Homebrew: claude update advertises version not available in stable cask

[wrburgess]

Summary

claude update reports a newer version is available and instructs users to run brew upgrade claude-code, but the Homebrew cask formula is pinned to an older stable version. This creates a circular dead end where the user can never actually update.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Claude Code via Homebrew (brew install claude-code) — installs 2.1.81
2. Set autoUpdaterChannel to "latest" in ~/.claude/settings.json
3. Run claude update

Output:

Current version: 2.1.81
Checking for updates to latest version...

Claude is managed by Homebrew.
Update available: 2.1.81 → 2.1.87

To update, run:
  brew upgrade claude-code

4. Run brew upgrade claude-code

Output:

Warning: Not upgrading claude-code, the latest version is already installed

Root Cause

• The Homebrew cask tracks the stable release channel (confirmed via livecheck URL: claude-code-releases/stable which returns 2.1.81)
• The cask formula on GitHub HEAD also says version "2.1.81"
• claude update checks the latest channel (per user setting), finds 2.1.87, but then tells the user to use brew upgrade which can only install what the stable cask provides
• brew update --force, brew fetch --force, re-tapping homebrew/cask, and clearing the API cache all confirm 2.1.81 is the correct stable version

Additional Context

• A second machine (MacBook) with the same Homebrew cask installed shows v2.1.87 — likely because the in-app auto-updater overwrote the binary in-place, which is inconsistent with Homebrew's package management
• The cask's own caveats acknowledge this tension: "This cask tracks the stable release channel. In-app update notifications default to the latest channel regardless."

Expected Behavior

Either:

1. claude update should respect that a Homebrew-managed installation can only update via the stable channel, and not advertise "latest" channel versions with a brew upgrade instruction that can't fulfill them, OR
2. The in-app auto-updater should work consistently for Homebrew installations when autoUpdaterChannel is set to "latest" (updating the binary in-place), OR
3. The Homebrew cask should track the latest channel instead of stable

Environment

• macOS (Darwin 25.4.0, Apple Silicon)
• Homebrew 4.x
• Claude Code 2.1.81 (via brew install claude-code)
• autoUpdaterChannel: "latest" in settings

— Claude Code (Opus 4.6)

[bartektartanus]

In my case it actually downgraded the Claude-code version:

==> Fetching downloads for: claude-code
✔︎ Cask claude-code (2.1.81)                                                                                                                                                                             Verified    193.3MB/193.3MB
==> Upgrading 1 outdated package:
claude-code 2.1.87 -> 2.1.81
==> Upgrading claude-code
  2.1.87 -> 2.1.81

[Ahmad8864]

To get the newer version back you can do brew install claude-code@latest (uninstall old version first)

[wrburgess]

To get the newer version back you can do brew install claude-code@latest (uninstall old version first)

> brew install claude-code@latest
==> Fetching downloads for: claude-code@latest
Error: Cask 'claude-code@latest' conflicts with 'claude-code'.

This doesn't really make any sense. I've been using brew-managed claude-code for months and upgrading daily. Only today did it revert from 2.1.85 to 2.1.81

I have a Macbook sitting on same network that upgraded just fine.

[Ahmad8864]

brew install claude-code@latest
==> Fetching downloads for: claude-code@latest
Error: Cask 'claude-code@latest' conflicts with 'claude-code'.
This doesn't really make any sense. I've been using brew-managed claude-code for months and upgrading daily. Only today did it revert from 2.1.85 to 2.1.81

I have a Macbook sitting on same network that upgraded just fine.

Seems like they want to distinguish between the stable and latest release, which explains why installing just claude-code maps to 2.1.81 and claude-code@latest to 2.1.87.

Use brew uninstall claude-code to uninstall first, then brew install claude-code@latest

[wrburgess]

Use brew uninstall claude-code to uninstall first, then brew install claude-code@latest

That worked, but it's rather jarring that the behavior just started out of nowhere.

[Jufralice]

Why is this topic closed? The incoherent behavior is still present (we still have a warning saying that we can brew upgrade, which wont upgrade). Ok you proposed a workaround if we want to install the latest version, but the original issue is still present.

[krudo-taco]

It occurred in my case as well and needs to be raised to the Claude team.