OpenBoot

Set up your Mac in one command — not one afternoon.

curl -fsSL openboot.dev/install | bash

OpenBoot bootstraps your entire macOS development environment in minutes — Homebrew packages, GUI apps, dotfiles, Oh-My-Zsh, and macOS preferences — through an interactive TUI. No config files to write. No manual steps. Just one command.

Why OpenBoot?

Setting up a new Mac still takes hours. You either run brew install 50 times, maintain a Brewfile, or wrestle with Nix. OpenBoot handles it all:

	OpenBoot	Brewfile	Strap	chezmoi	nix-darwin
Homebrew packages	✅	✅	✅	—	✅
GUI apps (casks)	✅	✅	—	—	✅
Dotfiles	✅	—	—	✅	✅
Custom scripts	✅	—	—	✅	✅
Interactive TUI	✅	—	—	—	—
Web dashboard	✅	—	—	—	—
Team config sharing	✅	—	—	—	—
Skip already-installed	✅	—	✅	—	✅
One-command setup	✅	—	✅	✅	—
Learning curve	Low	Low	Low	High	Very High

Features

• One-command setup — curl | bash and you're done
• Interactive TUI — search and select from 50+ curated dev tools across 13 categories
• 3 presets — minimal (CLI essentials), developer (ready-to-code), full (everything)
• Smart install — detects already-installed packages, only installs what's new
• Parallel + sequential — CLI tools install 4x in parallel, GUI apps install one at a time (for password prompts)
• Dotfiles — clone your repo and deploy configs via GNU Stow
• Oh-My-Zsh — installs with sensible aliases
• macOS preferences — developer-friendly defaults
• Web dashboard — create, share, and duplicate configs at openboot.dev
• Snapshot — capture your existing setup and share it as a config
• Dry-run mode — preview everything before installing
• CI/automation — silent mode with environment variables
• No telemetry — zero analytics, zero tracking

Quick Start

curl -fsSL openboot.dev/install | bash

OpenBoot guides you through:

1. Git identity configuration
2. Preset selection (minimal / developer / full)
3. Package customization (searchable, categorized)
4. Installation (parallel CLI, sequential GUI)
5. Shell setup (Oh-My-Zsh + aliases)
6. Dotfiles deployment (GNU Stow)
7. macOS preferences

Presets

Preset	Focus	Includes
minimal	CLI essentials	ripgrep, fd, bat, fzf, lazygit, gh, Warp, Raycast
developer	Ready-to-code	+ Node, Go, Docker, VS Code, Chrome, OrbStack
full	Complete setup	+ Python, Rust, kubectl, Terraform, Ollama, Cursor, Figma

Custom Configs

Create a config at openboot.dev/dashboard and share it with your team:

curl -fsSL openboot.dev/YOUR_USERNAME | bash

Import from an existing Brewfile, pick packages from the searchable catalog, or duplicate an existing config.

CI / Automation

OPENBOOT_GIT_NAME="Your Name" \
OPENBOOT_GIT_EMAIL="you@example.com" \
curl -fsSL openboot.dev/install | bash -s -- --preset developer --silent

Commands

openboot                 # Interactive setup
openboot doctor          # Check system health
openboot update          # Update Homebrew and packages
openboot update --dry-run  # Preview updates
openboot version         # Print version

CLI Options

-p, --preset NAME   Set preset (minimal, developer, full)
-u, --user NAME     Use remote config from openboot.dev
-s, --silent        Non-interactive mode (requires env vars)
    --dry-run       Preview what would be installed
    --update        Update Homebrew and packages
    --rollback      Restore backed up files
    --resume        Resume incomplete installation
    --shell MODE    Shell setup: install, skip
    --macos MODE    macOS prefs: configure, skip
    --dotfiles MODE Dotfiles: clone, link, skip

Environment Variables

Variable	Description
OPENBOOT_GIT_NAME	Git user name (required in silent mode)
OPENBOOT_GIT_EMAIL	Git user email (required in silent mode)
OPENBOOT_PRESET	Default preset
OPENBOOT_USER	Remote config username

Requirements

• macOS 12.0 (Monterey) or later
• Apple Silicon or Intel
• Internet connection
• Admin privileges (for Homebrew)

Development

git clone https://github.com/openbootdotdev/openboot.git
cd openboot
go build -o openboot ./cmd/openboot
./openboot --dry-run

Related

• openboot.dev — Website, dashboard & API
• dotfiles — Dotfiles template

License

MIT