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Homebrew Taps

After releasing to GitHub, GitLab, or Gitea, GoReleaser can generate and publish a homebrew-tap recipe into a repository that you have access to.

The brews section specifies how the formula should be created. You can check the Homebrew documentation, and the formula cookbook for more details.

# .goreleaser.yaml
brews:
  -
    # Name of the recipe
    #
    # Default: the project name.
    # Templates: allowed.
    name: myproject

    # Alternative names for the current recipe.
    #
    # Useful if you want to publish a versioned formula as well, so users can
    # more easily downgrade.
    #
    # This feature is only available in GoReleaser Pro.
    # Templates: allowed.
    alternative_names:
      - myproject@{{ .Version }}
      - myproject@{{ .Major }}

    # IDs of the archives to use.
    # Empty means all IDs.
    ids:
      - foo
      - bar

    # Sets the app file within a DMG.
    #
    # This feature is only available in GoReleaser Pro.
    app: MyApp.app

    # GOARM to specify which 32-bit arm version to use if there are multiple
    # versions from the build section. Brew formulas support only one 32-bit
    # version.
    #
    # Default: 6.
    goarm: 6

    # GOAMD64 to specify which amd64 version to use if there are multiple
    # versions from the build section.
    #
    # Default: v1.
    goamd64: v1

    # NOTE: make sure the url_template, the token and given repo (github or
    # gitlab) owner and name are from the same kind.
    # We will probably unify this in the next major version like it is
    # done with scoop.

    # URL which is determined by the given Token (github, gitlab or gitea).
    #
    # Default depends on the client.
    # Templates: allowed.
    url_template: "https://github.mycompany.com/foo/bar/releases/download/{{ .Tag }}/{{ .ArtifactName }}"

    # Headers to include in the `url` stanza.
    # This can be a more modern alternative to `download_strategy` in some
    # cases.
    url_headers:
      - "Accept: application/octet-stream"
      - 'Authorization: bearer #{ENV["HOMEBREW_GITHUB_API_TOKEN"]}'

    # Allows you to set a custom download strategy. Note that you'll need
    # to implement the strategy and add it to your tap repository.
    # Example: https://docs.brew.sh/Formula-Cookbook#specifying-the-download-strategy-explicitly
    download_strategy: CurlDownloadStrategy

    # Allows you to add a custom require_relative at the top of the formula
    # template.
    custom_require: custom_download_strategy

    # Git author used to commit to the repository.
    commit_author:
      name: goreleaserbot
      email: [email protected]

    # The project name and current git tag are used in the format string.
    #
    # Templates: allowed.
    commit_msg_template: "Brew formula update for {{ .ProjectName }} version {{ .Tag }}"

    # Directory inside the repository to put the formula.
    directory: Formula

    # Caveats for the user of your binary.
    caveats: "How to use this binary"

    # Your app's homepage.
    #
    # Default: inferred from global metadata.
    homepage: "https://example.com/"

    # Your app's description.
    #
    # Templates: allowed.
    # Default: inferred from global metadata.
    description: "Software to create fast and easy drum rolls."

    # SPDX identifier of your app's license.
    #
    # Default: inferred from global metadata.
    license: "MIT"

    # Setting this will prevent goreleaser to actually try to commit the updated
    # formula - instead, the formula file will be stored on the dist directory
    # only, leaving the responsibility of publishing it to the user.
    # If set to auto, the release will not be uploaded to the homebrew tap
    # in case there is an indicator for prerelease in the tag e.g. v1.0.0-rc1
    #
    # Templates: allowed.
    skip_upload: true

    # Custom block for brew.
    # Can be used to specify alternate downloads for devel or head releases.
    custom_block: |
      head "https://github.com/some/package.git"
      ...

    # Packages your package depends on.
    dependencies:
      - name: git
        # Allow to specify the OS in which the dependency is required.
        # Valid options are `mac` and `linux`.
        os: mac
      - name: zsh
        type: optional
      - name: fish
        version: v1.2.3
      # if providing both version and type, only the type will be taken into
      # account.
      - name: elvish
        type: optional
        version: v1.2.3


    # Packages that conflict with your package.
    conflicts:
      - svn
      - bash

    # Specify for packages that run as a service.
    plist: |
      <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
      # ...

