May I use application's auto-update function when having them installed via Homebrew Cask?

Question

I've just found out about Homebrew Cask and I love it. Most of my applications are now installed via Cask.

I'm just wondering whether I can still use an application's auto-update function because Cask stores them in a folder like /opt/homebrew-cask/Caskroom/iterm2/2.1.1.

It should work but what if I auto-update an application via the application's auto-update, then call brew update. If the formula of this software isn't up-to-date I will have an old version.

While this likely won't be a big issue it just doesn't feel tidy and clean (same goes with auto-updating via auto-update feature then having the wrong application version in the Caskroom-folder).

Has anyone thought about these things?

Answer 1

Homebrew is great.

I wouldn't recommend using the auto-update of the application, as it could get messy if the application maker wasn't considering an alternate install path like where brew likes to put applications.

BUT: the application may have an update ready before homebrew catches up to it... so if you need that new feature or version right now, well.. You're not left with much of a choice.

Lastly, brew update will only update the homebrew package list and versions. It takes a brew upgrade (after an update) to actually install the new versions of your software.

Answer 2

First of all you can print current versions by running

zsh$ for f in /opt/homebrew-cask/Caskroom/*; echo $f && ls $f

later you can remove old versions manually.