Homebrew requires formulae to be in a tap

[fannheyward]

Output of brew config

HOMEBREW_VERSION: 4.6.4-46-ga7e338d
ORIGIN: https://github.com/Homebrew/brew
HEAD: a7e338d5202d7851849132a3d7dbffe09b4b383e
Last commit: 6 hours ago
Branch: main
Core tap HEAD: a7eaffac4c8a655e141ba6a74177c24a68f358ef
Core tap last commit: 27 minutes ago
Core tap JSON: 19 Aug 02:01 UTC
Core cask tap JSON: 19 Aug 02:01 UTC
HOMEBREW_PREFIX: /opt/homebrew
HOMEBREW_CASK_OPTS: []
HOMEBREW_EDITOR: nvim
HOMEBREW_FORBID_PACKAGES_FROM_PATHS: set
HOMEBREW_MAKE_JOBS: 8
HOMEBREW_NO_ANALYTICS: set
HOMEBREW_SORBET_RUNTIME: set
Homebrew Ruby: 3.4.5 => /opt/homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/portable-ruby/3.4.5/bin/ruby
CPU: octa-core 64-bit arm_firestorm_icestorm
Clang: 17.0.0 build 1700
Git: 2.50.1 => /opt/homebrew/bin/git
Curl: 8.7.1 => /usr/bin/curl
macOS: 15.6-arm64
CLT: 16.4.0.0.1.1747106510
Xcode: N/A
Rosetta 2: false

Output of brew doctor

Please note that these warnings are just used to help the Homebrew maintainers
with debugging if you file an issue. If everything you use Homebrew for is
working fine: please don't worry or file an issue; just ignore this. Thanks!

Warning: Some installed formulae are deprecated or disabled.
You should find replacements for the following formulae:
  mdcat

Description of issue

brew install neovim --HEAD output error:

Error: Homebrew requires formulae to be in a tap, rejecting:
  /Users/fannheyward/Library/Caches/Homebrew/api-source/Homebrew/homebrew-core/d21a70d69ad05be8eff8db82ebdf23dd0837f281/Formula/neovim.rb (/Users/fannheyward/Library/Caches/Homebrew/downloads/609f722f152cbf27adcd0f19821f1524ada974e9f633c1f055e8caf988020e98--neovim.rb)

To create a tap, run e.g.
  brew tap-new <user|org>/<repository>
To create a formula in a tap run e.g.
  brew create <url> --tap=<user|org>/<repository>

[LoSunny]

I'm also having the same issue

==> Fetching boost
Error: Homebrew requires formulae to be in a tap, rejecting:
  /Users/sunnylo/Library/Caches/Homebrew/api-source/Homebrew/homebrew-core/a7eaffac4c8a655e141ba6a74177c24a68f358ef/Formula/boost.rb (/Users/sunnylo/Library/Caches/Homebrew/downloads/4313b1fc09fb326e80624e469875de1e0d870a5644d13683688b172d6c772981--boost.rb)

To create a tap, run e.g.
  brew tap-new <user|org>/<repository>
To create a formula in a tap run e.g.
  brew create <url> --tap=<user|org>/<repository>

[carlocab]

This looks related to Homebrew/brew#20487. CC @Bo98

Feel free to file an issue at Homebrew/brew.

[Bo98]

Already fixed here Homebrew/brew#20507

[fannheyward]

Already fixed here Homebrew/brew#20507

This patch fixed the issue.

[goya]

nope not fixed.

[goya]

still cant install local formulas, same error.

ORIGIN: https://github.com/Homebrew/brew
HEAD: aeb42b2614e018b58a3e81c0a784831820a95c32```

[goya]

had to downgrade homebrew to v4.6.3

[4kbyte]

e.g.

cd /opt/homebrew
git checkout 4.6.3
# ... install local .rb formula ...
# ... and `brew pin FORMULA` if it was a downgrade ...
cd /opt/homebrew
git checkout main

[SMillerDev]

That is intentional, it throwing errors reinstalling was not.

[otaviolima]

We are also facing this issue with a local formula.

Our brew command:

brew reinstall --formula fixtures/custom_xclogparser.rb --build-from-source

Our brew version:

% brew --version
Homebrew 4.6.6

error:

Error: Homebrew requires formulae to be in a tap, rejecting:
  path/to/formula (<redacted absolute path>)

To create a tap, run e.g.
  brew tap-new <user|org>/<repository>
To create a formula in a tap run e.g.

[p-linnane]

@AldoMX Here's some reading that may help you.

An evergreen article from our Project Leader @MikeMcQuaid: Open Source Maintainers Owe You Nothing.

