[FR] homebrew support

[Harmonese]

Feature Request

On macOS, Homebrew is a standard installation method, and not having LaunchNext available there makes setup and updates less convenient (especially for users managing multiple machines or using automation).

Solution you would like

I would love it if the developers can provide an official Homebrew distribution for LaunchNext, so users can install and update it with a single command. Ideally one (or both) of the following:

• Homebrew Cask (GUI app distribution), e.g.:

  brew install --cask launchnext

• Homebrew Formula (CLI tool, if applicable), e.g.:

  brew install launchnext

If the app is distributed as a .dmg or .zip, a cask would be great. It would help if releases include stable URLs and checksums, and versioned GitHub releases (if not already).

Additional context

Homebrew support would make LaunchNext easier to adopt in developer workflows and enterprise setups (automated provisioning, CI machines, reproducible environments). If you can share preferred distribution format (DMG/ZIP/PKG) and release URL patterns, I’m happy to help test a cask and verify install/update behavior.

[RoversX]

#119 (comment)

I would also like to support that, but I can't at the moment. I can't afford Apple's $99 developer membership.

[Harmonese]

#119 (comment)

I would also like to support that, but I can't at the moment. I can't afford Apple's $99 developer membership.

Thanks for the reply! But I would like to clarify that: publishing via Homebrew (including a Cask) doesn’t require Apple’s $99 Developer Program membership.

The $99 membership is mainly needed if you want a smoother Gatekeeper experience (Developer ID signing + notarization), so users can open the app without “unknown developer/quarantine” prompts. Homebrew itself can distribute an unsigned/un-notarized .dmg/.zip just fine, as long as there’s a stable release URL and checksum.

[RoversX]

Thanks for the reply, like I said, in order to upload something to homebrew will becoming harder.

From my understanding, it is becoming harder to distribute an app through Homebrew unless it follows Homebrew’s more recent requirements. I may not be 100% correct on every detail, but that seems to be the overall direction. Homebrew has made it clear that casks that do not have proper codesign/notarize and cannot pass the Gatekeeper check will be deprecated and are planned to be disabled in September 2026.

I also do not think it is a good user experience to require people to enter Terminal commands every time the app is updated.

https://brew.sh/2025/11/12/homebrew-5.0.0/