Where Does Homebrew Install Packages?
Homebrew prefix paths on Apple Silicon versus Intel Macs, where Cellar bottles land, and the brew commands that print them.
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Homebrew uses different roots by chip. Apple Silicon Macs install into /opt/homebrew, Intel Macs into /usr/local. Bottles land in Cellar beneath the prefix with versioned folders per formula, then link into bin.
Mixing the two prefixes causes the classic broken brew setup after migrations. Run brew --prefix and brew --cellar to print the live values instead of trusting old guides. Keep Time Machine away from Cellar during installs, since half linked trees restore badly. The Cellar keeps versioned bottles so rollbacks swap folders cleanly.
Where Homebrew stores this, by platform
/opt/homebrew/Cellar
Apple Silicon default. Intel Macs use /usr/local/Cellar instead. Run brew --prefix to confirm yours before following any path based tutorial.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my Homebrew prefix?
Run brew --prefix for the root and brew --cellar for bottles. Apple Silicon prints /opt/homebrew, Intel prints /usr/local. Match every manual PATH edit to that output.
Where are Homebrew config files?
Formulas keep data under the prefix in etc and var subfolders. Back up those trees plus brew bundle dumps when migrating to a new Mac.
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