113 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
113 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
# "To install, drag this icon..." no more!
|
|
|
|
Let's see if we can get the elegance, simplicity, and speed of Homebrew for the
|
|
installation and management GUI Mac applications like Google Chrome and Adium.
|
|
|
|
`brew-cask` provides a friendly homebrew-style CLI workflow for the
|
|
administration of Mac applications distributed as binaries.
|
|
|
|
It's implemented as a `homebrew` "[external
|
|
command](https://github.com/mxcl/homebrew/wiki/External-Commands)" called
|
|
`cask`.
|
|
|
|
# Let's try it!
|
|
|
|
## Get brew-cask
|
|
|
|
Tap this repository and install the `brew-cask` tool:
|
|
|
|
$ brew tap phinze/homebrew-cask
|
|
$ brew install brew-cask
|
|
|
|
## Now let's install our first Cask
|
|
|
|
Let's see if there's a Cask for Chrome:
|
|
|
|
$ brew cask search chrome
|
|
google-chrome
|
|
|
|
Cool, there it is. Let's install it.
|
|
|
|
$ brew cask install google-chrome
|
|
Downloading...
|
|
Success! google-chrome installed to /usr/local/Cellar/google-chrome/stable-channel
|
|
|
|
Now we have `Google Chrome.app` in our Cellar. Cool.
|
|
|
|
If you like, it's easy to get it linked somewhere more visible (see ["Alfred
|
|
Integration"](#alfred-integration) below for an idea that makes this step
|
|
unnecessary):
|
|
|
|
$ brew cask linkapps
|
|
/Users/phinze/Applications/Google Chrome.app -> /usr/local/Cellar/google-chrome/17.0.963.56/Google Chrome.app
|
|
|
|
And there we have it. Google Chrome installed with a few quick commands; no clicking, no dragging, no dropping.
|
|
|
|
open "~/Applications/Google Chrome.app"
|
|
|
|
# What Casks are available?
|
|
|
|
Just run `brew cask search` with no arguments to get a list.
|
|
|
|
# How do I update brew-cask?
|
|
|
|
Since this repository is a Tap, you'll pull down the latest Casks with a simple
|
|
`brew-update`. When the `brew-cask` tool itself is updated, it will show in
|
|
`brew outdated` and you can upgrade it via the normal Homebrew workflow.
|
|
|
|
# What is a Cask?
|
|
|
|
A `Cask` is like a `Formula` in Homebrew except it describes how to download
|
|
and install a binary application.
|
|
|
|
Casks currently have three fields:
|
|
|
|
* __url__: (required) points to binary distribution of the application
|
|
* __version__: (required) describes the version of the application available at the URL
|
|
* __homepage__: the same as Homebrew's - it doesn't do anything yet, but will be wired in
|
|
|
|
# What's the status of this project? Where's it headed?
|
|
|
|
It's really just a start at this point, but it works, and I've got big plans!
|
|
|
|
`brew-cask` currently understands how to install `dmg` and `zip` files that
|
|
contain a `.app` file. I'd like to extend it to be able to handle `pkg` files
|
|
as well as the numerous other permutations of compression and distribution in
|
|
the wild (`.app` inside `dmg` inside `zip`; folder inside `dmg`; etc.).
|
|
|
|
I plan to use the `Cask` model to allow per-project customization of behavior,
|
|
like Homebrew does with `Formula`. This would allow weirdo applications like,
|
|
say, Eclipse ("you really want me to drag that whole *folder* to
|
|
`Applications`? ew.") to contain their complexity.
|
|
|
|
Each Cask will then encapsulate and automate the story of how a given
|
|
application should be installed. If all goes well - I'm hoping to build up a
|
|
community-maintained collection of Casks that becomes the standard way that
|
|
hackers install Mac apps.
|
|
|
|
# Can I contribute?
|
|
|
|
__Yes, yes, yes!__ Please fork/pull request to update Casks, to add features,
|
|
to clean up documentation--anything at all that you can do to help out is very
|
|
welcome.
|
|
|
|
It's also __pretty darn easy__ to create Casks, so please build more of them
|
|
for the software you use. And if `brew-cask` doesn't support the packaging
|
|
format of your software, please open an issue and we can get it working
|
|
together.
|
|
|
|
The whole idea is to build a _community-maintained_ list of easily installable
|
|
packages, so the community part is important! Every little bit counts.
|
|
|
|
# Alfred Integration
|
|
|
|
I've been using Casks along with Alfred to great effect. Just add
|
|
`/usr/local/Cellar` as a Search Scope in Alfred's preferences, and then
|
|
applications become available in Alfred immediately after a `brew cask
|
|
install`. Your fingertips will thank you.
|
|
|
|
With this setup, you don't actually need `brew cask linkapps` if you always
|
|
open your apps from Alfred. This means that everything stays nice and tidy.
|
|
|
|
Oh, and you can `brew cask install alfred` too! Not bad, eh?
|