top button
Flag Notify
    Connect to us
      Site Registration

Site Registration

What is the best way to install various open-source packages on a Mac?

+2 votes
363 views

For many years, I used nothing but various flavours of linux (most recently, Linux Mint). I was so used to installing stuff using package managers (apt-get and yum). It was so easy, for example, to get the LAMP stack up and running.

I recently switched to a Mac, and I suddenly miss the familiar apt-get. Some packages come as .pkg, others as .dmg and lots without any package (for example, apache or php). For these, I have to use pseudo package managers such as Macports or Homebrew.

My question is: which is the best way to install various open-source packages on a Mac?

posted Jun 8, 2015 by anonymous

Share this question
Facebook Share Button Twitter Share Button LinkedIn Share Button

1 Answer

+1 vote

Though its true that MAC does not have commands like apt-get or yum but MAC has its way out to install opensource or UNIX utilities. The easiest way to install is via a package manager which come in the form of Homebrew (https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew )

Other available is options are MacPorts (https://www.macports.org ) and Fink (http://www.finkproject.org )

answer Jun 8, 2015 by Luv Kumar
I am currently using macports, but someone suggested that Homebrew is better. But why is it better and would you recommend it?
I googled for it and found this link,
http://tedwise.com/2010/08/28/homebrew-vs-macports

Here is the summary -
The major benefits of Homebrew over MacPorts are simplicity, lack of intrusiveness, and speed. Homebrew’s recipes try very hard to use the existing tools and libraries in OS/X, so they tend to build much faster and require fewer dependent libraries. The recipes themselves are Ruby scripts and are small, simple to understand and easy to create and modify. But, honestly, if all you want is to install wget and newer versions of git and other open source tools, you’ll never need to look at or understand Homebrew’s recipes. Just brew install wget, brew install git and be happy.
Similar Questions
+1 vote

I want to get rid of mac os x but it seem the mac os firmware are not compatible with current linux? So I have to keep the mac os partition and mac os.
Is there anyone who managed to remove mac os x entirely and will 16.04 be able to do this?

+1 vote

I'd like to install ALL Python packages on my machine. Even if it takes up 4-5GB, or more, I'd like to get everything, and then use it when I need it. Now, I'd like to import packages, like numpy and pandas, but nothing will install. I figure, if I can just install everything, I can simply use it when I need it, and if I don't need it, then I just won't use it.

I know R offers this as an option. I figure Python must allow it too.

Any idea how to grab everything?

+1 vote

I've been developing with python for a while on Ubuntu but will soon be transitioning to full-time python development. I have the option of using a Mac or Ubuntu environment and I'd like to hear any thoughts on the pros and cons of each. Specifically, how's the support for numpy and scipy? How are the IDEs?

Since I generally like working with a Mac, I'd like to hear if there are any significant downsides to python dev on OsX.

...