CLI Commands

All commands for the openboot CLI, organized by what you’re trying to do.

Set Up an Environment

openboot

Launch the interactive TUI installer. Browse packages, toggle what you want, and install.

openboot

openboot --preset <name>

Start with a preset’s packages pre-selected. Available: minimal, developer, full.

openboot --preset developer

You can still customize in the TUI. To skip the TUI entirely, add --silent.

openboot install <alias> or openboot install <username>/<slug>

Install from a config hosted on openboot.dev.

If you set an alias for your config in the dashboard, use it directly:

openboot install myalias

Or use the full username/slug format:

openboot install sarah/frontend-team

Resolution order for a single word (no /):

1. Try as a config alias (set in the dashboard)
2. Fall back to username/default config

Alternatively, use the --user flag: openboot --user myalias (same effect).

For private configs, run openboot login first — the CLI sends your auth token automatically.

Install Flags

Set Up a Project Environment

openboot init

Read .openboot.yml from the current directory and install the declared dependencies, run initialization scripts, and verify the environment is ready.

openboot init

openboot init <directory>

Run init against a specific project directory instead of the current one.

openboot init /path/to/project

Init Flags

See .openboot.yml Reference for the full config schema.

Capture Your Environment

openboot snapshot

Scan your Mac’s current setup — packages, preferences, shell config, git settings — and upload or save it.

openboot snapshot

openboot snapshot --local

Save the snapshot to ~/.openboot/snapshot.json instead of uploading.

openboot snapshot --local

openboot snapshot --json

Output the snapshot as JSON to stdout. Useful for piping to jq or other tools.

openboot snapshot --json
openboot snapshot --json | jq '.packages.formulae'

openboot snapshot --import <path>

Restore a full environment from a snapshot file or URL. Installs packages, applies git identity, shell config (Oh-My-Zsh theme and plugins), and macOS preferences.

openboot snapshot --import my-setup.json
openboot snapshot --import https://example.com/snapshot.json
openboot snapshot --import my-setup.json --dry-run

A review editor appears before any changes are made, letting you deselect items you don’t want.

Snapshot Flags

Authentication

openboot login

Authenticate with openboot.dev via browser. Required for installing private configs and uploading snapshots.

openboot login

Opens your browser to approve the login. After approval, a token is saved at ~/.openboot/auth.json.

openboot logout

Remove the stored authentication token from this machine.

openboot logout

Clean Your Environment

openboot clean

Compare your current system against a config or snapshot and remove packages not in it.

openboot clean

By default, compares against ~/.openboot/snapshot.json. Use --from or --user to compare against a different source.

openboot clean --dry-run
openboot clean --user sarah/frontend-team
openboot clean --from my-setup.json

What it removes: Homebrew formulae, casks, and npm global packages that aren’t in your target config or snapshot. Taps are only diffed when the target includes at least one tap; npm is only checked if npm is available on the system.

Clean Flags

Sources checked in order: --from → --user → local snapshot (~/.openboot/snapshot.json).

Maintain Your Environment

openboot doctor

Run diagnostic checks — network, disk space, Homebrew health, Git config, shell setup.

openboot doctor

✓ Network connectivity
✓ Disk space (48 GB free)
✓ Homebrew installed
✓ Homebrew health
✓ Outdated packages (5 updates available)
✓ Git installed
✓ Git identity
✓ Oh-My-Zsh installed
✓ .zshrc exists

Suggested fixes:
  Run 'openboot update' to upgrade outdated packages

All checks passed! Your environment is healthy.

openboot update

Update Homebrew and upgrade all installed packages.

openboot update
openboot update --dry-run

openboot update --self

Update the OpenBoot binary to the latest version.

openboot update --self

Update Flags

openboot version

Print the current OpenBoot version.

openboot version

See also: Config Options for the full config schema, and Environment Variables for all env vars that control the install script and CLI.