I recommend MacPorts, the migration is easy, you copy the package names you installed with brew, uninstall homebrew (there's an unisntall script on brew.sh FAQ section, it will also uninstall all homebrew packages (but not the casks)) then install macports and reinstall the packages with sudo port. Although the selection is smaller on macports and newer packages might not have a prebuilt pkg for your OS so you still might end up building manually (My poor i5 4core had to attempt building nodejs26 because there wasn't a pkg for Ventura)

Actually, Homebrew 7 is supported on your Mac, you just have to install Linux to use it. :)

If you want to continue using the same MacBook that will be only path forward when Apple decides to EOL it (if it hasn't already happened).

I'm a long time Homebrew on Linux user, it works really well. I always prefer it over the distro supplied package manager for user facing CLI apps.

How long do you expect them to support Intel processors though? It’s been like 6 years since the last MacBook release had any Intel processor, and Apple doesn’t make OS updates anymore, so it doesn’t surprise me that Homebrew stopped too.

MacPorts has been there this whole time.

I've used MacPorts on macOS versions that don't support the latest OS, which per homebrew policy seems to be versions upto N-2.

Apart from the issue of having to compile the downloaded software leading to spinning fans, I'm not too concerned.

Same here, but I understand their position. Meanwhile I rely on packages publishing builds for Intel Mac in GitHub (surprisingly a lot) or building from source code. I just asked AI to build me install system.

FYI Macos will also stop with major updates for Intel macs. You can just keep using brew 6 on macos 26.

I’m installing Linux on my 2019 16” today.

Have you tried Mac Ports?

You do realize Intel support is gone, right? You won't be installing anything on your Intel Mac very soon...

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