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This free tool gives you one easy way to install apps on Linux and Mac - here's how

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The Penguin key is a nice touch. Jack Wallen/ZDNET

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ZDNET's key takeaways

Homebrew is a tool for installing command-line apps.

Homebrew is available for both Linux and MacOS.

There are tons of apps that can be installed via Homebrew.

For some, installing and managing apps from the command line is a deal-breaker. For others, it's a way of life. I can go both ways. I love the ease of use a GUI gives me, but I also appreciate the power and flexibility of the command line.

Also: The 6 Linux distros I expect to rule 2026 - and why

It's just one of the areas in which Linux shines. You have so many options for installing applications. There's your distribution's default package managers, such as apt, dnf, zypper, pacman, pkg, rpm, dpkg, etc. There's also the universal package managers, Snap and Flatpak. Add AppImages and source into the mix, and the number of apps you can install seems limitless.

Hold on. There's yet another method, one that comes from MacOS. That method is Homebrew.

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