Programmer: Lifelong Learning: Mac HomeBrew Tips and Tricks

The Problem

Every once in a while, we nee change our workstation and reinstall all softwares. We don’t want to to website, download binary, click it to install for all these tools.

We can use HomeBrew to install them in command line, and even better have one script to install all tools.

Install HomeBrew

The missing package manager for macOS.

/usr/bin/ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL \
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"

brew search
- brew search iterm2
brew list: List all installed formulae.
brew update: Fetch the newest version of Homebrew and all formulae
brew upgrade: Upgrade outdated, unpinned formulae
- brew upgrade <formula> to update a package
brew cleanup: remove old versions of installed formulae
brew uninstall the_name
brew outdated: Show formulae that have an updated version available.
brew doctor: Check your system for potential problems.

brew tap

The default formulae: homebrew-core
brew tap adds more repositories to the list of formulae that brew tracks, updates, and installs from.
brew tap: list tapped repositories
brew tap <tapname>: add tap
brew untap <tapname>: remove a tap

Homebrew Cask

Cask allows us to install large binary files via a command-line tool.
Install cask by adding it as a tap: brew tap caskroom/cask
brew cask list: with no args, lists installed Casks; given installed Casks, lists staged files

Homebrew Cask Versions

Another git repo from homebrew that allows us to install beta or older versions.
Install: brew tap homebrew/cask-versions
Example: brew cask install atom-beta
brew cask uninstall atom-deta
brew cask info atom-beta

Bash Completion

brew install bash-completion
Add bash-completion to your ~/.bash_profile:

[ -f /usr/local/etc/bash_completion ] && . /usr/local/etc/bash_completion || {
    # if not found in /usr/local/etc, try the brew --prefix location
    [ -f "$(brew --prefix)/etc/bash_completion.d/git-completion.bash" ] && \
        . $(brew --prefix)/etc/bash_completion.d/git-completion.bash
}

Oracle Java vs OpenJDK

Install Oracle Java

Install latest Oracle Java: brew cask install java
Install older Oracle Java from cask-versions: brew cask install java8
- Run brew tap caskroom/versions if not added cask-versions before.

Install OpenJDK

brew tap AdoptOpenJDK/openjdk
brew cask install adoptopenjdk11

#### One Script to Install All

brew update
brew upgrade --all

brew install git
# change default applications
brew install duti
brew install pandoc
brew install htop
brew install wget
brew install watch

# https://github.com/AdoptOpenJDK/homebrew-openjdk
# brew cask install adoptopenjdk
# adoptopenjdk11, adoptopenjdk11-jre
brew tap AdoptOpenJDK/openjdk
brew cask install adoptopenjdk11

brew tap caskroom/cask
brew tap homebrew/cask-versions

# or iterm2-beta
brew cask install iterm2
brew cask install google-chrome
brew cask install google-chrome-canary
brew cask install visual-studio-code
brew cask install visual-studio-code-insiders
brew cask install intellij-idea
brew cask install eclipse-jee
brew cask install docker

brew cask install postman
# Tools
brew cask install the-unarchiver
# MPV media player
brew install mpv
#  vlc media player
brew cask install vlc

brew cask install slack

# Java development
brew install maven
brew install gradle

# toggle dark-mode in command line
brew install dark-mode

brew cask install flux
# convert and resize images
brew install imagemagick

brew cleanup
brew cask cleanup

Mac HomeBrew Tips and Tricks