Installing the Supabase CLI on macOS This guide walks you through installing and verifying the Supabase CLI on macOS. The Supabase CLI provides tools for local development, managing migrations, and deploying your projects directly from your terminal. 1. Prerequisites & System Requirements Before installing the Supabase CLI, ensure your system meets the following requirements: Operating System: macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later (fully compatible with Apple Silicon/M1/M2/M3 and Intel chips). Package Manager: Homebrew must be installed on your system. Docker: Docker Desktop must be installed and running on your machine to use local development features (like running a local Supabase stack). 2. Step-by-Step Installation The official and easiest way to install and maintain the Supabase CLI on macOS is via Homebrew. Step 1: Update Homebrew Ensure your local Homebrew formulae are up to date: Bash brew update Step 2: Install Supabase CLI Run the install command using the Supabase formula repository: Bash brew install supabase/tap/supabase Step 3: Verify the Binary Path Ensure the binary is correctly linked in your shell's path. Homebrew handles this automatically, but you can confirm its location by running: Bash which supabase Expected output: /opt/homebrew/bin/supabase (Apple Silicon) or /usr/local/bin/supabase (Intel). 3. Post-Installation Verification To verify that the CLI has installed correctly, check its version in your terminal: Bash supabase --version Testing local initialization: To confirm the CLI is fully operational, navigate to a temporary directory and initialize a mock project: Bash mkdir supabase-test && cd supabase-test supabase init If successful, you will see a supabase directory created with configuration files. 4. Common Troubleshooting (FAQ) Q1: I get a command not found: supabase error after installation. Cause: Your system's shell environment configuration (.zshrc or .bash_profile) might not be loading the Homebrew binary path. Solution: Add the Homebrew path to your profile. Run this command if you are on Apple Silicon: Bash echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"' >> ~/.zshrc source ~/.zshrc Q2: Docker daemon error when running supabase start. Cause: The Supabase CLI requires Docker to run a local database, auth, and storage stack, but Docker Desktop isn't running. Solution: Open the Docker Desktop application from your Applications folder, wait for the status indicator to turn green (running), and try your command again. Q3: Homebrew fails with a permissions error. Cause: Your user account does not have write permissions to the Homebrew directories. Solution: Avoid using sudo brew. Instead, repair your Homebrew permissions by running: Bash sudo chown -R $(whoami) $(brew --prefix)/* 5. Next Steps Now that you have the CLI ready to go: Log in to your account: Authenticate your local CLI with your Supabase dashboard: Bash supabase login Start local development: Boot up a local backend using: Bash supabase start