# lucasgelfond/zerobrew

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6,417 stars · 144 forks · Rust · apache-2.0

## Links

- GitHub: https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew
- awesome-repositories: https://awesome-repositories.com/repository/lucasgelfond-zerobrew.md

## Description

Zerobrew is a standalone package manager that installs and manages Homebrew formulas without requiring the original Homebrew system. It uses content-addressable storage to store each file blob once by its hash, enabling instant APFS clonefile copies for identical package contents across installations, which reduces both installation time and disk usage.

The project distributes pre-compiled package binaries as compressed archives verified by checksum, with a fallback to building packages from source using Homebrew's Ruby DSL when bottles are unavailable. It activates installed packages through symbolic links from the content store to system paths, avoiding file duplication and enabling clean uninstalls, while a garbage collection sweep scans for unreferenced blobs to reclaim disk space. Package formulas are fetched from third-party Git repositories, allowing decentralized distribution without a central registry.

Zerobrew provides a command-line interface for searching, installing, updating, and removing packages, along with Brewfile-based dependency management for exporting and importing package manifests. It supports package store maintenance including repair of orphaned entries and broken symlinks, batch migration of packages, and the ability to run a package without linking it to the system path. The tool also handles listing outdated packages, upgrading installed packages, and resetting all packages to a clean state.

## Tags

### Development Tools & Productivity

- [Homebrew Packages](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/homebrew-packages.md) — Provides a command-line interface to search, install, update, and remove Homebrew-formula packages without requiring Homebrew itself. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew#readme))
- [Binary Distributions](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/binary-distributions.md) — Distributes pre-compiled package binaries as compressed archives verified by checksum before installation.
- [Binary Package Managers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/binary-package-managers.md) — Installs and manages packages across multiple operating systems using formula definitions and pre-built binary bottles.
- [Content-Addressable Stores](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/content-addressable-stores.md) — Stores each file blob once by its hash, enabling instant APFS clonefile copies for identical package contents.
- [APFS Clonefile Copiers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/file-copying-utilities/apfs-clonefile-copiers.md) — Uses APFS clonefiles to copy installed files instantly without consuming additional disk space. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew#readme))
- [Standalone Homebrew Formula Installers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/homebrew-packages/standalone-homebrew-formula-installers.md) — Installs one or more Homebrew packages from a formula repository without requiring the Homebrew system itself. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew#readme))
- [Standalone Homebrew Installers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/homebrew-packages/standalone-homebrew-installers.md) — Installs packages from the Homebrew ecosystem using content-addressable storage and APFS clonefiles for faster, deduplicated installations. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew#readme))
- [APFS Clonefile Accelerated Installers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/macos-installation-utilities/apfs-clonefile-accelerated-installers.md) — Uses macOS copy-on-write clones to duplicate files instantly, reducing installation time and disk usage for deduplicated content.
- [Package Definitions](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/package-definitions.md) — Defines each package's build, install, and dependency logic in a declarative Ruby DSL parsed at runtime.
- [Brewfile-Based Managers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/package-dependency-managers/brewfile-based-managers.md) — Exporting installed packages to Brewfile format and installing packages from Brewfile definitions.
- [APFS Clonefile Accelerated Installers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/package-installers/apfs-clonefile-accelerated-installers.md) — Installs packages faster by deduplicating files with content-addressable storage and copying them instantly using macOS APFS copy-on-write clones.
- [Content-Addressable](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/package-installers/content-addressable.md) — Provides a standalone package manager that accelerates installations via content-addressable storage and APFS clonefiles. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew#readme))
- [Package Management Interfaces](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/package-management-interfaces.md) — Provides a command-line interface for discovering, installing, and linking external software modules. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew/blob/main/LICENSE-APACHE.md))
- [Package Uninstallers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/package-uninstallers.md) — Removes one or more installed packages from the system, cleaning up their files and links. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew/blob/main/README.md))
- [Package Upgraders](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/package-upgraders.md) — Updates one or all installed packages to their latest versions with optional build-from-source behavior. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md))
- [Brewfile Manifests](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/installed-package-management/brewfile-manifests.md) — Supports exporting installed packages to Brewfile format and installing packages from Brewfile definitions. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew/blob/main/README.md))
- [Brewfile Manifests](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/package-managers/package-exports/brewfile-manifests.md) — Installs, exports, or dumps packages using a Brewfile manifest for declarative environment setup. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew#readme))
- [Package Repository Distributors](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/package-repository-distributors.md) — Fetches package formulas from third-party Git repositories, enabling decentralized package distribution without a central registry.
- [Source Compilation](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/package-sources/source-compilation.md) — Compiles a package from its source code when a pre-built binary bottle is unavailable. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md))
- [Tap-Based Federations](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/plugin-managers/third-party-registries/tap-based-federations.md) — Installs packages from external third-party Git repositories with safe uninstall behavior, enabling decentralized package distribution without a central registry.
- [Source Builds](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/source-builds.md) — Falls back to building packages from source using Homebrew's Ruby DSL when pre-built bottles are unavailable.
- [Fallback](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/source-builds/fallback.md) — Compiles a package from source code using a domain-specific language when a pre-built binary is unavailable. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew#readme))
- [Package Index Refreshes](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/versioned-package-managers/package-index-refreshes.md) — Refreshes the local package index to reflect the latest available versions from remote sources. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md))

