Mastering Homebrew | The Ultimate Package Manager for macOS | QA & Dev Blog Nepal

If you’re using macOS and you haven’t installed Homebrew yet—oh buddy, you’re missing out!

Homebrew is the Swiss army knife of package managers for macOS and Linux. It lets you install, manage, and update thousands of applications and developer tools with just a few commands. Whether you’re a developer, tester, or just a power user who likes things tidy and up-to-date, Homebrew is the way to go.

homebrew

In this guide, we’ll walk through the essentials using a cheatsheet-style breakdown so you can get up and running fast. Let’s dive in. 🏊‍♂️

🔧 Getting Started with Installation

Before installing Homebrew, make sure Command Line Tools (CLT) are installed:

xcode-select --install

Then, install Homebrew with this one-liner:

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

📦 Basic Commands You’ll Use Daily

Here are the bread-and-butter commands of Homebrew:

Install a package
```
brew install <package>
```
Uninstall a package
```
brew uninstall <package>
```
Upgrade all installed packages
```
brew upgrade
```
Check installed versions
```
brew list --versions
```
Help and diagnostics
```
brew help
brew doctor
```

🔄 Keeping Everything Updated

Update Homebrew and formulae
```
brew update
```
See what’s outdated
```
brew outdated
```
Upgrade a specific package
```
brew upgrade <formula>
```
Pin a formula to prevent upgrades
```
brew pin <formula>
```
Unpin to allow upgrades again
```
brew unpin <formula>
```

📚 Repositories (aka Taps)

List all taps
```
brew tap
```
Add a GitHub tap
```
brew tap <user/repo>
```
Add a tap from URL
```
brew tap <user/repo> <url>
```
Remove a tap
```
brew untap <user/repo>
```

🍵 Managing Casks (Apps and GUI Tools)

Tap the cask repo
```
brew tap homebrew/cask
```
List installed casks
```
brew list --cask
```
Search casks
```
brew search <text>
```
Install a cask
```
brew install --cask <app>
```

Reinstall or uninstall

brew reinstall --cask <app>
brew uninstall --cask <app>

🔍 Search, Install, Remove Formulae

List installed formulae
```
brew list
```
Search available formulae
```
brew search <keyword>
```
View info about a formula
```
brew info <formula>
```

Install or uninstall

brew install <formula>
brew uninstall <formula>

🧹 Clean Up Unused Stuff

Clean old versions
```
brew cleanup
```
Clean specific formula
```
brew cleanup <formula>
```
Dry run (preview what will be removed)
```
brew cleanup -n
```

🚑 Helpful Diagnostics

Command help
```
brew help <command>
```
Check for potential issues
```
brew doctor
```

✨ Final Thoughts

Homebrew brings simplicity to a developer’s chaotic world. Whether you’re installing your favorite CLI tool or automating setup on a new Mac, this one package manager does it all. Bookmark this blog or keep the cheatsheet handy. You’re now a certified 🍺 Brewmaster!