This script automates Homebrew maintenance on macOS

brew-update.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2019–2025 dzogrim <[email protected]>
#
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# brew-update.sh — Homebrew Maintenance Tool for macOS
#
# This script automates Homebrew maintenance on macOS:
#   - Updates the package index (brew update)
#   - Lists and upgrades outdated packages (brew upgrade)
#   - Fixes permissions on "/opt/homebrew/Cellar" if needed
#   - Cleans up outdated and unlinked versions (brew cleanup -s)
#   - Optionally runs 'brew doctor' (with HELP argument)
#
# Features:
#   - macOS-only safeguard
#   - Avoids root execution
#   - Lock mechanism to prevent concurrent runs
#   - Minimal, reliable output
#
# Usage:
#   ./brew-update.sh         # Run normal update & cleanup
#   ./brew-update.sh HELP    # Run and also perform 'brew doctor'
#
# Requirements:
#   - Homebrew installed
#   - 'lockfile' utility available
# Optional:
#   - brew_conf_export.sh    # To run and also perform a brew bundle in Dropbox
#
# License: MIT
VERSION="0.6 (2025-07-23)"
# Author: dzogrim <[email protected]>
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

set -euo pipefail

# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Configuration
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME="$(basename "$0")"
LOCK="/tmp/${NAME}.lock"
DOCTOR=0

BREW_BIN="$(command -v brew)"
CELLAR_DIR="$("${BREW_BIN}" --cellar)"

# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Colors
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

cRST='\033[0m'
cRed='\033[31;1m'
cGreen='\033[32;1m'
cYellow='\033[33;1m'

# Ensure the script is running on macOS only.
if [[ "$(uname)" != "Darwin" ]]; then
  # shellcheck disable=SC2059
  printf "\n${cRed}Error:${cRST} This program is intended for macOS only. Exiting.\n"
  exit 1
fi

log()   { printf " ${cGreen}*${cRST} %s\n" "$@"; }
warn()  { printf " ${cYellow}!${cRST} %s\n" "$@" >&2; }
error() { printf " ${cRed}✘ [ERROR]${cRST} %s\n" "$@" >&2; exit 1; }
version() { echo "$NAME v$VERSION"; exit 0; }

# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Lock + Checks
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

check_requirements() {
  command -v lockfile >/dev/null || error "lockfile is required."
  command -v brew >/dev/null || error "Homebrew is not installed."
  [[ "$(id -u)" -ne 0 ]] || error "Do not run as root."
}

acquire_lock() {
  lockfile -r 0 "$LOCK" || error "Another instance is running."
  trap 'rm -f "$LOCK"' EXIT
}

# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Operations
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

fix_cellar_permissions() {
  if [ ! -w "$CELLAR_DIR" ]; then
    warn "Cellar is not writable. Attempting fix..."
    sudo chown -R "$(whoami)" "$CELLAR_DIR" || error "Failed to fix permissions."
  fi
}

update_brew() {
  log "Updating Homebrew..."
  "$BREW_BIN" update
}

upgrade_brew() {
  log "Listing outdated formulas..."
  "$BREW_BIN" outdated || true
  log "Upgrading formulas..."
  "$BREW_BIN" upgrade
}

cleanup_brew() {
  log "Cleaning up old versions..."
  fix_cellar_permissions
  "$BREW_BIN" cleanup -s
}

doctor_report() {
  if [[ "$DOCTOR" -eq 1 ]]; then
    log "Running brew doctor..."
    "$BREW_BIN" doctor || warn "brew doctor reported issues."
  fi
}

ask_backup_config() {
  if command -v brew_conf_export.sh >/dev/null; then
    echo ""
    read -r -t 30 -p "Do you want to backup the configuration with brew_conf_export.sh? [y/N] " choice || choice="n"
    case "$choice" in
      [yY][eE][sS]|[yY])
        log "Launching brew_conf_export.sh..."
        brew_conf_export.sh
        ;;
      *)
        echo ""
        warn "Skipping configuration backup."
        ;;
    esac
  else
    warn "brew_conf_export.sh not found in PATH — skipping backup."
  fi
}
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Main
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

usage() {
  echo "Usage: $NAME [APPLY|HELP|-h|-v]"
  echo "  -h    → display usage"
  echo "  -v    → display version"
  echo "  APPLY → simply runs the program (default)"
  echo "  HELP  → also run 'brew doctor' at the end"
  exit 1
}

main() {
  [[ "${1:-}" == "-v" ]] && version
  [[ "${1:-}" == "-h" || $# -gt 1 ]] && usage
  [[ "${1:-}" == "APPLY" ]] && DOCTOR=0
  [[ "${1:-}" == "HELP" ]] && DOCTOR=1

  check_requirements
  acquire_lock

  update_brew
  upgrade_brew
  cleanup_brew

  ask_backup_config

  doctor_report
}

main "$@"