Custom Configs

Build your own setup, save it on openboot.dev, and share it as a one-line install command. Anyone with the URL can install your exact environment.

Creating a Config

Sign in with GitHub or Google—click Login in the header
Go to your Dashboard
Click Create Config
Pick a base preset (minimal, developer, or full) to start from
Add or remove packages using search
Save

What a Config Can Include

Feature	Description
Homebrew formulae	CLI tools installed via `brew install`
Homebrew casks	GUI apps installed via `brew install --cask`
Custom scripts	Shell commands that run after packages install (SSH setup, repo cloning, etc.)
Dotfiles repo	A Git URL — gets cloned and linked with `stow`
macOS preferences	Whitelisted system settings (Dock, Finder, key repeat, etc.)

See Config Options for the full schema and all available fields.

Importing a Brewfile

Already have a Brewfile? Upload it in the dashboard. OpenBoot parses all brew and cask entries and maps them to a config automatically.

Every config gets an install command:

curl -fsSL openboot.dev/sarah/frontend-team | bash

Put it in your README, onboarding docs, or Slack. One command, everyone gets the same setup — no tools to install first.

The Config Page

Every config has a public page at openboot.dev/username/slug. Here’s what it shows and what visitors can do.

Stats

At the top of the page, four numbers give a quick summary of what the config contains:

Stat	What it counts
Apps	Homebrew casks (GUI apps)
CLI	Homebrew formulae (command-line tools)
Dev	Dev tool versions captured by `openboot snapshot`
Installs	Total times this config has been installed

Package Sections

Packages are displayed in four sections:

Applications — Casks shown as a grid of cards, each linking to its Homebrew page
CLI Tools — Formulae shown as clickable tags, each linking to its Homebrew page
NPM Packages — npm globals shown as clickable tags, each linking to npmjs.com
Development Tools — Tool versions captured by a snapshot (e.g. node 20.11, go 1.22)

Long lists are collapsed by default — a “Show all N →” button expands them.

Configuration Details

Collapsible cards below the packages show what else will be applied during install:

Card	Contents
Dotfiles Repository	Git URL, linked to the repo. Deployed automatically via GNU Stow.
Shell Setup	Default shell, Oh My Zsh status, theme, and plugin list
Git Configuration	Name, email, and other settings from the captured snapshot
Custom Installation Script	Shell commands with syntax highlighting and a copy button
Homebrew Taps	Custom taps that will be added before packages install
macOS Preferences	System settings that will be applied, with domain and value

Cards that don’t apply to the config are hidden automatically.

Fork

Click Fork to Dashboard to copy the config into your own account. The fork starts as unlisted and opens your dashboard so you can customize it. Requires a login — if you’re not signed in, you’ll be redirected to the login page first.

Click Share to open the share modal:

Copy Link — copies https://openboot.dev/username/slug to the clipboard
Share on X — opens a pre-filled tweet with the config name and URL

Visibility

Every config has a visibility setting you can change in the dashboard:

Visibility	Listed on Profile	Install URL	Config Page
Public	Yes	Works for everyone	Viewable by anyone
Unlisted (default)	No	Works for everyone	Viewable with direct link
Private	No	Requires auth	Owner only

Installing Private Configs

Run openboot login first to authenticate, then install as usual:

openboot login
openboot install yourname/my-setup

Aliases & Short URLs

Set an alias in the dashboard to get a short install command and URL:

openboot install myalias instead of openboot install yourname/my-long-slug
openboot.dev/myalias instead of openboot.dev/yourname/my-long-slug

Aliases must be unique across all configs. When a user runs openboot install <word>, the CLI resolves aliases first.

You can also shorten your config slugs in the dashboard:

openboot.dev/yourname/ios instead of openboot.dev/yourname/ios-development-team-2024

Install Tracking

Each config tracks the number of times it’s been installed. The install count is visible on your dashboard and config page. This helps you understand which configs are most popular and widely used.