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What is homebrew-taps?

patthemav/homebrew-taps — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-18 · repo last pushed 2018-10-19

RubyAudience · developerComplexity · 1/5DormantSetup · easy

In one sentence

A Homebrew tap that lets Mac users install and update MacPaw's encrypto-cli file encryption tool via the terminal instead of a graphical app.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Homebrew tap
      Installs encrypto-cli
      Keeps tool updated
      Terminal based
    Tech stack
      Ruby
      Homebrew
    Use cases
      Encrypt files quickly
      Automate encryption
      Secure client data
    Audience
      Mac developers
      Terminal users

Code map

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Install encrypto-cli with a single Homebrew command instead of downloading a graphical app.

USE CASE 2

Encrypt sensitive documents or backups directly from the terminal.

USE CASE 3

Automate file encryption as part of a development or backup workflow.

USE CASE 4

Keep encrypto-cli updated automatically through Homebrew's update mechanism.

What is it built with?

RubyHomebrew

How does it compare?

patthemav/homebrew-taps100rabhg/masterdetailapp100rabhg/pizzafactroy
LanguageRubyRubyRuby
Last pushed2018-10-192024-02-202025-01-26
MaintenanceDormantDormantStale
Setup difficultyeasymoderatemoderate
Complexity1/52/53/5
Audiencedeveloperdeveloperpm founder

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Repo only configures the Homebrew tap, encrypto-cli's own features aren't documented here.

So what is it?

This repository is a Homebrew tap, think of it as a custom app store for macOS. It makes it easy for Mac users to install and keep updated a tool called encrypto-cli, which is a command-line version of MacPaw's Encrypto software for securing files. Homebrew is a popular package manager for Mac that lets you install software using simple commands in the Terminal, similar to how you'd install apps on your phone. Most apps come from Homebrew's default collection, but anyone can create a "tap" (a custom repository) to distribute their own tools. This tap is MacPaw's way of offering encrypto-cli directly to users who prefer installing software this way. Instead of downloading and dragging files around, a Mac user can just type a command and have the encryption tool ready to go. Mac users and developers who work with files and need encryption would benefit from this. For example, someone managing sensitive documents, backing up personal data, or handling client confidentiality in a development workflow could use encrypto-cli to quickly encrypt files from the command line without opening a graphical app. It's especially useful for people who already live in the Terminal and want to automate encryption as part of their workflow. The repository itself is fairly minimal, it's mostly setup and configuration to tell Homebrew how to find, install, and update the encrypto-cli tool. The README doesn't go into detail about what encrypto-cli itself does beyond the package name, so if you wanted to know more about the tool's features, you'd look elsewhere.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Help me add this Homebrew tap and install encrypto-cli on my Mac.
Prompt 2
Show me the terminal commands to encrypt a file using encrypto-cli after installing this tap.
Prompt 3
Explain how a Homebrew tap like this one tells Homebrew where to find and update a tool.
Prompt 4
Walk me through automating file encryption with encrypto-cli in a backup script.

Frequently asked questions

What is homebrew-taps?

A Homebrew tap that lets Mac users install and update MacPaw's encrypto-cli file encryption tool via the terminal instead of a graphical app.

What language is homebrew-taps written in?

Mainly Ruby. The stack also includes Ruby, Homebrew.

Is homebrew-taps actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2018-10-19).

How hard is homebrew-taps to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is homebrew-taps for?

Mainly developer.

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