Additionally, Homebrew is licensed under the 2-Clause BSD License. You may want to read this section:

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

There's also a company called Workbrew, which is not run by the Homebrew project, that provides the paid enterprise support you're talking about.

Finally, check out our guide for avoiding maintainer burnout, specifically the section about prioritizing maintainers over users.

We work on this project because it's fun for us. It's not our job. Your sense of entitlement about a piece of free software is astounding. If you want to see a change, contribute code.

[styczynski]

Your sense of entitlement

@p-linnane This change wasted thousands of workhours globally. @AldoMX is right. Do you ever heard of gradual feature deprecation?
It's an effort to maintain OSS, I know, so what about adding longer description on error?
To create a tap, run e.g. is fine, but couldn't it be:

We decided to depreciate XYZ
To learn how to migrate to new behaviour please go to: anwesomebrew.tutorial.com/local-tap-install

Ignoring users completely =/= prioritising maintainers

[MikeMcQuaid]

This change wasted thousands of workhours globally.

@styczynski You're welcome for the software we build in our spare time and you use at work to make money.

It's an effort to maintain OSS, I know,

I looked at your GitHub contribution graph and: you have no idea.

To create a tap, run e.g. is fine

It tells you what to do. Do that.

Ignoring users completely =/= prioritising maintainers

No-one is ignoring users. If we were, we wouldn't be commenting or reading this.

[AldoMX]

We work on this project because it's fun for us. It's not our job.

That's the main point. Your passion created Homebrew, but the trust from users gave it a critical role in the ecosystem.

Homebrew fills the gaps that Apple left. Companies depend on those gaps being filled, and you deserve to be compensated for your effort as you're doing us an essential service.

Projects like Zig showed it is possible to graduate from "fun project" to "sustainable non-profit", so why not move in that direction?

When the foundation of a project is trust, you can't have 100% fun and 0% responsibility. That erodes the trust in the long term.

And that's why I raised the voice from users. If you don't empathize with users, if you don't understand their frustrations, if you don't listen to their struggles... someone else will.

[MikeMcQuaid]

but the trust from users gave it a critical role in the ecosystem.

Yes. Most Homebrew users, however, didn't rely on this functionality. A tiny proportion did and those people are complaining.

Companies depend on those gaps being filled, and you deserve to be compensated for your effort as you're doing us an essential service.

We actually don't deserve to be compensated and we are not financially compensated anywhere near a market rate. This is fine and expected. What it does mean, though, is that companies are not our paying customers and we do not have the obligations to either them or the people in this thread that you seem to think we have.

Projects like Zig showed it is possible to graduate from "fun project" to "sustainable non-profit", so why not move in that direction?

This is a lot more complicated than you're making it out to be. I've done this for 16 years. I've personally made all the major financial transitions Homebrew has done. None are without trade-offs and hard work. Having a non-profit would not magically stop us deprecating this. Go read about what's happened with RubyCentral recently if you think a non-profit would solve all problems.

When the foundation of a project is trust, you can't have 100% fun and 0% responsibility. That erodes the trust in the long term.

That's not the foundation: the foundation is maintainers who invest their time into the project. You are not an active open source maintainer so you wouldn't understand. The project can survive without users or companies because the maintainers will keep using it. Without the maintainers: the project is dead. Without maintainers enjoying it: the project is dead.

As for responsibility: read the open source license. We disclaim responsibility to all lengths available by law.

If you don't empathize with users, if you don't understand their frustrations, if you don't listen to their struggles... someone else will.

We do listen and empathise, that's why the error messages and logic were adjusted several times to fix edge cases and make clear what needs to be done. Who did that work? Me, mostly. Not "users".

Someone else should listen to their complaints. Anyone in this thread is welcome to fork Homebrew and maintain it better than we will. They won't, though, because they would rather complain about a gift they are generously given for free than try to make it better.

[ns-jsu]

also encountered the same issues when execute the scripts below
(we need to install the specific version of teleport

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/homebrew-core/fe3d2edc8711f6402b70bbdc01848669ef96d614/Formula/t/teleport.rb
brew install teleport.rb

it return

Error: Homebrew requires formulae to be in a tap, rejecting:
  teleport.rb (/xxx/teleport.rb)

To create a tap, run e.g.
  brew tap-new <user|org>/<repository>
To create a formula in a tap run e.g.
  brew create <url> --tap=<user|org>/<repository>

And I installed the latest version

brew --version
>> Homebrew 4.6.10

Hope to know how to resolve

[gromgit]

brew extract is your friend. Read the last few paragraphs of https://docs.brew.sh/Versions#acceptable-versioned-formulae, especially the example command therein.

