Homebrew Handy Guide

Abhishek Ghosh

By Abhishek Ghosh March 29, 2014 11:05 am Updated on March 29, 2014

Homebrew Handy Guide

Homebrew Handy Guide Provides an Easy To Understand Manual For the OS X Homebrew Package Manager Users in Plain English. Minimum things the reader needs to know are – What is Package Manager, Homebrew Package Manager and OSX, Homebrew Installation on OS X with iTerm2. There are many guides available online on Homebrew, including books; however this guide is sufficient for an average developer. Homebrew, unlike aptitude; do not handle the main applications on OS X, App Store is the default Package Manager. In other words, there is sufficient room to play safely.

Homebrew Handy Guide : Basics

It is important to know the locations of Folders and Files Homebrew and iTerm2 combo use. Homebrew install files and installs them under :

/usr/local/

1	/usr/local/

Some files installed by the installer are located at :

/usr/local/bin/brew

1	/usr/local/bin/brew

All packages and related information are stored here :

/usr/local/Cellar/

1	/usr/local/Cellar/

The above location is important, since we can collect any data we want related to Installed or Not Installed Packages. As we are using iTerm2, the profile file is located at $HOME, so you can open and edit using this command :

nano .zshrc
# cd to cd .oh-my-zsh to check oh my zsh stuffs
cd .oh-my-zsh && ls

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nano .zshrc

# cd to cd .oh-my-zsh to check oh my zsh stuffs

cd .oh-my-zsh && ls

These are basic commands :

# returns to usernames folder, we usually work here
cd $HOME 
# update homebrew
brew update
# upgrade home-brew, takes much time
brew upgrade
# check package directories you have installed
ls -dF1 /usr/local/Cellar/*
# cache of Homebrew
cd  /Library/Caches/Homebrew/ && ls
# install a package 
brew install package-name
# Homebrew manual
man brew
# uninstall a package
brew remove package-name

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# returns to usernames folder, we usually work here

cd $HOME

# update homebrew

brew update

# upgrade home-brew, takes much time

brew upgrade

# check package directories you have installed

ls -dF1 /usr/local/Cellar/*

# cache of Homebrew

cd /Library/Caches/Homebrew/ && ls

# install a package

brew install package-name

# Homebrew manual

man brew

# uninstall a package

brew remove package-name

Homebrew Handy Guide : Advanced Usages

The phrase advanced is subjective. Still, these are taken as a bit advanced usages.

# check any issue any fix them manually
brew doctor
# dead formula?
brew prune
# find stuffs related to one software
brew search package-name
#example 
# brew search php

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# check any issue any fix them manually

brew doctor

# dead formula?

brew prune

# find stuffs related to one software

brew search package-name

#example

# brew search php

Huge tips and tricks are here :

https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew/wiki/Tips-N'-Tricks
# clean cache and check cache 
brew cleanup && cd  /Library/Caches/Homebrew/
# do ls there to check
# check homebrew things
https://github.com/Homebrew

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https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew/wiki/Tips-N'-Tricks

# clean cache and check cache

brew cleanup && cd /Library/Caches/Homebrew/

# do ls there to check

# check homebrew things

https://github.com/Homebrew

Homebrew Handy Guide

Homebrew Handy Guide : Basics

Homebrew Handy Guide : Advanced Usages

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