---
tags:
  - macOS
  - Tahoe
  - homebrew
  - package-management
  - terminal
title: Package Management with Homebrew on macOS Tahoe
---

# Package Management with Homebrew on macOS Tahoe

While macOS Tahoe comes with excellent built-in tools, installing third-party software and command-line utilities is best handled by a package manager. **Homebrew** is the de facto standard for macOS.

This guide assumes you are familiar with the terminal. If not, please review [Getting Started with macOS Tahoe](macOS.md).

## What is Homebrew?

Homebrew installs the stuff you need that Apple didn't. It compiles and installs software packages into its own directory and then symlinks their files into `/usr/local` (or `/opt/homebrew` on Apple Silicon).

## Installation

To install Homebrew, open your terminal (Zsh is the default in Tahoe) and run the following command:

```zsh
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
```

Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation. You may need to add Homebrew to your `PATH` in your `.zshrc` file, as discussed in the Advanced Zsh Configuration guide.

## Essential Commands

Once installed, you can use the `brew` command to manage packages.

### Searching for Packages

Not sure of the exact package name? Search for it:

```zsh
brew search python
```

### Installing Packages

To install a command-line tool (formula):

```zsh
brew install wget
```

To install a GUI application (cask):

```zsh
brew install --cask firefox
```

### Updating and Upgrading

Keep your package definitions up to date:

```zsh
brew update
```

Upgrade all installed packages to their latest versions:

```zsh
brew upgrade
```

### Removing Packages

To uninstall a package:

```zsh
brew uninstall wget
```

### Cleanup

Homebrew keeps older versions of packages. To free up space, run:

```zsh
brew cleanup
```