    # Service block.
    service: |
      run: foo/bar
      # ...

    # So you can `brew test` your formula.
    #
    # Template: allowed
    test: |
      system "#{bin}/foo --version"
      # ...

    # Custom install script for brew.
    #
    # Template: allowed
    # Default: 'bin.install "BinaryName"'.
    install: |
      bin.install "some_other_name"
      bash_completion.install "completions/foo.bash" => "foo"
      # ...

    # Additional install instructions so you don't need to override `install`.
    #
    # Template: allowed
    extra_install: |
      bash_completion.install "completions/foo.bash" => "foo"
      man1.install "man/foo.1.gz"
      # ...

    # Custom post_install script for brew.
    # Could be used to do any additional work after the "install" script
    post_install: |
        etc.install "app-config.conf"
      # ...

    # Repository to push the generated files to.
    repository:
      # Repository owner.
      #
      # Templates: allowed.
      owner: caarlos0

      # Repository name.
      #
      # Templates: allowed.
      name: my-repo

      # Optionally a branch can be provided.
      #
      # Default: default repository branch.
      # Templates: allowed.
      branch: main

      # Optionally a token can be provided, if it differs from the token
      # provided to GoReleaser
      #
      # Templates: allowed.
      token: "{{ .Env.GITHUB_PERSONAL_AUTH_TOKEN }}"

      # Optionally specify if this is a token from another SCM, allowing to
      # cross-publish.
      #
      # Only taken into account if `token` is set.
      #
      # Valid options:
      # - 'github'
      # - 'gitlab'
      # - 'gitea'
      #
      # This feature is only available in GoReleaser Pro.
      token_type: "github"

      # Sets up pull request creation instead of just pushing to the given branch.
      # Make sure the 'branch' property is different from base before enabling
      # it.
      #
      # This might require a personal access token.
      pull_request:
        # Whether to enable it or not.
        enabled: true

        # Whether to open the PR as a draft or not.
        draft: true

        # If the pull request template has checkboxes, enabling this will
        # check all of them.
        #
        # This feature is only available in GoReleaser Pro, and when the pull
        # request is being opened on GitHub.
        check_boxes: true

        # Base can also be another repository, in which case the owner and name
        # above will be used as HEAD, allowing cross-repository pull requests.
        base:
          owner: goreleaser
          name: my-repo
          branch: main

      # Clone, create the file, commit and push, to a regular Git repository.
      #
      # Notice that this will only have any effect if the given URL is not
      # empty.
      git:
        # The Git URL to push.
        #
        # Templates: allowed.
        url: 'ssh://[email protected]:repo.git'

        # The SSH private key that should be used to commit to the Git
        # repository.
        # This can either be a path or the key contents.
        #
        # IMPORTANT: the key must not be password-protected.
        #
        # WARNING: do not expose your private key in the configuration file!
        #
        # Templates: allowed.
        private_key: '{{ .Env.PRIVATE_KEY_PATH }}'

        # The value to be passed to `GIT_SSH_COMMAND`.
        # This is mainly used to specify the SSH private key used to pull/push
        # to the Git URL.
        #
        # Default: 'ssh -i {{ .KeyPath }} -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -F /dev/null'.
        # Templates: allowed.
        ssh_command: 'ssh -i {{ .Env.KEY }} -o SomeOption=yes'

Tip

Discover more about the name template engine.

