Homebrew GUI: install, update, and uninstall apps

This article was first published on the LIZHI.SHOP WeChat official account (shumalizhi) on 2024/03/18 and has since been synced with minor adjustments.

Mention the Mac App Store and you get a real love-hate relationship. Installing and managing the apps inside it is remarkably convenient, but plenty of everyday apps simply can't be found there, or are offered only as a stripped-down version.

To manage these third-party apps in one place, many Mac users turn to package managers like Homebrew.

The catch is that Homebrew is essentially a command-line tool. You have to type commands by hand to install, uninstall, or update apps, which puts off plenty of beginners — it's nowhere near as intuitive as the App Store.

Don't worry! Today I'd like to recommend a clean, graphical front end for Homebrew: Applite. Built on top of your existing Homebrew installation, it lets you manage third-party apps more intuitively, much like an app store — a graphical Homebrew option that's better suited to ordinary users.

Handpicked quality apps

Applite offers several categories — browsers, chat, productivity, development, creative tools, and more — and displays a curated selection of relatively high-quality apps.

▲ Home page recommendations

▲ Productivity tools

▲ Menu bar tools

I was also pleasantly surprised to find that several apps LIZHI.SHOP sells are in the curated list! Bartender, CleanShot, HazeOver… which says something about how carefully we choose what we carry. If you're looking for apps with clearer provenance and a more consistent reputation, you can also stop by the LIZHI.SHOP software store.

Is that all you can see? Of course not. You can quickly search for the app you want to download — anything in Homebrew casks can be found here.

Compared with the command-line brew search command, this app shows you app icons and descriptions, so it's more intuitive and easier to find the app you need.

▲ Command-line results

App management

Applite also inherits Homebrew's strengths: just like the App Store, you can efficiently check whether apps have updates without opening each one.

Apps you've already installed through Homebrew are listed together in Applite, and uninstalling them is easy too. For users who want solid Mac app management without constantly typing commands, this approach saves a lot of hassle.

Download and try it

If you'd like to try it too (macOS 13 or later required), head to the official website to download and install it, or install it quickly through Homebrew:

Homebrew: brew install --cask applite

Official website: https://aerolite.dev/applite/index.html

If you really want to use it but don't know how to install Homebrew, don't worry — Applite will guide you through the installation.

You don't have to memorize commands to install and manage apps more efficiently; if you also care about genuine software, licensing information, and transparent sourcing, verifiable channels like the LIZHI.SHOP software store are worth bookmarking too.