Homebrew 5.0.0 Released: Concurrency, Linux ARM64, and macOS Support Updates

Homebrew 5.0.0 has been released, bringing significant enhancements and important updates to its support policies. This major version introduces download concurrency by default, official Tier 1 support for Linux ARM64/AArch64, and provides clear timelines for the deprecation of macOS Intel support and changes to macOS Gatekeeper bypass behaviors.

Major Changes and Deprecations Since 4.6.0

• Concurrent Downloads Enabled by Default:
  • HOMEBREW_DOWNLOAD_CONCURRENCY=auto is now the default, enabling parallel downloads for all users.
  • This feature can be disabled by setting HOMEBREW_DOWNLOAD_CONCURRENCY=1.
  • Concurrent downloads now include progress reporting. Users are encouraged to report any encountered issues.
• Linux ARM64/AArch64 Promoted to Tier 1 Support: Official, high-priority support is now provided for Linux on ARM64/AArch64 architectures.
• Cask Codesigning Deprecation: Casks without codesigning are now deprecated. Homebrew will disable Homebrew/homebrew-cask casks that fail Gatekeeper checks starting in September 2026.
• macOS Support Updates:
  • Homebrew officially supports macOS 26 (Tahoe).
  • Detailed future macOS support plans are available in the Support Tiers document.
  • September 2026 (or later): Homebrew will cease to run on macOS Catalina 10.15 and earlier. macOS Intel x86_64 will transition to Tier 3 support, leading to the cessation of CI support and new binary package (bottle) builds for Intel macOS.
  • September 2027 (or later): Homebrew will no longer run on macOS Big Sur 11 on Apple Silicon, or on any Intel x86_64 macOS versions.
• Internal JSON API Opt-in:
  • HOMEBREW_USE_INTERNAL_API allows users to opt into the new, smaller internal Homebrew JSON API. This will become the default in a future version. Users are encouraged to opt-in now and report any issues.
• --no-quarantine and --quarantine Flags Deprecated: These flags have been deprecated as Homebrew aims to avoid easily circumvention of macOS security features.
• Other Deprecations/Disables/Removals: Various other components and behaviors have been deprecated, disabled, or removed.

Other Notable Changes Since 4.6.0

• brew bundle Enhancements:
  • Supports installing go packages within a Brewfile.
  • Opt-out of go package installation using brew bundle --no-go or HOMEBREW_BUNDLE_DUMP_NO_GO.
  • Defaults the global Brewfile location to the user configuration directory.
• brew bump-*-pr: Automatically taps core taps if required.
• brew doctor Improvements:
  • Skips the disclaimer when --quiet is passed.
  • Warns about pkg-config macOS SDK version mismatches.
• brew mcp-server: Provides additional development commands.
• brew search --alpine: Enables searching for Alpine Linux packages.
• brew services: Supports keep_alive systemctl services with Restart=on-failure.
• brew info --sizes: Displays the sizes of each formula and cask.
• brew audit: Now performs online checks for Codeberg repositories.
• brew lgtm: Runs multiple style checks with a single command.
• brew release: Executes the release workflow and uploads artifacts, signifying Homebrew/brew's adoption of immutable releases.
• brew style --changed: Checks the style of all changed files within a repository or tap.
• Repository Consolidation: Homebrew/homebrew-test-bot, Homebrew/homebrew-portable-ruby, and Homebrew/command-not-found have been imported into Homebrew/brew. All Homebrew external commands are now housed within primary repositories (Homebrew/brew, Homebrew/homebrew-core, or Homebrew/homebrew-cask).
• /usr/local Prefix Replacement: More selective replacement logic to increase the number of relocatable bottles.
• launchctl Service Removal: sudo failures during launchctl service removal are now non-fatal.
• CGO_ENABLED: Enabled by default on ARM64 Linux.
• pkgconf: Will be automatically reinstalled on a macOS version mismatch.
• rubydoc.brew.sh Redirect: Redirected to docs.brew.sh/rubydoc.
• head Git URLs: Always require a branch name.
• HOMEBREW_FORBIDDEN_CASK_ARTIFACTS: Allows selective blocking of cask installation methods.
• HOMEBREW_DEVELOPER: Required when installing formulae from paths.
• Formula DSL Enhancements:
  • compatibility_version DSL: Aims to reduce the number of future upgrades required.
  • no_linkage DSL: Facilitates stricter linkage detection and helps avoid issues.
• Formula to Cask Migration: Formulae can now be migrated to casks within the same tap.
• Linux libstdc++: Used for automatically determining if a brewed gcc dependency is needed, instead of the host gcc.
• JSON API Download Optimization: Homebrew will avoid downloading JSON API files multiple times per run.
• CI Updates:
  • No longer provides CI for macOS Ventura in Homebrew/core.
  • Linux CI now utilizes GCC 12.
  • Will not run on macOS Mojave and older.
• Compiler Preferences:
  • Prefers LLVM's clang over gcc on macOS.
  • Defaults to -O2 with gcc.
• Dependency Resolution: Dependencies are now correctly resolved when installing older bottles.
• Linux Cask Support: Casks have improved support and usability on Linux.

Community and Project Direction

Homebrew has clarified its stance on adult content in formulae and casks and has loosened its criteria for accepting software into Homebrew.

Homebrew welcomes donations through GitHub Sponsors, OpenCollective, and Patreon. Community support helps sustain the project.

A sincere thank you is extended to all hard-working maintainers, contributors, sponsors, and supporters for their invaluable contributions.