Homebrew Formulae Scraper: Homebrew formula metadata and installs

Homebrew Formulae Scraper reads structured data and writes formula metadata, cask records, and install counts. No setup required, and no proxy needed by default. You get a clean dataset you can export as JSON, CSV, or Excel.

The scraper handles formula details, cask records, and install analytics for 30, 90, or 365 days.

Use cases

• Mac fleet inventory: pull wget, openssl@3, and the rest of a formula list on a schedule and keep versions next to your setup
• Cask tracking: record Firefox and other cask tokens, homepages, and versions without opening a browser
• Install ranking: export the popular install list, capped, for a spreadsheet
• Dependency notes: keep the dependency names that come back on a formula payload
• Quiet failures: a missing name becomes one error row with the details, and the run continues

What data does this actor extract?

Each success row uses the fields below. Analytics rows fill name and install_30d. Formula and cask rows fill the metadata fields and leave install_30d empty.

{
    "name": "wget",
    "desc": "Internet file retriever",
    "license": "GPL-3.0-or-later",
    "homepage": "https://www.gnu.org/software/wget/",
    "version_stable": "1.25.0",
    "tap": "homebrew/core",
    "dependencies": ["libidn2", "libpsl"],
    "install_30d": null,
    "deprecated": false,
    "scraped_at": "2026-10-12T00:00:00+00:00"
}

Field	Type	Description
name	string	Formula name, cask token, or analytics formula name
desc	string	Description from the formula or cask payload
license	string	License string when the payload includes one
homepage	string	Project homepage
version_stable	string	Stable version on a formula, or version on a cask
tap	string	Tap such as homebrew/core or homebrew/cask
dependencies	array	Dependency names from the formula payload
install_30d	integer	Install count from analytics items, commas removed
deprecated	boolean	True when deprecated, otherwise false
scraped_at	string	UTC timestamp when the row was built

Error rows use error, url, status, and message

Input

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
mode	string	formula	Formula, cask, or install analytics mode
formulae	array	wget	Formula names, one per line
casks	array	firefox	Cask tokens, one per line
period	string	30d	30d, 90d, or 365d for analytics
requestDelaySecs	number	1	Pause before each request
userAgent	string	BigiByteActorResearch/1.0	Contact string sent as User-Agent
timeoutSecs	integer	300	Stop the run after this many seconds
requestTimeoutSecs	integer	30	Per-request timeout
proxyConfiguration	object	{"useApifyProxy": false}	Optional proxy. Off unless you turn it on

Example input

{
    "mode": "formula",
    "formulae": ["wget"],
    "requestDelaySecs": 1,
    "timeoutSecs": 300,
    "requestTimeoutSecs": 30,
    "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false }
}

Analytics example: set mode to analytics and period to 30d. The actor pulls the install analytics list, keeps the first formulae, and parses install counts into integers.

How it works

1. Send requests one at a time with your user agent, waiting the specified delay between calls.
2. On temporary server errors, retry up to five times with intelligent backoff intervals.
3. Drop duplicate names in the same run and push rows in convenient batches. Missing or invalid names result in a clean error row without stopping the entire run.

Pricing and Usage Limits

The actor is free to run on Apify aside from normal platform usage. There are no key requirements or hidden subscription fees to worry about.

FAQ

Do I need any special setup or keys to run this?

No. Everything works out of the box. Leave the proxy off unless you have a specific routing reason to turn it on.

What happens if a formula name is incorrect?

You get one error row with the request URL, status 404, and a descriptive message. The run keeps going.

Can I export CSV?

Yes. Apify datasets export cleanly to JSON, CSV, and Excel.

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Related Tools

If you plan to map or join these rows, a geocoding pass or a quick CSV cleanup are the usual next steps. BigiByte also builds scrapers for other open-data portals when you need them as a separate job.

Need another city's open data, a scheduled monitor, or a custom pipeline? BigiByte builds custom scrapers and APIs: https://bigibyte.com

Trademark Notice

Homebrew Formulae and related names, logos, and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Their use in this documentation is solely to identify the scope of the data and does not imply affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement, or partnership.

Disclaimer

This actor is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or otherwise officially associated with Homebrew Formulae or its owners. All data is collected from publicly available feeds. Users are responsible for complying with any applicable terms and usage guidelines.

Is web scraping legal?

This actor only collects publicly available data without logging in or bypassing any access controls. Scraping public data is generally legal, but how you use it matters:

• Personal data: If the results include personal data, laws such as the GDPR in the EU and the CCPA in California may apply. Only collect and store personal data when you have a legitimate reason.
• Copyright: Some content (articles, images, descriptions) may be protected by copyright. Do not republish full copyrighted content without permission.
• Terms of use: Respect source terms and stated rate limits.
• Legal advice: This is general information, not legal advice. If you're unsure, consult a lawyer.

To learn more, read Apify's guide: Is web scraping legal?