stew
A lightweight, dependency-free package manager for installing and managing compiled binaries from GitHub releases and URLs.
What is stew?
Stew is a lightweight, independent package manager focused on installing and managing compiled binaries from sources like GitHub releases and direct URLs. It solves the problem of delayed updates in traditional package managers by allowing developers to quickly access the latest binary releases without system-wide dependencies or sudo permissions.
Developers and DevOps engineers who frequently install command-line tools and utilities from GitHub, need reproducible binary installations across teams, or want to bypass slower system package managers.
Stew offers a fast, dependency-free alternative to traditional package managers by focusing solely on binaries, providing features like lock files for reproducibility, a portable configuration system, and a streamlined CLI for browsing and installing from GitHub.
Overview
🥘 An independent package manager for compiled binaries.
Use Cases
Best For
- Installing the latest versions of CLI tools directly from GitHub releases
- Managing binary dependencies in development and CI/CD environments
- Distributing internal tools across teams using version-controlled configuration files
- Quickly experimenting with different projects and binaries without system-wide installs
- Setting up development environments without sudo permissions
- Creating reproducible binary installations for scripts and automation
Not Ideal For
- Projects that require installation of libraries or system dependencies beyond standalone binaries
- Environments where software must be installed system-wide for security or compliance reasons
- Users who need to manage software from sources other than GitHub releases or direct URLs
Pros & Cons
Pros
Stew is a single compiled binary with no external dependencies, ensuring extreme portability and easy installation on any system, as emphasized in the README's feature list.
It provides a terminal UI for browsing and installing binaries directly from GitHub releases, allowing users to quickly access the latest versions, as demonstrated in the demo GIF and search/browse commands.
With Stewfile and lock files, users can declare installations and achieve reproducible, headless batch installs, making team distribution and environment consistency straightforward.
Binaries are installed to user-controlled directories, eliminating the need for elevated permissions and enhancing safety in shared or restricted systems, a key feature highlighted in the README.
Cons
Unauthenticated users face low rate limits (60 requests/hour), and even with a token, installations are tied to GitHub's availability and release conventions, which can fail for repos with unconventional asset naming.
Stew only manages standalone binaries and does not handle library dependencies or conflicts, limiting its use for tools that rely on system packages or complex software stacks.
Users must manually configure installation paths via stew.config.json and ensure the stewBinPath is in their PATH environment variable, adding steps for proper integration, as detailed in the configuration section.
Frequently Asked Questions
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