WailBrew - Homebrew GUI Manager for macOS
A modern, native Homebrew GUI for macOS to install, update, and manage brew packages, casks, and services - an actively maintained, open-source Cakebrew alternative.
## โก Quick Install
```bash
brew install --cask wailbrew
```
Prefer a direct download? Grab the **[latest release](https://github.com/wickenico/WailBrew/releases/latest)**. See [Installation](#-installation) for details.
---
## ๐ Table of Contents
- [Quick Install](#-quick-install)
- [About](#-about)
- [Why WailBrew?](#-why-wailbrew)
- [Features](#-features)
- [Screenshots](#-screenshots)
- [Installation](#-installation)
- [Uninstall](#-uninstall)
- [Requirements](#-requirements)
- [WailBrew vs. Cakebrew](#-wailbrew-vs-cakebrew)
- [Localizations](#-localizations)
- [FAQ](#-faq)
- [Featured In](#-featured-in)
- [Sponsor](#-sponsor)
- [Contributing](#-contributing)
- [Troubleshooting & Support](#-troubleshooting--support)
- [License](#-license)
- [Acknowledgments](#-acknowledgments)
## ๐บ About
**WailBrew** is a modern and intuitive **graphical interface for [Homebrew](https://brew.sh)** on macOS. It makes package management accessible to everyone - no terminal required - while still giving power users full control over formulae, casks, taps, and services.
WailBrew was inspired by [Cakebrew](https://www.cakebrew.com/), bringing modern UI design and enhanced functionality to Homebrew package management. Built with [Wails](https://wails.io), Go, and React, it combines native performance with a beautiful, responsive interface.
Requests, Questions, Troubleshooting? => [r/WailBrew](https://www.reddit.com/r/WailBrew)
## โญ Why WailBrew?
- ๐ **Native & fast** - a real macOS app built on Wails (Go + React), not a browser wrapper.
- ๐ **Universal** - runs natively on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
- ๐งฉ **Complete** - manages formulae, casks, taps, **and** services - not just packages.
- ๐ **Localized** - a fully translated UI in **12 languages**.
- ๐ **Signed & notarized** - distributed through the official Homebrew cask.
- ๐ **Actively maintained & open source** - MIT licensed, with regular releases.
## โจ Features
**๐ฆ Package management**
- Browse and manage installed **formulae** and **casks**
- Instant search and filtering across all packages
- **Install, uninstall, and upgrade** - individually, in bulk (multi-select), or all at once
- View detailed package info, including **dependencies and dependents**
- **Leaves** view to find packages you can safely remove
**๐ Updates**
- Check for outdated packages and update them individually or all at once
- **Background update checks** with a **Dock badge** showing available updates
- Configurable outdated-check flags (e.g. include greedy cask updates)
**๐๏ธ Taps & repositories**
- List, **tap**, and **untap** repositories
- Trust untrusted taps and view tap info
**โ๏ธ Homebrew Services**
- List all services and their status
- **Start, stop, restart, and run** services directly from the UI
**๐ฉบ Maintenance**
- Built-in **`brew doctor`** with deprecated-formula detection
- **Cleanup** with dry-run preview before removing old versions and caches
- **Brewfile export** (`brew bundle dump`)
- Self-manage Homebrew itself (`brew update`, version info)
**๐๏ธ Power-user extras**
- **Command palette** and keyboard shortcuts
- **Light / dark mode** synced with macOS appearance
- **Proxy** and **mirror source** support (including China mirrors) for faster, restricted-network installs
- Custom brew path with architecture auto-detection, custom cask options, no-quarantine toggle, auto-relaunch & auto-cleanup after upgrades
- Session logging for transparency into every command run
## ๐ธ Screenshots
## ๐ฅ Installation
๐ฆ **Installation via Homebrew (recommended):**
```bash
brew install --cask wailbrew
```
Or **[download the latest version](https://github.com/wickenico/WailBrew/releases/latest)** directly from GitHub Releases.
## ๐๏ธ Uninstall
```bash
brew uninstall --cask wailbrew
```
## ๐ป Requirements
WailBrew supports the following macOS versions:
- **Apple Silicon (ARM):** macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) and later
- **Intel:** macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) and later
[Homebrew](https://brew.sh) must be installed. While the app is primarily tested on the latest macOS versions, we strive to maintain compatibility with older supported versions. If you encounter any issues on your macOS version, please let us know by [opening an issue](https://github.com/wickenico/WailBrew/issues) or providing feedback.
