How to Install Homebrew
Homebrew relies on some support from Apple’s Xcode. Therefore, you need to install that, too. Follow the steps below to get started:
What Is Homebrew?
Homebrew is the most popular Mac package manager. Packages are bundles of source code created by developers. Some of the files may be programs, support code, and other bits and pieces needed for the software to run. Homebrew installs open-source, command-line tools, and applications like Google Chrome and VLC effortlessly with a single command. You don’t have to worry about unzipping files or installing pieces of software in any order. Homebrew does it all for you. Most Mac users are familiar with dragging a DMG file to the Applications folder to install the software. Sometimes, these installs fail because you needed to take additional steps beforehand. With Homebrew, all the prerequisites are handled automatically in the correct order.
How to Use Homebrew
To use Homebrew, open Terminal, enter the command using lower-case letters, then press Return to execute it. Be aware of spaces and hyphens.
Helpful Homebrew Apps
Below are some other useful Homebrew commands to try out. In the Terminal window, enter the bolded text below, then press the Return key.
brew install wget: A tool for downloading from the web and FTP through the command line.brew install htop: A beefed-up Activity Monitor for Terminal that monitors process activity, CPU activity, memory usage, load average, and process management.brew install map: A network security scanner great for security administrators and researchers. Using it, you can find hosts and services on local networks, detect operating systems, software versions, clients, servers, and other network assets. brew install links: A command-line web browser that will show you all the text on a particular website. brew install geoip: A tool used to find the geolocation of an IP address. brew install irssi: A favorite IRC chat client. brew install watch: A watchdog app that monitors a specific process (IO, disk usage, and other items). Watch is another great tool for network administrators.
