Missing progress indicator during Homebrew source download

Missing progress indicator during Homebrew source download

When brew install builds a formula from source, the terminal shows no indication of download progress, leaving users uncertain whether the operation is stalled or merely slow. This gap affects sighted users and those who rely on screen‑readers, especially when localized messages are not available.

Any solution must remain compatible with Homebrew 3.x and 4.x, work across varied terminal emulators, and preserve the existing output contract that scripts and downstream tools depend on. It also needs to respect user‑set verbosity levels and avoid adding noise to automated workflows.

What approaches could Homebrew use to surface download progress without breaking its current output format? How would such progress reporting interact with the existing --verbose and --quiet flags? Are there compatibility risks for tools that parse the current terse output?