brew-list

List all installed formulae and casks

$ brew [[ls|list]]

$ brew [[ls|list]] [formula]

$ brew [[ls|list]] [cask]

$ brew [[ls|list]] --formula

$ brew [[ls|list]] --cask

$ brew [[ls|list]] --pinned

brew list [options] [formula|cask ...]

-1, --one-per-line
    Force one entry per line, default when piping or redirecting.

--formula, -f
    List only formulae (command-line packages).

--cask
    List only casks (GUI apps).

--quiet, -q
    List only names, omit descriptions/summaries.

--verbose, -v
    List with full installation paths.

--versions
    Show all installed versions of each formula.

The brew list command is a key utility in Homebrew, the popular package manager originally for macOS but also available on Linux via Linuxbrew or Homebrew on Linux. It displays a list of all installed formulae (command-line packages) and casks (GUI applications), providing a quick overview of your system's Homebrew-managed software.

Without arguments, it shows installed formulae sorted alphabetically, including brief descriptions. This helps users track dependencies, identify outdated packages, or verify installations. On Linux, where Homebrew emulates macOS-like package management, it lists bottles (pre-compiled binaries) or source-built formulae.

Options allow customization: filter by formulae only (--formula), casks only (--cask), or specific packages. Verbose mode reveals full paths, versions show installed variants, and quiet mode strips descriptions for scripting. Output defaults to multi-column for terminals but switches to one-per-line when piped, ensuring compatibility.

Ideal for maintenance tasks like auditing installations before upgrades with brew upgrade or cleanup via brew cleanup. Note that on Linux, Homebrew installs to $HOME/.linuxbrew by default, isolating it from system packages like those from apt or yum.

On Linux, Homebrew is experimental; prefers bottles but may build from source. Does not list pinned formulae separately.

brew list # All installed formulae
brew list --cask # Only casks
brew list git # Specific formula details
brew list --versions # Multi-version installs

Descriptions from formula metadata; multi-column by default in interactive terminals.

Homebrew launched in 2009 by Max Howell for macOS. Linux support added via Linuxbrew (2014, now merged) for portable package management.

brew info(1), brew search(1), dpkg-query(1), rpm(8), pacman(8)