# Zerobrew pitches a faster client for Homebrew packages
An experimental package-management tool called Zerobrew is proposing a faster way to install packages from the Homebrew ecosystem on macOS and Linux. The project does not replace Homebrew's package catalog or build infrastructure. Instead, it uses the bottles produced by Homebrew and applies a different installation architecture after those files are downloaded.
The Zerobrew repository describes the software as bringing an approach inspired by the Python package manager uv to Homebrew packages. Its central design uses a content-addressed store, then links installed software from that store. The developer says relocation work is performed within the Zerobrew process, contrasting that with Homebrew's use of Ruby to evaluate formulae and its sequential handling of path rewriting and binary signing.
That distinction matters because the project's speed claims concern the client-side installation process, not faster compilation or independently maintained packages. Zerobrew explicitly credits Homebrew's build farm for creating, testing and publishing every bottle it installs. It does not compile packages or maintain its own formulae. In practical terms, it is best understood as a performance-focused client sitting on top of Homebrew's existing output.
The repository advertises gains of up to 100 times, but that figure comes with important qualifications. Its published benchmark was measured on October 8 with Zerobrew 0.3.5, identified as a development release, against Homebrew 7.0.8. Testing used a MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro processor, 18GB of memory and an approximately 318 megabit-per-second connection, with Homebrew beginning from an empty state. Those results should therefore be treated as the project's own reproducible measurements, not an independent performance assessment across varied machines and networks.
The developer has published a benchmark command and logs intended to make the comparison repeatable. The full benchmark resets Zerobrew, removes software installed through Homebrew during the test and records results in a Markdown table. Smaller continuous-integration checks install a fixed package set using both clients and compare the resulting prefixes byte for byte. Separate timing jobs test cold and warm installations, and the nightly run is configured to fail if Zerobrew falls below stated performance thresholds.
Zerobrew's documentation also cautions against treating the software as a drop-in production replacement. The project remains experimental and recommends that users run it alongside Homebrew. It specifically advises against removing Homebrew unless users understand the consequences. The installer changes shell configuration, so users must restart their terminal or source the command it provides before using the tool.
The project is also in transition from an older distribution route. Its former tap is no longer updated, and existing users are directed to switch to the current release path. That reinforces the repository's development-stage warning: Zerobrew offers an interesting architectural experiment and documented benchmarks, but its headline speed claim depends on a defined setup and should be tested against each user's own workloads.