## ๐ WailBrew vs. Cakebrew
WailBrew is inspired by Cakebrew and aims to be a modern, actively maintained successor.
| | **WailBrew** | **Cakebrew** |
|---|:---:|:---:|
| Manage formulae | โ
| โ
|
| Manage casks | โ
| โ ๏ธ Limited |
| Homebrew **services** management | โ
| โ |
| `brew doctor` & cleanup | โ
| โ ๏ธ Partial |
| Apple Silicon native | โ
| โ
|
| Localized UI (12 languages) | โ
| โ |
| Light / dark mode | โ
| โ ๏ธ |
| Actively maintained | โ
| โ |
| Open source | โ
(MIT) | โ
|
## ๐ Localizations
WailBrew ships with a **fully translated UI** in the following languages:
- ๐บ๐ธ English
- ๐ฉ๐ช German
- ๐ซ๐ท French
- ๐น๐ท Turkish
- ๐จ๐ณ Chinese (Simplified)
- ๐น๐ผ Chinese (Traditional)
- ๐ง๐ท Portuguรชs do Brasil
- ๐ท๐บ Russian
- ๐ฐ๐ท Korean
- ๐ฎ๐ฑ Hebrew
- ๐ช๐ธ Spanish
- ๐ฎ๐น Italian
Want to see WailBrew in your language? Contributions are welcome - [open a Pull Request](https://github.com/wickenico/WailBrew/pulls) or [create an Issue](https://github.com/wickenico/WailBrew/issues). See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for the translation guide.
## Configuration folder
Open **Settings โ Configuration folder**, choose an empty folder (for example
`~/.config/wailbrew`), then click **Move**. WailBrew transfers your settings and
Brewfile snapshots and uses the new location immediately and after restarting.
Existing files in the destination are never overwritten. Other files in the old
folder are left there; the old folder is removed only when empty.
The selected location is recorded in `WailBrew/config-location.json` under the
operating system's configuration directory (`~/Library/Application Support` on
macOS, `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME` or `~/.config` on Linux). This small record stays in its
standard location so WailBrew can find the selected folder on startup.
`WAILBREW_CONFIG_FILE` takes precedence over the saved selection. If it is set in
the app's environment, the folder control is disabled until the override is
removed and WailBrew is restarted. Without an override or saved selection,
WailBrew looks for an existing XDG configuration, then `~/.wailbrew/config.json`;
new installations use the XDG location.
## โ FAQ
**Is WailBrew free?**
Yes. WailBrew is completely free and open source under the MIT license.
**Does it work on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4)?**
Yes - WailBrew runs natively on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
**Do I still need Homebrew installed?**
Yes. WailBrew is a graphical front-end for Homebrew, so `brew` must be installed. WailBrew auto-detects the brew path for your architecture.
**How is WailBrew different from Cakebrew?**
WailBrew is an actively maintained, modern alternative with cask and services management, a localized UI in 12 languages, light/dark mode, and native Apple Silicon support. See the [comparison above](#-wailbrew-vs-cakebrew).
**Does WailBrew run my commands safely?**
Yes - WailBrew simply calls the `brew` CLI. Every command is transparent, and session logging lets you see exactly what runs.
**Is it available for Linux or Windows?**
WailBrew targets macOS. There is partial Linux support; see the troubleshooting note below.
## ๐ฐ Featured In
WailBrew has been featured by a number of publications and communities:
- How-To Geek
- Mac Power Users
- iFun
- AlternativeTo
See more coverage
- VVMac
- Software on the web
- Made with ReactJS
- Tom Doerr Repository Showcase
- Medium
- Sir Apfelot
- Mac Utils
- Brandon Visca
- Apfeltalk
- Mac Gadget
- Macked
## โค๏ธ Sponsor
WailBrew is free and open source, built and maintained in my spare time. Sponsorship helps cover the Apple Developer Program membership (\$99/year, required for code signing & notarization) and funds time for new features like Brewfile import, native notifications, and faster large-list performance.
If WailBrew saves you time, please consider supporting its development:
- โ **[Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi](https://ko-fi.com/wickenico)** - one-time tip
- ๐ณ **[PayPal](https://paypal.me/nicowickersheim)** - one-time donation
- ๐ **[GitHub Sponsors](https://github.com/sponsors/wickenico)** - recurring support
Every contribution, big or small, is genuinely appreciated and helps keep WailBrew maintained. ๐
## ๐ ๏ธ Contributing
Interested in contributing to WailBrew? We welcome contributions of all kinds!
- **Code contributions**: Bug fixes, features, improvements
- **Translations**: Help localize WailBrew to more languages
- **Bug reports**: Found an issue? Let us know
- **Feature requests**: Have an idea? We'd love to hear it
Please see [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for detailed development setup, how to build from source, and contribution guidelines.
## ๐ Troubleshooting & Support
### Common Issues
- **Linux running problem**: Check this [post](https://github.com/wickenico/WailBrew/issues/138#issue-3660201918) from [dsmyth](https://github.com/dsmyth), thank you!
- **Homebrew not found**: Ensure Homebrew is correctly installed
- **Permission errors**: May need to run the app with appropriate permissions
- **Slow performance**: Close other resource-intensive applications
### Support
For issues, feature requests, or questions:
- Visit [r/WailBrew](https://www.reddit.com/r/WailBrew) for community support
- Check [existing issues](https://github.com/wickenico/WailBrew/issues) on GitHub
- Create a [new issue](https://github.com/wickenico/WailBrew/issues/new) if needed
- See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for more details on reporting bugs
## ๐ License
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See [LICENSE](LICENSE) for details.
## ๐ Acknowledgments
- [Wails](https://wails.io) community for the framework
- [Cakebrew](https://www.cakebrew.com/) as inspiration
---
WailBrew makes Homebrew management simple and accessible for all macOS users.
Try it out and streamline your package management workflow! ๐บ