`homebrew` is a package manager for Mac OS X, in the spirit of Linux's `apt` or `yum`.

Homebrew is a package manager for Mac OS X, in the spirit of Linux's apt or yum. It:

  • Maintains a list of available packages which can be installed, upgraded, and managed.
  • Installs packages from source, and thus requires Xcode be installed on the machine.
  • Automatically resolves dependencies if necessary.
  • Doesn't conflict with Mac OS X's built-in software.

Fink and MacPorts are projects with similar functionality.