[StudioMaX]

I get this error despite the fact that I already install the formula from my local tap (it is also available on GitHub). Moreover, the formula installation is completed correctly, and the problem occurs only at the postinstall step, which is ignored for some reason.

$ brew reinstall studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full
==> Fetching downloads for: elasticsearch-full
==> Fetching studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full
==> Downloading https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/elasticsearch/elasticsearch-7.17.28-linux-x86_64.tar.gz?tap=elastic/homebrew-tap
Already downloaded: <path>/storage/Homebrew/cache/downloads/26ffa421a0ad35fec841825fd7b0ce4e8d707c700127c3480a21d49bd649cda6--elasticsearch-7.17.28-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
==> Reinstalling studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full
Warning: Tried to install empty array to /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/etc/elasticsearch/jvm.options.d
Warning: The post-install step did not complete successfully
You can try again using:
  brew postinstall studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full
Warning: Removed Sorbet lines from backtrace!
Rerun with `--verbose` to see the original backtrace
==> Caveats
Data:    /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/var/lib/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_linuxbrew/
Logs:    /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/var/log/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_linuxbrew.log
Plugins: /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/var/elasticsearch/plugins/
Config:  /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/etc/elasticsearch/

To start studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full now and restart at login:
  brew services start studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full
Or, if you don't want/need a background service you can just run:
  /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/opt/elasticsearch-full/bin/elasticsearch
==> Summary
🍺  /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Cellar/elasticsearch-full/7.17.28: 940 files, 517.3MB, built in 9 seconds
==> Running `brew cleanup elasticsearch-full`...
Disable this behaviour by setting `HOMEBREW_NO_INSTALL_CLEANUP=1`.
Hide these hints with `HOMEBREW_NO_ENV_HINTS=1` (see `man brew`).
==> No outdated dependents to upgrade!

With HOMEBREW_DEVELOPER=1:

$ HOMEBREW_DEVELOPER=1 brew reinstall studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full
==> Fetching downloads for: elasticsearch-full
==> Fetching studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full
==> Downloading https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/elasticsearch/elasticsearch-7.17.28-linux-x86_64.tar.gz?tap=elastic/homebrew-tap
Already downloaded: <path>/storage/Homebrew/cache/downloads/26ffa421a0ad35fec841825fd7b0ce4e8d707c700127c3480a21d49bd649cda6--elasticsearch-7.17.28-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
==> Reinstalling studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full
Warning: Tried to install empty array to /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/etc/elasticsearch/jvm.options.d
==> Caveats
Data:    /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/var/lib/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_linuxbrew/
Logs:    /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/var/log/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_linuxbrew.log
Plugins: /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/var/elasticsearch/plugins/
Config:  /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/etc/elasticsearch/

To start studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full now and restart at login:
  brew services start studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full
Or, if you don't want/need a background service you can just run:
  /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/opt/elasticsearch-full/bin/elasticsearch
==> Summary
🍺  /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Cellar/elasticsearch-full/7.17.28: 940 files, 517.3MB, built in 10 seconds
==> Running `brew cleanup elasticsearch-full`...
Disable this behaviour by setting `HOMEBREW_NO_INSTALL_CLEANUP=1`.
Hide these hints with `HOMEBREW_NO_ENV_HINTS=1` (see `man brew`).
==> No outdated dependents to upgrade!

postinstall with debug:

$ brew postinstall studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full --debug --verbose
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/brew.rb (Formulary::FromTapLoader): loading studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full
==> Postinstalling elasticsearch-full
Warning: The post-install step did not complete successfully
You can try again using:
  brew postinstall studiomax/elastic-linux/elasticsearch-full
==> Homebrew requires formulae to be in a tap, rejecting:
  /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/opt/elasticsearch-full/.brew/elasticsearch-full.rb (/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Cellar/elasticsearch-full/7.17.28/.brew/elasticsearch-full.rb)

To create a tap, run e.g.
  brew tap-new <user|org>/<repository>
To create a formula in a tap run e.g.
  brew create <url> --tap=<user|org>/<repository>

