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I have MacOS El Capitan - about bash it is:

bash --version
... version: 3.2.57(1)-release
...

I did realise the mapfile command is not available in that bash release. I already did do research and the most obvious solution is upgrade bash - but the 95% of tutorials are based with Homebrew - therefore I can't use it because my macos is very old.

Do the same approach without Homebrew exists the following:

But all is about make and install. Now according with my experience in Linux after to read a good amount of tutorials about installing and updating/upgrating sofware - it is better avoid manual installation and use repositories instead - for macos is homebrew ...

So, exists other way to update/upgrade bash without a manual make/install approach? through a .dmg file for example

Even if it would be the unique other non-homebrew approach:

  • is safe? - perhaps it asks for something that my current macos does not have and all go wrong
  • is possible again do any future upgrade in peace? for example from 4.0 to 5.0 and go on ...
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    You can use MacPorts which has better support for older macOS versions.
    – nohillside ♦
    Feb 11, 2022 at 16:29
  • The only ways are compile yourself using make or use a package manager - note that Homebrew does not support El Capitain (as note Macports does support all versions back to Tiger)
    – mmmmmm
    Feb 11, 2022 at 16:40
  • @nohillside time to do a new research :) thanks for the suggestion
    – Manuel Jordan
    Feb 11, 2022 at 16:58
  • @mmmmmm yes, homebrew only offers supports to the 2 latest releases - not sure if that change it - time to use Macports. thanks
    – Manuel Jordan
    Feb 11, 2022 at 16:59

1 Answer 1

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You can use MacPorts instead of Homebrew, which supports older versions of macOS as well. See https://www.macports.org/install.php for how to install it.

The MacPorts bash package can then be installed with

sudo port install bash
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