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Mac App Installs with HomeBrew

The image is a digital illustration promoting the installation of Mac apps using HomeBrew. The central focus is the large, bold text "Mac App Install with HomeBrew" displayed prominently in white font. Behind the text, there's a faded Apple logo. Illustrations of people are seen engaging in various activities related to technology and computers. One person is on a ladder reaching towards something above. Another person is standing and holding what appears to be a laptop or book. A third individual seems to be working on or examining something on the ground. There are also illustrations of computer interfaces and other tech-related imagery surrounding the characters.

In December 2023, I made the move to a Macbook Pro after being a Windows guy for decades. I want to share my learnings as I get used to the Mac. In this post, I focus on Mac App installs with Homebrew.

What is HomeBrew?

Homebrew is a package installer, it is a command line utility that helps to install and update applications.

How to get HomeBrew?

Homebrew is easy to install. Go to brew.sh for the latest install instructions. Below are the steps as of Jan 2024.

  1. Press Command Space to open ‘SpotLight’
  2. Type Terminal
  3. Select terminal
  4. Copy the code below and paste into terminal. Press Enter and follow instructions.
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Mac App installs with HomeBrew

Now homebrew is installed, it is time to get some key applications installed.

MAS – Mac App Store Command Line

Full details available mas — Homebrew Formulae – run the below command to install.

brew install mas

Python

Install python to run python scripts. Full details pyenv — Homebrew Formulae

brew install pyenv

Visual Studio Code

Install Visual Studio Code by following full details at visual-studio-code — Homebrew Formulae or run

brew install --cask visual-studio-code

1Password

Install 1Password password manager by following the full instructions on 1password — Homebrew Formulae or running the command below:

brew install --cask 1password

Brew Bundle – scripting installs

Right, so you now have a few dozen apps installed and are dreading trying to remember them all, should you reinstall. That is where Brew Bundle comes in. Brew Bundle is installed as standard and has the ability to create a brewfile. Run the code below to create a brewfile listing all the apps installed.

brew bundle dump

Store the Brewfile safely for your next reinstall. You can pass the brewfile into Brew Bundle and it will install all the apps for you. You can edit the brewfile to add/remove applications. I found this post extremely useful > Use Homebrew Bundle to manage software installation on macOS – DEV Community

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

By Tim Dixon

Tim Dixon has worked in IT for over 20 years, specifically within the Testing Inspection and Certification industry. Tim has Cone Dystrophy, a progressive sight loss condition that impacts his central vision, colour perception and makes him sensitive to light. He likes to share his experience of life and how he navigates the abyss of uncertainty.

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