If you’re a Mac user and a programmer, you’ve undoubtedly come across the need to install certain software or packages that aren’t readily available or easy to install. This is where Homebrew comes in. Homebrew is a free and open-source software package management system that simplifies the installation of software on Apple’s macOS operating system and Linux.
Step 1: Install Homebrew
The first step is to install Homebrew on your Mac. Open Terminal and paste the following command:
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
Once you’ve entered the command, press Return. Terminal may ask for your password. Type it in when requested – note, you won’t see any characters appear as you type your password. Press Return again to submit it.
Step 2: Verify the Installation
After the installation is complete, you can verify that everything went right by typing:
brew doctor
This command will inform you about the status of your installation. If everything is set up correctly, you should see the message “Your system is ready to brew.”
Step 3: Install a Package with Homebrew
Now that Homebrew is installed, you can use it to install other packages. For instance, to install wget, you would run:
brew install wget
With just this simple command, Homebrew will download and install the wget package for you.
Step 4: Uninstalling a Package
And uninstalling a package is just as simple. If you want to uninstall wget, you can do so by running:
brew uninstall wget
Conclusion
And there you have it – a simple guide to using the brew install command on your Mac. Using Homebrew can significantly simplify the process of managing software on your Mac, allowing you to stay focused on coding rather than wrestling with installations.