/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/utils/path.rb:38:in 'Utils::Path.loadable_package_path?'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:282:in 'UnboundMethod#bind_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:282:in 'T::Private::Methods::CallValidation.validate_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/_methods.rb:277:in 'block in Utils::Path._on_method_added'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb:731:in 'Formulary::FromPathLoader.try_new'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:282:in 'UnboundMethod#bind_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:282:in 'T::Private::Methods::CallValidation.validate_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/_methods.rb:277:in 'block in Formulary::FromPathLoader._on_method_added'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb:1370:in 'block in Formulary.loader_for'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb:1369:in 'Array#each'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb:1369:in 'Formulary.loader_for'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:179:in 'UnboundMethod#bind_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:179:in 'T::Private::Methods::CallValidation.validate_call_skip_block_type'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:121:in 'block in Formulary.create_validator_slow_skip_block_type'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb:1137:in 'Formulary.factory'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:179:in 'UnboundMethod#bind_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:179:in 'T::Private::Methods::CallValidation.validate_call_skip_block_type'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:121:in 'block in Formulary.create_validator_slow_skip_block_type'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/formula_installer.rb:1331:in 'FormulaInstaller#post_install_formula_path'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:282:in 'UnboundMethod#bind_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:282:in 'T::Private::Methods::CallValidation.validate_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/_methods.rb:277:in 'block in FormulaInstaller#_on_method_added'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/formula_installer.rb:1351:in 'FormulaInstaller#post_install'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:282:in 'UnboundMethod#bind_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:282:in 'T::Private::Methods::CallValidation.validate_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/_methods.rb:277:in 'block in FormulaInstaller#_on_method_added'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/cmd/postinstall.rb:26:in 'block in Homebrew::Cmd::Postinstall#run'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/cmd/postinstall.rb:21:in 'Array#each'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/cmd/postinstall.rb:21:in 'Homebrew::Cmd::Postinstall#run'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:282:in 'UnboundMethod#bind_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/call_validation.rb:282:in 'T::Private::Methods::CallValidation.validate_call'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/vendor/bundle/ruby/3.4.0/gems/sorbet-runtime-0.6.12521/lib/types/private/methods/_methods.rb:277:in 'block in Homebrew::Cmd::Postinstall#_on_method_added'
/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/Homebrew/Library/Homebrew/brew.rb:101:in '<main>'

[rdong8]

Also having this issue trying to install LLVM@head:

brew install llvm --HEAD

...

Warning: The post-install step did not complete successfully                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
==> Homebrew requires formulae to be in a tap, rejecting:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
/home/dev/.cache/Homebrew/api-source/Homebrew/homebrew-core/cbfe4800dd14914fc1f31f5dcbceef07f5f0a42a/Formula/llvm.rb (/home/dev/.cache/Homebrew/downloads/28363d2161c57601c0eaaaca460b49a7f82a137817820ea168b5a249a09dfabd--llvm.rb)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
To create a tap, run e.g.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
 brew tap-new <user|org>/<repository>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
To create a formula in a tap run e.g.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
 brew create <url> --tap=<user|org>/<repository> 

4 hour docker build :(

[XavierZYXue]

I think this issue is still not fix, right?

Homebrew 4.6.19

brew install docker-3.0.3.rb
Error: Homebrew requires formulae to be in a tap, rejecting:
  docker-3.0.3.rb (/Users/xavierzyxue/Downloads/docker-3.0.3.rb)

To create a tap, run e.g.
  brew tap-new <user|org>/<repository>
To create a formula in a tap run e.g.
  brew create <url> --tap=<user|org>/<repository>```

[p-linnane]

You need to create a tap and add your formula as the message instructs.

[huksley]

I am maintaining couple of gists https://gist.github.com/huksley/d88da22046c29d34d9193a602e3e6661
https://gist.github.com/huksley/a7d885864ce11691b659ffc37e2cfc5c
which contain some software I use. I really like how Homebrew installs and manages software.

But now I can't just install them right away.

What should I do? I don't keep .rb files locally, I just download it when I need to update the installation.

[SMillerDev]

The best, and only, option is to make the gists into proper formulae in a tap. You can always untap it when you don't need it on your device, although I'm not sure what the benefit of that would be.

[huksley]

But they are not related, so I need to make two taps, right? It makes it considerably more difficult for first-timers to become maintainers.

[SMillerDev]

They're related because you made both. A repository (tap) can really be anything you want it to be.

[SMillerDev]

As for the difficulty, following the guides on https://docs.brew.sh will always be the easiest way to get started.

I've never heard of anyone before you using gists to distribute formulae, nor have I ever seen anyone recommend it, so I don't think this will impact new homebrew users too much.

[gromgit]

But they are not related, so I need to make two taps, right? It makes it considerably more difficult for first-timers to become maintainers.

No. A tap is just a collection of formulae and/or casks, period. See https://github.com/gromgit/homebrew-tap for my counterexample; the only thing that ties the formulae in it together is "I think there's at least one person interested in each of these formulae".