The easiest way to install various Unix tools and open source software onto Mac OS X is via a package manager, unfortunately OS X doesn’t come with one, but fortunately there are some good folks that care. They come in the form of Homebrew.
Homebrew isn’t the only option, also available is MacPorts and Fink but Homebrew is the newest and most popular of the trio.
Get Xcode
Download and install it, you also need to open Xcode agree to the license and it will install its components.
Get Command Line Tools
xcode-select --install
Install Homebrew
To download install Homebrew run the install script on the command line as below and let the script do its thing:
ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"
Download and install Xquartz brew will moan if it is not installed.
After installing and as suggested in the command line, to check for any issues with the install run:
brew doctor
To search for an application:
brew search
To install
brew install <application-name>
To list all apps installed by Homebrew
brew list
To remove an installed application
brew remove <application-name>
To update Homebrew
brew update
To see what else you can do
man brew
Where does Homebrew install stuff …. in the Cellar
/usr/local/Cellar/
Where the brew lives.
