Homebrew

Homebrew is a free and open-source package management system that simplifies the installation of software on Apple's macOS operating system and Linux. It allows users to easily install, update, and manage command-line tools, libraries, and applications not pre-installed by Apple, adhering to a…

Key facts

First appeared
2009
Category
technology
Problem solved
Homebrew was created to address the significant pain points macOS developers faced when trying to install open-source Unix-like software, libraries, and development tools that weren't readily available or easy to compile on macOS. It offered a simpler, more integrated, and less intrusive alternative to existing package managers like MacPorts and Fink.
Platforms
Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), macOS, Linux

Related technologies

Notable users

  • Individual macOS developers
  • Software engineering teams using macOS for development
  • DevOps engineers managing macOS/Linux environments
  • Companies like Google, Apple (internally for dev setups), various tech startups