rex
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Description:
Command-line tool which executes commands on remote servers
Type: Formula  |  Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Devops
Tags: automation devops remote-execution sysadmin orchestration
Install: brew install rex
About:
Rex is a remote execution tool that brings the power of configuration management to the command line. It allows you to orchestrate commands and tasks across multiple servers simultaneously using a simple Perl-based syntax. This tool simplifies server administration by providing a unified interface for deployment, configuration, and maintenance tasks.
Key Features:
  • Agentless architecture requiring only SSH access
  • Perl-based DSL for writing automation tasks
  • Parallel execution across multiple servers
  • Built-in resource abstraction for common operations
  • Extensible with custom modules and recipes
Use Cases:
  • Automating deployment workflows across server fleets
  • Running system updates and security patches simultaneously
  • Collecting inventory data and system information from hosts
  • Orchestrating complex multi-server application configurations
Alternatives:
  • Ansible – More popular with YAML syntax but requires Python on targets
  • Fabric – Python-based, simpler but less feature-rich for complex orchestration
  • Chef – More complex agent-based architecture with steeper learning curve
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Dec 29, 2025 3:55pm 1 REVISION_ONLY c9d967cd
Sep 15, 2025 12:57pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 40e3035e
Oct 22, 2024 11:23am 2 VERSION_BUMP e59e41c2
Oct 22, 2024 4:18am 2 VERSION_BUMP cc99d8f4
Sep 14, 2024 2:15am 1 VERSION_BUMP 1d90ca64