# Homebrew Scraper - Formulae, Casks & Installs (`scrapesage/homebrew-scraper`) Actor

Search Homebrew formulae and casks or look them up by name: 30/90/365-day install counts, latest version, license, dependencies, homepage and deprecation status. Official API - no key, no browser.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/scrapesage/homebrew-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Scrape Sage](https://apify.com/scrapesage) (community)
- **Categories:** Integrations, Agents
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.55 / 1,000 package scrapeds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Homebrew Scraper - Formulae, Casks & Installs

Search **Homebrew** formulae and casks or look them up by name and get clean rows: **30/90/365-day install
counts**, **latest version**, **license**, **dependencies**, **homepage**, **tap** and **deprecation
status**. Built on the official formulae.brew.sh API - no API key, no browser, no proxy. The whole catalogue
is read in one request and filtered in memory.

### What you get per package

| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `name` / `type` / `fullName` | Name, whether it is a `formula` or `cask`, and the tap-qualified name |
| `description` / `homepage` / `license` | Description, homepage and license (formulae) |
| `version` | Latest stable version |
| `installs30d` / `installs90d` / `installs365d` | Install counts over 30, 90 and 365 days |
| `dependencies` / `buildDependencies` | Runtime and build-time dependencies |
| `hasBottle` / `kegOnly` | Precompiled-bottle and keg-only flags (formulae) |
| `displayName` / `autoUpdates` | Display name and self-update flag (casks) |
| `deprecated` / `disabled` / `deprecationReason` / `tap` / `url` | Lifecycle status, tap and the brew page |

### Input

```json
{ "searchQueries": ["database", "kubernetes"], "maxItemsPerQuery": 50 }
```

- **Search terms** - matched against name and description, one per line (e.g. `database`, `video`).
- **Package names** - fetch exact formulae/casks (e.g. `wget`, `node`, `google-chrome`).
- **Include casks** - set `includeCasks` to also search macOS GUI apps (google-chrome, docker), not just command-line formulae.
- **Import from a file** - paste a list, or link a public `.txt`/`.csv`, a Google Sheet/Drive link, or an Apify key-value-store record.
- **Output fields** - trim every record to exactly the columns you need.

Leave everything empty and the run returns the **most-installed formulae** as a free sample.

### Reliability

Reads the **official formulae.brew.sh JSON API** - static CDN files, so there is no rate limit, no key, no
proxy and no anti-bot. The catalogue is downloaded once per run and filtered locally. Results are ranked by
30-day installs. An empty search or an unreadable import bills **$0** and says why.

### Honest limits

- **`displayName` and `autoUpdates` are cask fields** - null for formulae; populated when `includeCasks` is on.
- **`deprecationReason` is set only for deprecated packages** - the `deprecated` flag is always present.
- **`dependencies` / `buildDependencies` are empty when the formula has none** - an empty array is a real value.
- **Install counts are Homebrew's own anonymous analytics** (opt-in telemetry), covering 30/90/365-day windows.

### Pricing

**$0.001 per package** on the FREE tier (tiered pricing lowers it with volume). Only packages actually saved
are billed; empty searches and unreadable imports cost nothing.

### Output views

- **Packages** - name, type, description, version, 30-day installs and homepage.

### Use with AI assistants (MCP)

Available through the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp) - an agent can find
the most-installed tool for a task, compare install trends across alternatives, or enrich a list of package
names with versions and dependencies in one call.

### Agent-ready: autonomous payments (x402 & Skyfire)

This actor is **agent-ready** - AI agents can discover it, run it, and **pay for it autonomously**, with no Apify account and no human in the loop. It uses [pay-per-event](https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/publishing/monetize/pay-per-event) pricing and [limited permissions](https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/development/permissions), so it qualifies for Apify's agentic-payment standards:

- **[x402](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/x402)** - an open, HTTP-native payment protocol. Agents pay per run in USDC on the Base network directly through the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp) - no account, no API key.
- **[Skyfire](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/skyfire)** - agent-to-service payments for fully autonomous AI-agent workflows.

Building an AI agent, MCP tool, or autonomous data pipeline? This scraper is ready to plug in and pay as it goes.

# Actor input Schema

## `searchQueries` (type: `array`):

Terms to match against formula/cask name and description, one per line - e.g. <code>database</code>, <code>video</code>, <code>kubernetes</code>. <b>Leave empty and the run returns the most-installed formulae as a free sample.</b>

## `packageNames` (type: `array`):

Specific formulae or casks to fetch exactly, one per line - e.g. <code>wget</code>, <code>node</code>, <code>google-chrome</code>.

## `includeCasks` (type: `boolean`):

Also search casks (macOS GUI apps like google-chrome, docker), not just formulae (command-line tools).

## `searchQueriesFromFile` (type: `string`):

Bulk-load search terms. Either <b>paste the whole list</b> (one per line), or give <b>a single link</b> to a public <code>.txt</code>/<code>.csv</code>, a Google Sheet/Drive link, or an Apify key-value-store record. A file that cannot be read says so and charges nothing.

## `maxItemsPerQuery` (type: `integer`):

How many packages to collect for each search term (ranked by 30-day installs).

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Overall cap across all searches and names. You are only charged for packages actually saved.

## `outputFields` (type: `array`):

Pick the fields you want and every record is trimmed to exactly those - handy for lean CSV/Sheets exports.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchQueries": [
    "database"
  ],
  "includeCasks": false,
  "maxItemsPerQuery": 50,
  "maxItems": 1000
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Each scraped record - a Homebrew formula or cask with install counts, version and dependencies - as a JSON item in the default dataset.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "searchQueries": [
        "database"
    ],
    "searchQueriesFromFile": ""
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("scrapesage/homebrew-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "searchQueries": ["database"],
    "searchQueriesFromFile": "",
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("scrapesage/homebrew-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "searchQueries": [
    "database"
  ],
  "searchQueriesFromFile": ""
}' |
apify call scrapesage/homebrew-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,scrapesage/homebrew-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/SHdhLdUga6fFSriJ6/builds/DcSepLS7BgiBGhLwu/openapi.json