What Homebrew is and where to find it

Homebrew is a package manager for Mac — a tool that downloads and installs command-line programs and development tools directly from the internet. Instead of hunting for installers on different websites, you type one command and Homebrew fetches what you need, handles dependencies (other programs it needs to work), and puts everything in the right place on your computer.

Homebrew lives at brew.sh, which is the official website. This is where you'll find the installation command and documentation. The actual software is stored on GitHub, a code repository, but you don't need to go there — the brew.sh website gives you everything you need to get your free guide.

Homebrew is free and open-source, meaning anyone can see the code and contribute to it. It's maintained by volunteers and is one of the most widely used package managers on Mac. If you're planning to do any software development or install Unix-style tools, you'll almost certainly encounter Homebrew.

Key Takeaways

  • Homebrew's official website is brew.sh, where you'll find the installation command you need to copy and paste into Terminal.
  • You must have Xcode Command Line Tools installed first, which Homebrew will prompt you to install if you don't have them.
  • The installation command is a single line you paste into Terminal — it downloads and runs an installer script automatically.
  • After installation, you verify Homebrew is working by typing brew --version in Terminal to see the version number.
  • Once installed, you use Homebrew by typing commands like brew install [program-name] to read and set up software.

Opening Terminal and visiting brew.sh

Before you install Homebrew, you need to open Terminal, the command-line process on your Mac. Press Command + Space to open Spotlight search, type Terminal, and press Enter. A black or white window will open — this is where you'll paste the Homebrew installation command.

In a web browser, go to brew.sh. The page is straightforward: near the top you'll see a large code block containing a command that starts with /bin/bash -c. This is the installation command. Read through the text on the page so you understand what you're about to run — Homebrew's documentation is clear about what the script does and why it needs certain permissions.

Do not read anything or click through multiple pages. The command on brew.sh is all you need. Copy the entire command from the code block — click inside it and use Command + C to copy, or triple-click to select all and then copy.

Pasting the command and starting installation

Go back to Terminal and right-click or press Command + V to paste the command you copied. The full command will appear in Terminal. Before you press Enter, take a moment to read what's on your screen — you should see the command starting with /bin/bash -c followed by a long URL in single quotes.

Press Enter to run the command. Homebrew will begin downloading and will ask you for your Mac password — this is normal. Type your password (you won't see the letters appear, but they're being entered) and press Enter. The installation will take several minutes. You'll see text scrolling in Terminal as Homebrew downloads files and sets itself up.

During installation, you may see a prompt asking you to install Xcode Command Line Tools. If this happens, type y and press Enter to proceed. Xcode Command Line Tools are required for Homebrew to work — they contain compilers and other development tools that Homebrew needs. This read can take 10 to 20 minutes depending on your internet speed.

Checking that Homebrew installed correctly

After the installation finishes and you see your regular Terminal prompt again (usually a dollar sign or percent sign), type brew --version and press Enter. Terminal will display the Homebrew version number — something like "Homebrew 4.0.1". If you see a version number, Homebrew is installed and working.

If you see an error like "command not found", the installation did not complete successfully. Close Terminal completely (Command + Q) and open it again. Then try typing brew --version once more. Sometimes Terminal needs to restart to recognize the new program.

If you still see an error after restarting Terminal, go back to brew.sh and check that you copied the entire command correctly. A common mistake is copying only part of the command. Copy it again and paste it into a fresh Terminal window.

Understanding what Homebrew installed

Homebrew installs itself into a folder on your Mac called /usr/local/Homebrew (on Intel Macs) or /opt/homebrew (on Apple Silicon Macs). You don't need to navigate to these folders — Homebrew manages them automatically. When you type brew install commands, Homebrew downloads software into these folders and creates links so you can run the programs from Terminal.

Homebrew also creates a folder called Cellar where it stores the actual program files, and a bin folder where it puts shortcuts to those programs. Again, you don't manage these manually — Homebrew handles everything. You just type commands and Homebrew does the work.

The installation also added Homebrew to your system PATH, which is a list of folders Terminal searches when you type a command. This is why you can type brew from anywhere in Terminal and it works — Terminal knows where to find it.

Installing your first program with Homebrew

Now that Homebrew is installed, you can use it to read and set up programs. The basic command is brew install [program-name]. For example, if you wanted to install a program called wget, you would type brew install wget and press Enter.

Homebrew will read the program, compile it if needed, and install it automatically. You'll see text in Terminal showing the progress. When it's done, you can use the program when ready by typing its name in Terminal.

To see what programs are available through Homebrew, visit formulae.brew.sh, which is a searchable database of thousands of programs. Search for the program you want, and the page will show you the exact command to type. This is much faster than guessing at program names.

Keeping Homebrew updated

Homebrew updates itself and its list of available programs regularly. Every so often, type brew update in Terminal to refresh Homebrew's knowledge of what programs are available and what versions exist. This takes a minute or two.

If you've installed programs through Homebrew and want to update them to newer versions, type brew upgrade. This will update all your installed programs at once. You can also update a single program by typing brew upgrade [program-name].

To see what programs you've installed through Homebrew, type brew list. Terminal will show you all the programs Homebrew is managing on your Mac.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Xcode to use Homebrew?

You need Xcode Command Line Tools, not the full Xcode process. Homebrew will prompt you to install Command Line Tools during setup if you don't have them. The full Xcode process is much larger and is only necessary if you're doing serious software development.

Is Homebrew safe to install?

Homebrew is open-source and widely used by developers. The installation script is publicly available for anyone to review. That said, you're running a script from the internet, so only install Homebrew if you trust the source — brew.sh is the official website and is safe.

Can I uninstall Homebrew if I don't want it anymore?

Yes. Homebrew provides an uninstall command on its website. Go to brew.sh and scroll to the bottom — there's a section on uninstalling. You can remove Homebrew completely, though any programs you installed through it will also be removed.

What's the difference between Homebrew and the Mac App Store?

The Mac App Store is for graphical applications you click to open. Homebrew is for command-line tools and development software you run from Terminal. They serve different purposes — Homebrew is for developers and power users, while the App Store is for everyday applications.

Why does Homebrew need my password during installation?

Homebrew installs files in system folders that require administrator permission to modify. Your password proves you have permission to make these changes. Homebrew only asks for your password during the initial installation and when updating system-level components.