Genesis

Automated installation and configuration system for Linux and Windows operating systems.

Overview

Genesis installs and configures software on new machines from a single package catalog shared by Linux and Windows:

• Packages: one JSON file per program, describing how to install it on each platform.
• Profiles: lists of packages for each kind of machine (server, desktop, work, personal…), organised by levels.
• Setups (Linux only): desktop environment and dotfiles configuration.

Supported Systems

• Linux: Arch Linux, CachyOS, Debian, Ubuntu, Raspberry Pi OS
• Windows: PowerShell with Chocolatey

Quick Start

Linux

./linux/linux.sh install <distro> <profile>
./linux/linux.sh update
./linux/linux.sh setup <distro> <setup_type>
./linux/linux.sh add-distro <new_distro> "<base_command>"
./linux/linux.sh help

Windows

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\windows\windows.ps1 install -Profile <profile>
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\windows\windows.ps1 update
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\windows\windows.ps1 help

Both entrypoints show the selected options and ask for confirmation before running, print a summary at the end and save a log (see each guide).

Project Structure

Genesis/
├── packages/       # Package catalog shared by Linux and Windows (JSON)
├── profiles/       # Installation profiles
│   ├── linux/
│   └── windows/
├── schema/         # JSON Schema for package definitions
├── linux/          # Linux entrypoint, source code, statics and logs
│   ├── linux.sh
│   ├── src/
│   ├── statics/
│   └── logs/
├── windows/        # Windows entrypoint, source code and logs
│   ├── windows.ps1
│   ├── src/
│   └── logs/
└── docs/           # Detailed documentation

Packages

One JSON file per logical package in packages/, shared by Linux and Windows. The file name (without .json) is the name used in profiles and setup bundles.

The format is defined in package.schema.json. Editors that support JSON Schema validate each file through its $schema key.

Format

{
  "$schema": "../schema/package.schema.json",
  "description": "Password manager (KeePassXC on Linux, KeePass on Windows)",
  "install": {
    "arch": { "pacman": "keepassxc" },
    "cachyos": { "pacman": "keepassxc" },
    "debian": { "flatpak": "org.keepassxc.KeePassXC" },
    "ubuntu": { "flatpak": "org.keepassxc.KeePassXC" },
    "raspberrypi": { "flatpak": "org.keepassxc.KeePassXC" },
    "windows": { "choco": "keepass.install" }
  }
}

• install has one key per platform: the Linux distros in available_distros.txt and windows.
• Every platform is written explicitly, even when its entry is identical to another one.
• A platform that is not listed means the package is not available there: it is skipped and reported in the installation summary.
• Each platform entry has exactly one installation method.

Installation methods

Method	Platforms	Runs
pacman	Linux	sudo pacman -Syu --noconfirm <pkgs>
yay	Linux	yay -Syu --noconfirm <pkgs>
apt	Linux	sudo apt install -y <pkgs>
flatpak	Linux	sudo flatpak install -y flathub <ids>
choco	Windows	choco install -y <pkgs> --ignore-checksums
commands	All	The listed commands in order (bash on Linux, PowerShell on Windows)
manual	All	Nothing: the URL is listed in the summary as a manual install

Typed methods accept a single package ("pacman": "git") or several ("pacman": ["docker", "docker-compose"]), installed in one call.

Use commands when the installation needs more than one step:

"debian": {
  "commands": [
    "wget --content-disposition https://discord.com/api/download?platform=linux&format=deb",
    "sudo apt install -y ./*.deb",
    "rm ./*.deb"
  ]
}

Naming

Use one logical name per tool, even when each platform installs a different product (keepass, docker, openvpn, gog). Keep separate packages only when they are different tools that can coexist or conflict (vscode and codeoss).

Adding a package

1. Create packages/<name>.json with an entry for each platform where it can be installed.
2. Add <name> to the profiles (docs/Profiles.md) or Linux setup bundles that need it.

Documentation

• Profiles - Profile levels and @include syntax
• Linux - Linux commands, setups and development guide
  • Arch - Arch Linux and Hyprland notes
• Windows - Windows commands and manual configuration

License

See LICENSE file