By defining the brew section, GoReleaser will take care of publishing the Homebrew tap. Assuming that the current tag is v1.2.3, the above configuration will generate a program.rb formula in the Formula directory of user/homebrew-tap repository:

class Program < Formula
  desc "How to use this binary"
  homepage "https://github.com/user/repo"
  version "v1.2.3"

  on_macos do
    url "https://github.com/user/repo/releases/download/v1.2.3/program_v1.2.3_macOs_64bit.zip"
    sha256 "9ee30fc358fae8d248a2d7538957089885da321dca3f09e3296fe2058e7fff74"
  end

  on_linux
    on_intel do
      url "https://github.com/user/repo/releases/download/v1.2.3/program_v1.2.3_Linux_64bit.zip"
      sha256 "b41bebd25fd7bb1a67dc2cd5ee12c9f67073094567fdf7b3871f05fd74a45fdd"
    end
    on_arm do
      if !Hardware::CPU.is_64_bit?
        url "https://github.com/user/repo/releases/download/v1.2.3/program_v1.2.3_Linux_armv7.zip"
        sha256 "78f31239430eaaec01df783e2a3443753a8126c325292ed8ddb1658ddd2b401d"
      end
    end
    on_arm do
      if Hardware::CPU.is_64_bit?
        url "https://github.com/user/repo/releases/download/v1.2.3/program_v1.2.3_Linux_arm64.zip"
        sha256 "97cadca3c3c3f36388a4a601acf878dd356d6275a976bee516798b72bfdbeecf"
      end
    end
  end

  depends_on "git"
  depends_on "zsh" => :optional

  def install
    bin.install "program"
  end

  def post_install
    etc.install "app-config.conf"
  end
end

Info

Note that GoReleaser does not generate a valid homebrew-core formula. The generated formulas are meant to be published as homebrew taps, and in their current form will not be accepted in any of the official homebrew repositories.

Head Formulas

GoReleaser does not generate head formulas for you, as it may be very different from one software to another.

Our suggestion is to create a my-app-head.rb file on your tap following homebrew's documentation.

Versioned formulas

GoReleaser Pro

One or more features are exclusively available with GoReleaser Pro.

GoReleaser can also create a versioned formula. For instance, you might want to make keep previous minor versions available to your users, so they easily downgrade and/or keep using an older version.

To do that, use alternative_names:

# .goreleaser.yaml
brews:
  - name: foo
    alternative_names:
      - "foo@{{ .Major }}.{{ .Minor }}"
    # other fields

So, if you tag v1.2.3, GoReleaser will create and push foo.rb and [email protected].

Later on, you can tag v1.3.0, and then GoReleaser will create and push both foo.rb (thus overriding the previous version) and [email protected]. Your users can then brew install [email protected] to keep using the previous version.

GitHub Actions

To publish a formula from one repository to another using GitHub Actions, you cannot use the default action token. You must use a separate token with content write privileges for the tap repository. You can check the resource not accessible by integration for more information.

Limitations

  • Only one GOARM build is allowed;

Pull Requests

GoReleaser allows you to, instead of pushing directly to the main branch, push to a feature branch, and open a pull requests with the changes.

Templates

GoReleaser will check for a .github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md, and set it in the pull request body if it exists.

We do that to prevent extra work for maintainers of things like winget-pkgs, nixpkgs, and so on.

Cross-repository pull requests

You can also push to a fork, and open the pull request in the original branch.

Here's an example on how to set it up:

# .goreleaser.yml
# ...
something: # can be nix, brews, etc...
  - repository:
      owner: john
      name: repo
      branch: "{{.ProjectName}}-{{.Version}}"
      pull_request:
        enabled: true
        base:
          owner: mike
          name: repo
          branch: main

This will:

  • Try to sync the john/repo fork with mike/repo:main (if on GitHub).
  • Create the files into john/repo, in the branch foo-1.2.3 (assuming ProjectName=foo and Version=1.2.3). 1
  • Open a pull request from john/repo into mike/repo, with the branch main as target. 2

Things that don't work

  • Opening pull requests to a forked repository (go-github does not have the required fields to do it).
  • Since this can fail for a myriad of reasons, if an error happen, it'll log it to the release output, but will not fail the pipeline.

  1. In GitHub's terms, this means head=john:repo:foo-1.2.3 ↩

  2. In GitHub's terms, this means base=mike:repo:main ↩