How to Install Homebrew on macOS

Edited 3 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Homebrew is a package manager designed for macOS. It simplifies the process of installing and managing software on macOS systems. This guide will walk you through the process of installing Homebrew on your Mac, ensuring you have access to its extensive library of open-source software and utilities.

What is homebrew?

Homebrew is an open-source package manager for macOS. It allows users to install software using the command line, providing an easy way to install and update software. With Homebrew, installing software applications and tools is efficient and straightforward. It helps manage software dependencies and incorporates updates and tools in a seamless manner.

System requirements

Before installing Homebrew, make sure your macOS version is up-to-date. Homebrew requires at least macOS Mojave (10.14) or later. You should also have Xcode or Command Line Tools installed as Homebrew uses these tools to compile the software for installation. Additionally, make sure you have administrative access to your Mac, as the installation requires sudo or root privileges.

Installing the Xcode Command Line Tools

The Xcode command line tools are required for Homebrew to work properly. You can install them with the following steps:

1. Open the Terminal. You can find the Terminal in the Utilities folder, which is a subfolder of Applications.
2. In the Terminal window, type the following command and press Enter:

xcode-select --install

3. A software update popup will appear asking for your confirmation to install. Click on the Install button.
4. Wait for the installation to complete. It may take several minutes for the required packages to be downloaded and installed.

Installing Homebrew

Once you have the necessary system requirements and command line tools, proceed with the installation of Homebrew:

1. In the terminal, input the following command and press Enter:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

2. Some terms and conditions will be displayed on the terminal. It is important to read these terms to understand the legal agreements.
3. It will ask you for your macOS administrative password. Enter your password and press Enter. Note that while you type your password, nothing will appear on the screen. This is a standard security feature in Terminal.
4. Wait for the installation process to complete. The script will download and install the Homebrew files. This will take a few minutes depending on the speed of your internet connection.

Verifying the installation

After installing Homebrew, it's important to verify that the installation was successful. You can do this with the following command:

brew --version

This command will print the version of Homebrew installed on your system. If the version number is returned, Homebrew has been successfully installed.

Updating Homebrew

It is important to keep your Homebrew installation updated. This is achieved using the following command:

brew update

This command will fetch the latest updates for Homebrew and its sources, ensuring you have the latest software packages available for installation.

Installing software with Homebrew

After Homebrew is successfully installed and updated, you can use it to install software packages. Let's install a software package using Homebrew and see how it works:

1. Find the software to install with the command:

brew search package_name

2. Replace package_name with the name of the software or tool you want to install. For example, to find and install wget, use:

brew search wget

3. Once you find the package, install it using the following:

brew install wget

4. Homebrew will download and install the package, including all necessary dependencies.

Uninstalling software with Homebrew

To remove a software package installed using Homebrew, use the following command:

brew uninstall package_name

This will remove the specified package from your system.

Cleaning with Homebrew

Over time, Homebrew can accumulate old versions of installed formulas that are no longer needed. You can use Homebrew's cleanup command to free up disk space:

brew cleanup

This command removes all older versions of installed packages and retains only the latest versions.

Homebrew troubleshooting

If you encounter problems with Homebrew, there are several commands to help diagnose these problems and often fix them:

• Make sure Homebrew itself is working correctly:

brew doctor

• This command will identify common problems and suggest solutions.
• If you're having trouble with package installation or other problems, try the following:

brew outdated

This is the list of software that have new versions available. Update them with the install command to try the solution.

Concluding remarks

Now that you have a complete understanding of how to install and use Homebrew, you can easily manage software on your macOS machine. Homebrew opens up a world of software possibilities, providing an intuitive and efficient way to install, update, and manage open-source software applications on macOS.

Over time, as you become more familiar with using Homebrew commands, you will find it to be an indispensable tool in your system management toolkit. The convenience of managing software installations through a few commands in the Terminal is a huge time saver that boosts productivity and simplifies the maintenance of your macOS system.

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