew. https://brew.sh/ The command to install it is: brew install mc. - Source: Hacker News / 14 days ago
  • Getting Started with Redis: Installation Guide
    For macOS, the easiest way to install Redis is with a package manager called Homebrew. - Source: dev.to / 24 days ago
  • Create robust CLI apps with Bashly
    If you're on MacOS, your Bash is probably "frozen" in version 3.2.57. Don't worry, a simple brew install bash can fix the problem (I'm assuming you have Homebrew installed). - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • 2025 macOS Development Environment Setup Guide
    Install Homebrew, the missing package manager for macOS:. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Zup: The Self-Healing CLI That Automates Your Dev Environment
    Prerequisites You'll need Homebrew installed on your macOS or Linux machine. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Building a Smart Session Tracker for Your Mac's Menu Bar
    If you don't have Homebrew installed, grab it from brew.sh first. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Find & Delete Duplicate Files on Windows & Mac Programmatically
    Installation (using Homebrew): If you don't have Homebrew installed, you can get it from https://brew.sh. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Setting Up PostgreSQL on macOS: A Fresh Start Guide
    Since you're on macOS, Homebrew is your friend for installing and managing software like PostgreSQL. If you don't have Homebrew installed yet, head to brew.sh and follow the installation instructions. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • How to for developers: Mastering your corporate MacBook Setup
    Homebrew is the go to for developer using MacOs to be able to install applications. It's the equivalent of Aptitude in Ubuntu. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Connect to Unsupported Older Linux servers with VS Code Remote-SSH using Custom glibc & libstdc++
    Install glibc and patchelf using brew (Homebrew), or build from source, or use a prebuilt binary (if available). This guide uses brew. Also you can see this. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Dark Souls CRUD Arena - The Prisoner Approach
    In past personal projects, and in my most recent role, I've used Docker for dependency management to avoid the "works on my machine" scenario. I also just like keeping dependencies off my machine, but for this project I opted not to use containers given my lack of dependencies. I used Homebrew for all my needs :). - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Use the Amazon Q Developer CLI on AWS Graviton
    Install Homebrew if it's not already available on your computer. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • 5 Local Environment Mistakes I See Everywhere, and How to Fix Them Properly
    # ./launch.sh: #!/bin/bash if ! Command -v brew &> /dev/null; then echo "โŒ Homebrew is not installed. Install it from https://brew.sh/" exit 1 fi if ! Command -v docker &> /dev/null; then echo "โš™๏ธ Installing Docker..." brew install --cask docker fi if ! Command -v php &> /dev/null; then echo "๐Ÿ˜ Installing PHP..." brew install php@8.3 fi. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Open Source Developer Patronage Programs: A Sustainable Future for FOSS
    Projects like curl and Homebrew have successfully leveraged patronage programs to achieve financial sustainability. These examples highlight the potential for other projects to follow suit and secure the funding necessary for continued innovation. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • How to build an API with Ruby and Sinatra
    Weโ€™ll use Homebrew (Brew) for the installation process.:. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Getting Started With Git: Creating a Repository and Webpage for Your Resume!
    If you are on a Mac, install Homebrew if not already installed. Then open up the almighty terminal (as I like to call it). Paste and run this command:. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • ๐Ÿš€ Why Every Beginner (Especially Non-Tech Students) Should Learn Git
    (If you donโ€™t have Homebrew, install it first from brew.sh). - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Run LLMs locally with Ollama on macOS for Developers
    I use Homebrew for the installation of Ollama. But there are also alternative installation options available, see https://ollama.com/download. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • The easiest way to set up and configure your AWS CLI
    You still have to install the latest version of the AWS CLI, of course (see the Installation Instructions on how to do that for Linux and Windows, honestly if you are on Mac, I'd really suggest using Homebrew instead of the approach suggested there, but it's a matter of tastes. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago

Summary of the public mentions of Homebrew

Homebrew is a prominent package manager prevalent among macOS and to a lesser degree, Linux users, renowned for its ability to ease the complexities of software management in the terminal landscape. Its primary allure is the simplification of the software installation process, as it seamlessly circumvents the need for manual downloads and compilations, resonating with both novice and seasoned developers.

Core Functionality and Popularity

Homebrew's burgeoning reputation in the developer world predominantly stems from its user-friendly approach to installing and managing command-line tools and applications. By facilitating hassle-free installations via simple terminal commands, Homebrew becomes indispensable for setting up development environments, as highlighted in numerous technical discussions and guides. Its functionality resembles package management systems found in Linux distributionsโ€”aptly compared to Ubuntu's Aptitudeโ€”providing a familiar backdrop for developers accustomed to those ecosystems.

A consistent theme in many technical tutorials is the recommendation to use Homebrew for setting up a variety of tools, including PostgreSQL, Docker, Node, Watchman, Maven, Rust, and even the AWS CLI. This underscores its entrenched position as the go-to package manager for macOS users, particularly developers. The consistent mention across a broad spectrum of programming-related activitiesโ€”from setting up development environments to managing version control toolsโ€”attests to its versatility and reliability.

Community Support and Financial Sustainability

The success of Homebrew isn't solely technological; it's also a testament to the community-driven efforts to sustain it financially. Like many open-source projects, Homebrew has effectively leveraged patronage programs to secure ongoing financial backing. This model not only sustains the existing infrastructure but also fuels future innovations within the project, making it a robust example of how open-source initiatives can thrive in a proprietary software world.

Comparisons and Alternatives

In the realm of package management, Homebrew faces competition from various tools such as Chocolatey for Windows, Scoop, and the likes of pacman in Arch-based Linux distributions, as well as NixOS with its unique declarative configuration capabilities. Despite this, Homebrew maintains its edge on macOS due to its deep integration and community support. While articles like "Top Homebrew Alternative: ServBay Becomes the Go-To for Developers" suggest emerging competitors, Homebrew's simplicity and functionality have, thus far, maintained its stronghold in the macOS development environment.

Critical Reception

The public opinion, as gauged from various posts and articles, remains largely positive, with users extolling its ease of use and integration into the macOS ecosystem. It is often cited in troubleshooting, installation guides, and how-to articles as an essential tool, implying a widespread trust in its capabilities.

In conclusion, Homebrew stands as a pillar in the macOS development community, celebrated for its simplicity, efficiency, and the robust ecosystem it nurtures. While alternatives exist, the ingrained habit and seamless experience it offers keep it at the forefront of developers' toolkits.

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Homebrew discussion

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  1. regal avatar
    regal
    ยท over 1 year ago
    ยท Reply

    Great for installing open-source apps on macOS

  2. Stan Bright avatar
    Stan Bright
    ยท over 1 year ago
    ยท Reply

    If you are a software engineer working on a mac - you can't get away from using Homebrew. And it just works.

  3. User avatar
    aishot
    ยท almost 2 years ago
    ยท Reply

    This is the easiest package manager on Mac, been using it for years and love the simplicity or installing and uninstalling packages directly from the CLI

  4. User avatar
    Dream100-AI
    ยท almost 2 years ago
    ยท Reply

    Missing packages

Is Homebrew good? This is an informative page that will help you find out. Moreover, you can review and discuss Homebrew here. The primary details have not been verified within the last quarter, and they might be outdated. If you think we are missing something, please use the means on this page to comment or suggest changes. All reviews and comments are highly encouranged and appreciated as they help everyone in the community to make an informed choice. Please always be kind and objective when evaluating a product and sharing your opinion.