How to Use Homebrew Across Multiple Users on MacOS

Have you ever tried to use Homebrew on your Mac with multiple admin users, only to run into frustrating permission errors? I've been there, and I'll show you the smart way to handle this situation.

Here's the thing: Homebrew isn't designed for multiple users out of the box. If you're an admin user trying to run basic commands like brew --version, you might see this cryptic message:

Homebrew >=4.3.0 (shallow or no git repository)

And when you try to install something? It gets worse. Try running brew install node and you'll face a wall of permission errors.

Your first instinct might be to change ownership of Homebrew directories. While this works temporarily, it's not the right approach. Why? Because:

You'll need to repeat this process for every new user
It creates potential security risks
It's just plain messy

Instead of fighting with permissions, let's set up a clean, maintainable solution.

The key is to:

Designate one user as the Homebrew manager
Let other users run Homebrew through this manager

Here's how to do it right. Just add this snippet to your ~/.zshrc file:

source <(brew shellenv)
brew_installer=$(stat -f "%Su" $HOMEBREW_PREFIX)
if [[ $(whoami) != $brew_installer ]]; then
  alias brew="sudo -Hu '$brew_installer' brew"
fi
unset brew_installer

That's it! This elegant solution will:

Automatically detect who owns the Homebrew installation
Create an alias that runs Homebrew commands as the owner
Work seamlessly for all admin users

This approach is better because:

You maintain clear ownership of Homebrew installations
There's no need to mess with directory permissions
It's a one-time setup that works for all users

Conclusion

Using Homebrew across multiple users doesn't have to be complicated. With the solution outlined above, you can maintain a clean, secure, and hassle-free setup that works for everyone. Just remember: one installation, one owner, and zero headaches.