CODEWITHSUNDEEP
homebrewhomebrew-cask
user1424739
user1424739

Reputation: 13755

Why is homebrew cask needed?

https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-cask

It doesn't explain why cask is needed, why not just use homebrew. Could anybody explain why it is needed? Why not just put all the cask packages into the bare homebrew? Thanks.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1934

Answers (2)

Xiangyu Meng
Xiangyu Meng

Reputation: 31

Homebrew

brew install installs the stuff you need that Apple (or your Linux system) didn’t. Homebrew typically deals with command-line software (not graphical GUI applications). Most of the software is distributed under an open-source license. For example: git, python3, zsh, tldr, go, cmake, make, vim.

Cask

brew install --cask is an extension to brew that allows the management of graphical GUI applications. Mostlikely, it is a .dmg image file. For example:

  • docker
  • iterm2
  • adobe-acrobat-reader
  • skype
  • slack
  • spotify
  • intellij-idea-ce
  • visual-studio-code
  • steam
  • evernote
  • 1password
  • macdown

Upvotes: 0

Zac Anger
Zac Anger

Reputation: 7787

Cask started as a separate project according to this answer and is primarily for graphical apps and packages that might not meet the license guidelines for regular brew packages. This comment on a Github issue explains that the reason they're kept separate is that cask provides packages that are already compiled, and why that's important, namely, that the behavior of brew and brew cask are different, so should be separate.

Upvotes: 1

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