How to Run the brew upgrade Command on macOS Every Day

Date: Aug 26, 2023

The brew upgrade command is a useful tool for updating and upgrading packages on your macOS system. However, remembering to run this command manually every day can be a hassle. Fortunately, there are two different ways to automate this process so that the command runs automatically at the same time every day.

Method 1: Using `cron`

The first method involves using cron, a Unix-based scheduling tool that is included with macOS. Here’s how to set up a cron job to run the brew upgrade command every day:

Open Terminal on your Mac. You can find Terminal in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder.
Type crontab -e and hit Enter to open the crontab editor.
If this is your first time using cron, you may be prompted to choose a text editor. Select your preferred text editor (e.g. nano, vim, emacs).
In the crontab editor, add the following line to schedule the brew upgrade command to run every day at 8am:
```
0 8 * * * /usr/local/bin/brew upgrade
```
Save and close the crontab editor.
Cron will now run brew upgrade automatically at 8am every day. You can check that the job is scheduled by typing crontab -l in Terminal to list the contents of your crontab.

Note: Make sure that /usr/local/bin is the correct path to your brew command. You can check this by typing which brew in Terminal. If the path is different, replace /usr/local/bin in the cron command with the correct path.

Method 2: Using `launchd`

The second method involves using launchd, a macOS tool that can be used to run background jobs at specific times or intervals. Here’s how to set up a launchd job to run the brew upgrade command every day:

Open a text editor and create a new file.

Add the following XML code to the file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN"
 "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
 <key>Label</key>
 <string>com.example.brewupgrade</string>
 <key>ProgramArguments</key>
 <array>
  <string>/usr/local/bin/brew</string>
  <string>upgrade</string>
 </array>
 <key>StartCalendarInterval</key>
 <dict>
  <key>Hour</key>
  <integer>8</integer>
  <key>Minute</key>
  <integer>0</integer>
 </dict>
</dict>
</plist>

This code defines a launchd job with a label of com.example.brewupgrade that runs the brew upgrade command using the full path to the brew executable at 8:00am every day.

Save the file with a .plist extension. For example, you could save it as brewupgrade.plist.
Open Terminal and run the following command to copy the .plist file to the LaunchAgents folder:
```
cp /path/to/brewupgrade.plist ~/Library/LaunchAgents/
```
Replace /path/to/brewupgrade.plist with the path to the .plist file you created.

Run the following command to load the launchd work:

launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/brewupgrade.plist

The brew upgrade command will now run automatically at 8:00am every day. You can check that the job is loaded by running the following command:
```
launchctl list | grep com.example.brewupgrade
```
Replace com.example.brewupgrade with the label you used in your .plist file. If the job is loaded, you should see its PID and status.

Which Method Should You Use?

Both methods are effective for automating the brew upgrade command on macOS. The main difference between the two is the level of complexity involved:

Using cron is relatively straightforward, as it involves creating a simple text file and running a single command.
Using launchd requires writing an XML file and copying it to a specific location on your system, but it can offer more control over the scheduling of your jobs.

If you’re comfortable with the command line and don’t mind working with cron, the first method may be the better choice for you. If you prefer a graphical interface or want more control, the second method using launchd may be a better fit.

Conclusion

Automating the brew upgrade command on macOS is a great way to save time and ensure that your system is up to date. Whether you choose to use cron or launchd, both methods are effective for running the command automatically at the same time every day. Give them a try and see which one works best for you!

Lukes Lu

Software Developer

How to Run the brew upgrade Command on macOS Every Day