Homebrew
The package manager for macOS. It is how you install almost every other developer tool on a Mac in one line.
What it is
Homebrew (brew) is an open-source package manager for macOS and Linux. Think of it as an App Store for developer tools. When you run brew install <something>, it downloads that tool and puts it on your computer in a standard place, configured to work correctly. When you run brew upgrade, it updates everything you installed through it.
Why the workshops use it
On a Mac, nearly every developer tool you will install (Node.js, Git, GitHub CLI, VS Code, and many more) is available through Homebrew in one command. Without it, each install becomes a separate download, drag, configure, update cycle. With it, one pattern for everything.
Is this safe?
Yes. Homebrew is open source, widely trusted, and used by millions of developers. The install command we ask you to run is the official script from brew.sh, pulled directly from Homebrew's GitHub repository over HTTPS. You can inspect the script yourself before running it. Homebrew does not collect personal data; it only installs the tools you explicitly request.
Install
Run this in your terminal (on Mac: open the Terminal app; click the copy icon on the right of the block below, paste, press enter):
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
After it finishes, Homebrew will print two extra commands to add brew to your shell's PATH. Run those, then open a new terminal tab (Cmd+T) so the new tab picks up the updated PATH.
Verify
brew --version
If you see a version number, you are good. If you get command not found, you skipped the PATH step above.
Windows and Linux
Homebrew works on Linux, but Linux users typically use their native package manager (apt, dnf, pacman). Windows users should use WinGet instead, which is built into Windows 10 and 11. The workshops will point you to the right tool for your platform.