### DevOps & Infrastructure

- [Homebrew Formula Managers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/distribution-packaging/system-package-manager-installations/standalone-package-managers/homebrew-formula-managers.md) — An independent package manager that installs and manages Homebrew formulas without requiring the original Homebrew system.
- [Binary and Source Installation](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/deployment-management/installation-package-management/binary-and-source-installation.md) — Installs packages using either pre-built binary bottles or by compiling from source code. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew#readme))
- [Standalone Package Managers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/distribution-packaging/system-package-manager-installations/standalone-package-managers.md) — Provides a standalone command-line tool that installs and manages Homebrew formulas without requiring the original Homebrew system. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew/blob/main/LICENSE-APACHE.md))
- [Standalone Package Installers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/package-installations/standalone-package-installers.md) — Installs and manages packages from the command line without requiring the original package manager system. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew/blob/main/LICENSE-HOMEBREW))
- [Binary Distribution Tools](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/binary-distribution-tools.md) — Distributes pre-compiled package binaries as compressed archives, fetched from remote servers and verified by checksum before installation.
- [Package Installations](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/package-installations.md) — Supports installing packages from external taps and formulas on different operating systems with safe uninstall behavior.
- [Outdated Package Listings](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/package-installations/outdated-package-listings.md) — Ships a command to list installed packages that have newer versions available. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md))

### Data & Databases

- [Content-Addressable Deduplicators](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/data-databases/block-storage/storage-deduplication/content-addressable-deduplicators.md) — Stores each package version only once using content-addressable storage to save disk space across installations. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew#readme))
- [Content-Addressable Storage](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/data-databases/content-addressable-storage.md) — Stores each file blob once by its hash, enabling instant APFS clonefile copies for identical package contents.
- [Content-Addressable Store Sweeps](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/data-databases/storage-garbage-collection/content-addressable-store-sweeps.md) — Scans the content-addressable store for unreferenced blobs and removes them, reclaiming disk space without affecting active packages.

### Operating Systems & Systems Programming

- [Package Activation Symlinks](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/symlink-based-deployments/package-activation-symlinks.md) — Activates installed packages by creating symbolic links from the content store to system paths, avoiding file duplication and enabling clean uninstalls.
- [APFS Clonefile Accelerators](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/virtualization-emulation/virtualization-platforms/virtualization-architectures/copy-on-write-disk-formats/copy-on-write-filesystems/apfs-clonefile-accelerators.md) — Uses APFS clonefiles to instantly duplicate deduplicated package files, accelerating installation and saving disk space.

### System Administration & Monitoring

- [Tap Repository Management](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/system-administration-monitoring/third-party-application-management/tap-repository-management.md) — Fetches and installs packages from third-party repositories with safe uninstall behavior. ([source](https://github.com/lucasgelfond/zerobrew/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md))