Install apify-cli with Homebrew

Project links

• Homepage
• Repository
• Upstream docs
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

• actor
• apify
• apify-cli

Project history

The public apify/apify-cli repository was created in 2018. The current README and docs describe a CLI for Actor creation, local runs, cloud deployment, datasets, key-value stores, request queues, secrets, builds, and runs.

The documentation has evolved with the Apify platform. Current docs identify versioned CLI documentation, a command reference, a changelog, and an Actor definition format based on .actor/actor.json. Recent changelog entries show active 2025-2026 development, including auth commands, Actor type generation, build and run improvements, .actorignore support, an apify api command, improved AI/human help output, and schema validation changes.

Adoption history

Apify distributes the CLI through a recommended macOS/Linux install script, Windows PowerShell install script, npm, and Homebrew. The README also documents npx usage, making it available both as a persistent local binary and as a one-off Node-based command.

The batch input's Homebrew package is one of several distribution channels. That matters because Apify CLI often sits in local project setup, CI deployment, and automation scripts where predictable installation and upgrade behavior are important.

How it is used

The quick-start path is apify login, apify create, apify run, and apify push. The command reference expands this into account authentication, Actor development, Actor management, builds, runs, storage operations, API calls, secrets, telemetry controls, and upgrade checks.

Actor project metadata is stored in .actor/actor.json at the root of the Actor directory. Authentication stores the saved API token in ~/.apify/auth.json according to the command reference, while Actor definitions may reference Dockerfiles, input and output schemas, storage schemas, changelogs, and environment variables.

Why package nerds care

Apify CLI is a good example of a cloud-platform CLI that is also a project-format tool. Package nerds care about its config files, Node runtime requirements, release cadence, shell installers, Homebrew formula, npm package, and command aliases because the same binary is used for local development, cloud deployment, and CI automation.

Timeline

• 2018: Public apify/apify-cli repository created.
• 2025: 0.21 series added and refined Actor/build/run workflows.
• 2025: Version 1.1 introduced upgrade and install-command work and breaking CLI behavior changes.
• 2026: Version 1.3 added auth commands and Actor type generation.
• 2026: Version 1.4 added .actorignore support and Actor search.
• 2026: Version 1.5 added apify api and improved help output.
• 2026: Version 1.6 added schema-generation and validation improvements.

Related projects

• Apify CLI is closely tied to Apify Actors, Apify SDK, Crawlee, Apify API, Actor definition files, and the Apify platform's datasets, key-value stores, request queues, builds, runs, and secrets.

Sources

• https://api.github.com/repos/apify/apify-cli
• https://docs.apify.com/cli
• https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs/changelog
• https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs/reference
• https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/development/actor-definition/actor-json
• https://github.com/apify/apify-cli#readme