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Last active May 6, 2026 15:05
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[How to Install Homebrew on Debian-based Distros] Steps required to install homebrew on MX Linux (and other Debian-based distros) #linux #debian #mxlinux #homebrew
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how-to-install-homebrew-on-debian-based-distros.md

How to Install Homebrew on Debian-based Distros

Steps required to install Homebrew on MX Linux (and other Debian-based distros)

Steps

  1. Update apt cache and optionally do a full upgrade

     apt update
 apt full-upgrade # optional, reboot if needed

  2. Install build tools

     apt install build-essential procps curl file git

  3. Install homebrew:

     /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

  4. Set brew environment variables

     [ -d /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew ] && eval $(/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin/brew shellenv)
 
 # You most likely want to add the above line to your shell startup file as well.

  5. Make brew doctor happy

     brew doctor
 
 # Ignore the warning about config scripts

  6. Install gcc (as recommended by the installer script)

     brew install gcc
@eabase
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eabase commented May 6, 2026

Unfortunately Homebrew is using a poor choice of install location that is very much against all Linux community standards. It creates a superficial user directory under /home/homebrew/.homebrew.

In all other linux packages known to man, that has never been done before, and should never be done again.
Instead homebrew should go into /opt/homebrew and nowhere else. If you know how to use linux file permissions, this can be easily done with:

sudo install -d -o $USER -g $USER -m 775 /opt/homebrew
chmod o+s homebrew
cd /opt/homebrew

# Getting last TAG from repo
LAST_HOMEBREW_RELEASE=$(git ls-remote --tags -b https://github.com/Homebrew/brew | tail -n 1 | grep -o -E 'refs/tags/[0-9\.]+' | sed 's/refs\/tags\///')
git clone --depth=1 --branch $LAST_HOMEBREW_RELEASE https://github.com/Homebrew/brew /opt/homebrew

# Check Version
./bin/brew --version
# Homebrew 5.1.9

git describe --tags --abbrev=0
# 5.1.9

After this, sudo should never be needed and file permissions will be propagated automatically to new installs and updates.

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