How to install a Homebrew cask

Homebrew casks package macOS applications and desktop artifacts that would otherwise come from browser downloads, disk images, package installers, or ZIP archives. Managing those artifacts with Homebrew keeps them visible to brew list, Brewfiles, and repeatable workstation setup.

A cask token names the item Homebrew installs, such as firefox, vlc, or a font package. Casks differ from formulae because formulae usually install command-line software under the Homebrew prefix, while casks can place app bundles, fonts, preference panes, plugins, or helper binaries in macOS locations.

Homebrew installs app bundles into /Applications by default. Use a cask directory option such as --appdir only when that artifact should land somewhere else, and inspect the cask first because package-based casks can run vendor installers instead of moving a single app bundle.

Related: How to search for Homebrew packages
Related: How to check Homebrew package information
Related: How to install a Homebrew formula
Related: How to install Homebrew packages from a Brewfile

Steps to install a Homebrew cask:

  1. Search for the cask token. 
    $ brew search --casks firefox
firefox
firefox@beta
firefox@cn
firefox@developer-edition
firefox@esr
firefox@nightly
multifirefox

    Use the exact cask token from the search result. Casks with suffixes such as @beta or @nightly install different release channels.

  2. Inspect the cask metadata before installing. 
    $ brew info --cask firefox
==> firefox (Mozilla Firefox): 152.0.4 (auto_updates)
Web browser
https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/
Not installed
From: https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-cask/blob/HEAD/Casks/f/firefox.rb
==> Requirements
Required: macOS
==> Artifacts
Firefox.app (App)
firefox.wrapper.sh -> firefox (Binary)

    Check the description, requirements, auto_updates marker, and artifact list. Some casks install a .pkg package or helper binary instead of only an app bundle.
    Related: How to check Homebrew package information

  3. Install the cask. 
    $ brew install --cask firefox
==> Installing Cask firefox
==> Moving App 'Firefox.app' to '/Applications/Firefox.app'
firefox was successfully installed!

    Homebrew may ask for confirmation before downloading. Add --yes only after reviewing the token and cask metadata. Add --appdir=~/Applications before the token when the app should be installed for the current user instead of /Applications.

  4. Confirm that Homebrew lists the installed cask. 
    $ brew list --cask --versions firefox
firefox 152.0.4
  5. Check the installed app bundle or artifact path. 
    $ ls -ld /Applications/Firefox.app
drwxr-xr-x@ 3 user  staff  96 Jul  2 04:25 /Applications/Firefox.app

    The version number, owner, group, and timestamp vary by machine. For fonts, plugins, or preference panes, check the artifact directory shown by brew info –cask or the directory option used during installation.