Homebrew - List of all packages installed

How to List All Packages Installed with Homebrew on a Mac

When you use Homebrew to manage software on your Mac, you often want to know exactly what you have installed. This helps when you set up a new computer or share your setup with others. Here are the simple commands you need.

Show every package installed by Homebrew

Open Terminal and run:

brew list

This command shows all formulae (command-line tools) you installed.

To include App Store-style applications (casks), run:

brew list --cask

If you want both lists at once, run:

brew list && brew list --cask

Show only the packages you chose yourself

Many packages get installed as dependencies of other packages. If you want to see only the top-level packages (the ones you asked for directly, not the ones pulled in automatically), use:

brew leaves

This list is usually the most useful when you plan to reinstall your setup on another machine, because it shows only what you really wanted.

Quick summary of the commands

CommandWhat it shows
brew listAll command-line packages (formulae)
brew list --caskAll graphical applications (casks)
brew leavesOnly the packages you installed yourself (no dependencies)

That is all you need. These commands work on any Mac with Homebrew installed and give you a clear view of your Homebrew packages.


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