Cakebrew is intended to facilitate installing command line tools. Actually, it is a graphic user interface for Homebrew, a tool that provides you with access to an extensive repository of open-source applications.
Using Homebrew is not too difficult; however, having a graphical user interface instead of the command line helps most users. In this respect, there is no need to memorize command syntax and so on.
The app lets you browse formulae and, fortunately, there are categories that allow you to filter them according to their status, such as Installed, Outdated and All Formulae. So, for instance, you can go to the All Formulae and use Cakebrew to view a list of all Homebrew packages available. Besides, you can access detailed info of each of the packages before proceeding to install. Likewise, if you go to the Installed category, you are able to remove any of the packages there. Luckily, there is also the possibility of monitoring what dependencies the uninstall process left behind by going to the Leaves category.
Good news is that there are tools to solve problems with your installed formulae. For instance, the Doctor can identify potential problems in the setup. What is more, it can actually fix those problems if you decide to. Likewise, there is another tool, called Update, which you can use to always have the latest version of each application.
Regrettably, Cakebrew does not allow browsing Homebrew Cask, a repository of GUI applications. Other drawbacks are inherited from Homebrew, including its refusal to run things under sudo, which can lead to break packages with dependencies.
All in all, Cakebrew solves the problem it was designed for. In this regard, it makes it much easier for most users to manage Homebrew packages. Fortunately, this product is open-source and no cost is involved.
Pros
- Makes it easy to manage command-line applications
- Access to a huge repository of command-line applications
Cons
- Cannot access Homebrew Cask