macOS

Shell scripts for automated macOS machine setup.

This project is a framework for automating the setup of a macOS machine. In order to illustrate the potential of what this project can do, please see the companion macOS Config project for details. The macOS Config project is an opinionated configuration which meets the needs of my development environment but is also meant to serve as an example and guide for building your own personalized setup. Here is how the two projects are meant to be used:

• macOS (this project) - The foundational framework for building custom macOS machine setups.

• macOS Configuration - The layer on top of this macOS project which defines a custom machine implementation. The project is meant to be forked for as many custom machine setups as needed.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Screencast
• Requirements
• Setup
• Usage
  • Boot Disk
  • Customization
• Troubleshooting
• Development
• Versioning
• Code of Conduct
• Contributions
• License
• History
• Credits

Features

• Provides a command line interface, written in Bash, with no additional dependencies for installation and management of a macOS machine.

• Supports macOS boot disk creation for fresh install of operating system.

• Downloads and installs Xcode Command Line Tools.

• Downloads, installs, and configures Homebrew Formulas.

• Downloads, installs, and configures Homebrew Casks.

• Downloads, installs, and configures App Store software.

• Downloads, installs, and configures non-App Store software applications.

• Downloads, installs, and configures software application extensions.

• Applies basic and default software settings.

• Sets up and configures installed software for use.

• Supports restoration of machine backups.

Screencast

Requirements

1. macOS Big Sur

2. Xcode

Setup

To install, run:

git clone https://github.com/bkuhlmann/mac_os.git
cd mac_os
git checkout 11.2.0

Usage

Run the following:

bin/run

You will be presented with the following options (listed in order of use):

Boot:
   B:  Create boot disk.
Install:
   b:  Apply basic settings.
   t:  Install development tools.
  hf:  Install Homebrew Formulas.
  hc:  Install Homebrew Casks.
   m:  Install Mac App Store software.
   a:  Install application software.
   x:  Install application software extensions.
   d:  Apply default settings.
   s:  Setup installed software.
   i:  Install everything (i.e. executes all install options).
Restore:
   R:  Restore settings from backup.
Manage:
   c:  Check status of managed software.
   C:  Caffeinate machine.
  ua:  Uninstall application software.
  ux:  Uninstall application software extension.
  ra:  Reinstall application software.
  rx:  Reinstall application software extension.
   w:  Clean work (temp) directory.
   q:  Quit/Exit.

Choose option i to run a full install or select a specific option to run a single action. Each option is designed to be re-run if necessary. This can also be handy for performing upgrades, re-running a missing/failed install, etc.

The option prompt can be skipped by passing the desired option directly to the bin/run script. For example, executing bin/run i will execute the full install process.

The machine should be rebooted after all install tasks have completed to ensure all settings have been loaded.

It is recommended that the mac_os project directory not be deleted and kept on the local machine in order to manage installed software and benefit from future upgrades.

Boot Disk

When attempting to create a boot disk via bin/run B, you’ll be presented with the following documentation (provided here for reference):

macOS Boot Disk Tips
  - Use a USB drive (8GB or higher).
  - Use Disk Utility to format the USB drive as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)".
  - Use Disk Utility to label the USB drive as "Untitled".

macOS Boot Disk Usage:
  1. Insert the USB boot disk into the machine to be upgraded.
  2. Reboot the machine.
  3. Hold the POWER (Silicon) or OPTION (Intel) key before the Apple logo appears.
  4. Select the USB boot disk from the menu.
  5. Use Disk Utility to delete and/or erase the hard drive including associated partitions.
  6. Use Disk Utility to create a single "APFS" drive as a "GUID Partition Table".
  7. Install the new operating system.

macOS Boot Disk Recovery:
  1. Start/restart the machine.
  2. Hold the POWER (Silicon) or COMMAND+R (Intel) keys before the Apple logo appears.
  3. Wait for the macOS installer to load from the recovery partition.
  4. Use the dialog options to launch Disk Utility, reinstall the system, etc.

Customization

All executable scripts can be found in the bin folder:

• bin/apply_basic_settings: Applies basic, initial, settings for setting up a machine. Can be customized.

• bin/apply_default_settings: Applies useful system and application defaults. Can be customized.

• bin/create_boot_disk: Creates macOS boot disk.

• bin/install_app_store: Installs macOS, GUI-based, App Store applications. Can be customized.

• bin/install_applications: Installs macOS, GUI-based, non-App Store applications. Can be customized.

• bin/install_dev_tools: Installs macOS development tools required by Homebrew.

• bin/install_extensions: Installs macOS application extensions and add-ons. Can be customized.

• bin/install_homebrew_casks: Installs Homebrew Formulas. Can be customized.

• bin/install_homebrew_formulas: Installs Homebrew Casks. Can be customized.

• bin/restore_backup: Restores system/application settings from backup image. Can be customized.

• bin/run: The main script and interface for macOS setup.

• bin/setup_software: Configures and launches (if necessary) installed software. Can be customized.

The lib folder provides the base framework for installing, re-installing, and uninstalling software. Everything provided via the macOS Config project is built upon the functions found in the lib folder. See the macOS Config project for further details.

• lib/settings.sh: Defines global settings for software applications, extensions, etc.

Troubleshooting

• When using Pi-hole, you might need to temporarily disable prior to upgrading as you might experience various errors with Apple not being able to detect an internet connection which prevents the installer from working.

• When using the boot disk and the installer fails in some catestrophic manner, reboot the machine into recovery mode — POWER (Silicon) or COMMAND + R (Intel) buttons — to download and install the last operating system used. Alternatively, you can also use COMMAND + OPTION + R (Intel) to attemp to download the latest operating system.

• When using the boot disk, you might experience a situation where you see a black screen with a white circle and diagonal line running through it. This means macOS lost or can’t find the boot disk for some reason. To correct this, shut down and boot up the system again while holding down the OPTION + COMMAND + R + P (Intel) keys simultaneously. You might want to wait for the system boot sound to happen a few times before releasing the keys. This will clear the system NVRAM/PRAM. At this point you can shut down and restart the system following the boot disk instructions (the boot disk will be recognized now).

Development

To contribute, run:

git clone https://github.com/bkuhlmann/mac_os.git
cd mac_os

Versioning

Read Semantic Versioning for details. Briefly, it means:

• Major (X.y.z) - Incremented for any backwards incompatible public API changes.

• Minor (x.Y.z) - Incremented for new, backwards compatible, public API enhancements/fixes.

• Patch (x.y.Z) - Incremented for small, backwards compatible, bug fixes.

Code of Conduct

Please note that this project is released with a CODE OF CONDUCT. By participating in this project you agree to abide by its terms.

Contributions

Read CONTRIBUTING for details.

License

Read LICENSE for details.

History

Read CHANGES for details.

Credits

Engineered by Brooke Kuhlmann.