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`brew desc <formula>` should just work, and not require `--eval-all`
Verification
- [X] This issue's title and/or description do not reference a single formula e.g.
brew install wget
. If they do, open an issue at https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-core/issues/new/choose instead.
Provide a detailed description of the proposed feature
brew desc
is such a basic command. The current situation is like bash requiring users to type ls --eval-all
just to get a directory listing.
What is the motivation for the feature?
I understand the --eval-all
has been required for a while for a security reason. I don't know more, as I haven't looked under the covers. But it's hard for me to believe that this is not solvable, that there is something about Homebrew that makes it impossible to look up a description without disabling security.
How will the feature be relevant to at least 90% of Homebrew users?
I have to believe that querying basic info about a formula is a very basic operation that everyone does.
What alternatives to the feature have been considered?
- Use
brew info
- Do an internet search.
Requiring users do option 2 is bad. Option 1 works, but the fact that the first line is the same output of brew desc --eval-all
makes me question even more why brew desc
can't just work.
Similarly, there should be a simple way to get a list of all the things one installed intentionally (as opposed to auto installed as a dependency). See the discussion under my answer re brew desc
. If the maintainers agree with my point about brew desc
, I will submit another Issue for a feature request for a simple command to do this rather than people having to remember or create an alias for brew bundle dump --file -
.
Similarly, there should be a simple way to get a list of all the things one installed intentionally (as opposed to auto installed as a dependency).
brew leaves --install-on-request
.
Please don't bring up other issues in the same one or create another feature request for this one, thanks. If you're not happy with how brew leaves --install-on-request
works: please open a discussion.
Weird I posted this first but it didn't show up 🤷🏻
But it's hard for me to believe that this is not solvable, that there is something about Homebrew that makes it impossible to look up a description without disabling security.
Definitely solvable and agreed we should have an issue open to track this.
Please don't bring up other issues in the same one or create another feature request for this one, thanks. If you're not happy with how
brew leaves --install-on-request
works: please open a discussion.
Sure, no problem! But as I wrote in that comment:
If the maintainers agree with my point about brew desc, I will submit another Issue for a feature request for a simple command to do this
I wanted to see the receptiveness about my request for brew desc
before I created another issue for a similar request.
I'll reopen https://github.com/Homebrew/brew/issues/16237 which seems to be relevant here. The discussion stalled out a bit though but it should give you some good background into why things are the way they are.