PM-Auto (Package Manager Automation)

Install your entire project stack with one command.

PM-Auto is a CLI that lets you define reusable package presets (your usual tech stacks) and install them anywhere instantly. No more copy-pasting npm commands or forgetting dependencies.

If you regularly set up the same kind of projects, PM-Auto saves real time.

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Why PM-Auto Exists (Plain English)

Most devs do this:

npm install react react-dom
npm install -D @types/react @types/react-dom
npm install vite @vitejs/plugin-react
npm install three @react-three/fiber gsap

Every. Single. Time.

PM-Auto lets you define that once in a config file, then reuse it forever:

pm-auto install vite

Done.

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Core Concepts

PM-Auto is built around presets.

A preset is:

• A name (e.g. vite, next, threejs-react)
• A package manager (npm, pnpm, or yarn)
• A list of packages to be installed

You store presets in a JSON config file. PM-Auto reads that file and runs the commands for you.

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Installation

npm install -g pm-auto
# or
pnpm add -g pm-auto
# or
yarn global add pm-auto

Verify:

pm-auto -V

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Quick Start (Minimal Path)

1. Create a config file

Create config.json:

{
  "example": {
    "presetName": "example",
    "description": "A sample configuration demonstrating all options for PM-Auto",
    "packageManager": "bun",
    "packages": [
      {
        "command": "create-next-app",
        "interactive": true,
        "dev": false, //optional
        "version": "latest", //optional
        "flags": ["."] //optional
      },
    ]
  }
}

2. Register the config path

pm-auto config ./config.json

(⚠️ Always make sure to register the config path before using PM-Auto and anytime you make changes to the config path.)

3. Install a preset

pm-auto install example

PM-Auto executes each command using the specified package manager.

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Commands Overview

pm-auto install

Install presets from your config.

pm-auto install [preset-name]

Common options:

• --dry-run → preview commands without running them
• --add-flags "<flags>" → append flags to non-interactive installs

Example:

pm-auto install example --dry-run

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pm-auto uninstall

Uninstall packages defined in presets.

pm-auto uninstall example

Use --dry-run to preview.

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pm-auto list

List all presets in your config.

pm-auto list

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pm-auto describe

Show details about a specific preset.

pm-auto describe example

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pm-auto config

Set or update the config file path.

pm-auto config ./relative/path/to/config.json

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pm-auto config-path

Show the currently active config path.

pm-auto config-path

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Configuration

PM-Auto uses a JSON config file to define presets.

When you run:

pm-auto config ./config.json

PM-Auto will automatically prepend an example preset to the file whether it’s empty or not. This is intentional — the example acts as inline documentation so you immediately see how presets are structured.

You are expected to edit or delete the example once you understand it.

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Full Config Structure (All Options)

{
  "example": {
    "presetName": "example",
    "description": "A sample configuration demonstrating all options for PM-Auto",
    "packageManager": "bun",
    "packages": [
      {
        "command": "create-next-app",
        "interactive": true,
        "dev": false,
        "version": "latest",
        "flags": ["."]
      },
      {
        "command": "shadcn",
        "interactive": true,
        "dev": false,
        "version": "latest",
        "flags": ["init"]
      },
      {
        "command": "gsap",
        "interactive": false,
        "dev": false,
        "version": "3.11.4",
        "flags": ["--peer-deps"]
      },
      {
        "command": "@react-three/fiber",
        "interactive": false,
        "dev": false
      },
      {
        "command": "clsx",
        "interactive": false,
        "dev": false
      },
      {
        "command": "@types/three",
        "interactive": false,
        "dev": true
      }
    ]
  }
}

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Config Fields Explained (Plain English)

Preset Level

• example → internal key (can be anything)
• presetName → name you pass to the CLI (pm-auto install example)
• description → shown in list and describe
• packageManager → npm, pnpm, yarn, or bun
• packages → ordered list of install commands

Package Level

Each entry in packages represents one install command.

• command → package or tool name
• interactive → true if the command prompts for input
• dev → install as dev dependency
• version → exact version ("3.11.4", "latest", or omitted)
• flags → extra CLI flags or arguments

PM-Auto builds the final command for you.

Example output:

npm install gsap@3.11.4 -D

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Real Examples

Three.js + React

{
  "threejs-react": {
    "name": "threejs-react",
    "description": "Three.js + React setup",
    "packageManager": "pnpm",
    "packages": [
      { "command": "three @react-three/fiber @react-three/drei", "interactive": false },
      { "command": "@types/three --save-dev", "interactive": false },
      { "command": "gsap leva", "interactive": false }
    ]
  }
}

Full‑Stack TypeScript

{
  "fullstack-ts": {
    "name": "fullstack-ts",
    "description": "Express + TypeScript backend",
    "packageManager": "npm",
    "packages": [
      { "command": "typescript ts-node --save-dev", "interactive": false },
      { "command": "@types/node --save-dev", "interactive": false },
      { "command": "express dotenv cors helmet", "interactive": false }
    ]
  }
}

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Best Practices

• Group packages you always install together
• Keep preset names short (vite, next, api)

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Common Issues

Nothing installs

• Check config path: pm-auto config-path
• Validate JSON formatting

Command hangs

• You forgot "interactive": true

Wrong package manager

• Double-check packageManager field

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Requirements

• Node.js 14+
• npm, pnpm, yarn 2+, or bun

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If you set up projects more than twice, it’s already worth it.