Find and Inspect Packages with brew search and brew info
Check a package's exact name, description, version, and dependencies before installing it.
Run brew search <term> to find packages and brew info <name> to read its description, version, and dependencies.
01Command
Command
$ brew search ffmpeg && brew info ffmpeg02What it does
brew search matches your term against all formulae and casks and flags which ones are already installed. brew info then shows everything you want before committing: homepage, latest version, dependencies, whether it's a cask or formula, and any caveats that print after install. Skipping this step is how people end up with three similarly named tools when they wanted one.
03Risk
!Warning: Similarly named formulae and casks can behave very differently — always read the description and homepage in brew info. brew info shows the latest available version, not what you currently have installed.
04Undo
✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.
05Sources
- Homebrew Documentation: brew(1) manualEvidence: Documents brew search for querying formulae/casks and brew info for package details before install.
Last verified: 2026-09-18 · Category: Developer