Using brew update, brew upgrade, and brew cleanup when installing, uninstalling and updating packages

[jsx97]

Output of brew config

HOMEBREW_VERSION: 4.1.21
ORIGIN: https://github.com/Homebrew/brew
HEAD: ad1bb178d4a478840c4524063ac5cd52d8667d25
Last commit: 3 months ago
Core tap JSON: 23 Nov 15:31 UTC
HOMEBREW_PREFIX: /opt/homebrew
HOMEBREW_CASK_OPTS: []
HOMEBREW_MAKE_JOBS: 10
Homebrew Ruby: 2.6.10 => /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.6/usr/bin/ruby
CPU: 10-core 64-bit arm_firestorm_icestorm
Clang: 15.0.0 build 1500
Git: 2.39.3 => /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/bin/git
Curl: 8.4.0 => /usr/bin/curl
macOS: 14.2.1-arm64
CLT: 15.1.0.0.1.1700200546
Xcode: 15.1
Rosetta 2: false

Output of brew doctor

Your system is ready to brew.

Description of issue

I was told by one guy that it is best to use brew update, brew upgrade and brew cleanup as often as possible. That is, that ...

• ... the most safe and clean way to install a package is

  brew update
  brew upgrade
  brew install foo
  brew cleanup
  

• ... the most safe and clean way to uninstall a package is

  brew update
  brew upgrade
  brew uninstall --ignore-dependencies foo
  brew cleanup
  

• and the most safe and clean way to update a package is

  brew update
  brew upgrade foo
  brew cleanup
  

Is it really so?

[SMillerDev]

Is it really so?

Not really, a couple of notes:

it is best to use brew update, brew upgrade and brew cleanup as often as possible.

This, for the most part, is true. Homebrew works best when it is updated often. Personally I run brew upgrade once a day or so to make sure I have all the latest updates of software for security and possibly new features.
The brew cleanup isn't needed as often but it won't hurt to run to clean up some old files. The brew update is already run by brew upgrade in modern brew, so that one is redundant.

... the most safe and clean way to uninstall a package is

This one passes --ignore-dependencies which you probably don't want to do, since it will ignore any warnings about other tools that need the package you're removing.

[jsx97]

This one passes --ignore-dependencies which you probably don't want to do, since it will ignore any warnings about other tools that need the package you're removing.

My intent is to uninstall a package without uninstalling its dependencies, because its dependencies might be used by some other packages.

Dependencies: You can prevent Homebrew from uninstalling package dependencies using the --ignore-dependencies option. You may want to use this option when uninstalling a package that introduces a lot of dependencies that may be used by other packages. You may want to use this option when removing packages such as Ruby, Python, and Node JS. I personally don't use this option and prefer to have a clean state.

$ brew uninstall --ignore-dependencies postgresql

Source: https://www.jdeen.com/blog/uninstalling-packages-installed-with-homebrew

So it seems this option makes the process of uninstallation more safe, not less. Or maybe I don't really understand something?

[gromgit]

My intent is to uninstall a package without uninstalling its dependencies, because its dependencies might be used by some other packages.

Unless something's radically changed during my long Homebrew hiatus, Homebrew has never auto-uninstalled a formula's dependencies. @SMillerDev is talking about breaking installed formulae that depend on the formula you're currently uninstalling. Passing --ignore-dependencies allows that to happen, which will cause you grief down the line.

[jsx97]

So in other words you mean that using --ignore-dependencies when uninstalling a package is generally a bad idea? (Sorry, English is a second language for me, nor I'm familiar with Homebrew terminology either.)

[SMillerDev]

Yes, here is an example of two flows:

• You install check-jsonschema, which depends on python@3.12
• You run brew uninstall python@3.12
• Brew stops you with an error since that would break check-jsonschema

Or your case:

• You install check-jsonschema, which depends on python@3.12
• You run brew uninstall --ignore-dependencies python@3.12
• Brew ignores the dependencies of python@3.12 and uninstalls it breaking check-jsonschema

[jsx97]

@SMillerDev Thanks a lot. So, from the blog post above I was sure that using --ignore-dependencies is to prevent such cases, but it seems that in fact the things are completely opposite?

[gromgit]

Yes. The author of that article is completely wrong in this regard.