Interesting Taps & Branches

A Tap is homebrew-speak for a git repository containing extra formulae. Homebrew has the capability to add (and remove) multiple taps to your local installation with the brew tap and brew untap command. Type man brew in your Terminal. The main repository https://github.com/mxcl/homebrew often called "mxcl/master" is always built-in.

Main Taps

• homebrew/science

  • A collection of scientific libraries and tools.

• homebrew/dupes

  • Need GDB or a newer Tk? System duplicates go here.

• homebrew/versions

  • Need eg. older or newer versions of Python? Newer versions of GCC?

• homebrew/games

• homebrew/apache

  • A tap for Apache modules, extending OS X's built-in Apache. These brews may require unconventional additional setup, as explained in the caveats.

• homebrew/headonly

  • A tap for brews that don't have stable versions.

• josegonzalez/php

  • Repository for php-related formulae.

• samueljohn/python

  • A few Python formulae that do not build well with pip alone.

• homebrew/completions

• homebrew/x11

• homebrew/boneyard

  • Formula are not deleted, they are moved here.

• marcqualie/nginx

  • Feature rich Nginx tap for modules

brew search looks in these main taps and as well in mxcl/master. So don't worry about missing stuff. We will add other taps to the search as they become well maintained and popular.

You can be added as a collaborator to Homebrew organization taps and aid the project! If you are interested write to our list: [email protected]. We want your help!

Other Interesting Taps

• larsimmisch/avr

  • GNU AVR toolchain (avr-gcc etc. for Arduino hackers).

• titanous/gnuradio

  • GNU Radio and friends running on OS X.

• besport/ocaml

  • A tap for Ocaml libraries, though with caveats, it requires you install its customized ocaml formula. Perhaps a template for more work.

• nolith/embedded

  • Flashing tools for embedded devices and olsrd for mesh network routing.

• anarchivist/forensics

  • Digital forensics-related formulae; mostly head-only, binary-only, or unstable.

• petere/postgresql

  • Allows installing multiple PostgreSQL versions in parallel.

Interesting Branches (aka forks)

• mistydemeo/tigerbrew

  • Experimental Tiger PowerPC version

• codebutler

  • Preliminary support for GTK+ using the Quartz (native OS X) back-end

• rgabo

  • Experimental support for download-and-install for non-source software

• paxan/linux

  • Experimental Linux version

• homebrew/linuxbrew

  • Experimental Linux version

• rmyers/homebrew

  • Experimental Solaris version

Technical Details

Your taps are git repositories located at $(brew --prefix)/Library/Taps.