# Automating with Homebrew-cask
Homebrew-cask allows you to install several applications at once. Calling `brew cask install` with multiple arguments works as you would expect:

```
brew cask install vagrant virtualbox
==> Downloading https://dl.bintray.com/mitchellh/vagrant/Vagrant-1.4.3.dmg
==> Running installer for vagrant…
==> Success! vagrant installed to /opt/homebrew-cask/Caskroom/vagrant/1.4.3
==> Downloading http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/4.3.8/VirtualBox-4.3.8
==> Running installer for virtualbox…
==> Success! virtualbox installed to /opt/homebrew-cask/Caskroom/virtualbox/4.3.8
```

However, this approach doesn't scale very well. For large numbers of applications, you want a list that's easy to organize and a way to use it when needed. In Homebrew-cask, the `Caskfile` is one such list, and `brew bundle` is the way to use it.

## `brew bundle Caskfile`
A Caskfile is a plain text document containing a set of Homebrew commands, one per line. `brew bundle` will read it and execute all instructions in the order they appear.

For example, on a freshly installed OS X, you could `brew bundle` the following `Caskfile` to set up Homebrew-cask and a few basic tools:
```bash
# Install Homebrew-cask
install caskroom/cask/brew-cask

# Productivity tools
cask install alfred
cask install slate

# Utilities
cask install asepsis
cask install caffeine
cask install flux
cask install qlstephen

# Virtualization
cask install vagrant
cask install virtualbox

# Applications
cask install git-annex
cask install google-chrome
cask install iterm2
```

## Dotfiles
[Dotfiles](http://dotfiles.github.io/) are a popular way to configure OS X. They are easy to use, backup, move around, and share.

Integrating Homebrew-cask in your dotfiles is immediate; indeed, the `Caskfile` is most commonly used as a dotfiles module, to provision machines with binary apps and precompiled software.

If you want to fully automate the deployment process by scripting the execution of `brew bundle`, it is sufficient to ensure that the following steps happen in the correct order:

- install git
- install Homebrew
1. `brew update`
2. `brew install caskroom/cask/brew-cask`, either in the script or as part of the first Caskfile loaded
3. `brew bundle` your Caskfiles.