appman

appman is cross-platform application management aggregator

Requirements

• Python 3.8
• Git

Installation

You can install appman from PyPI:

> pip install appman

Background

While working on my dotfiles repository, I realized that I also wanted to have a way to handle not just configuration files but also my installed applications. That way I'd be able to define which applications I want to have installed on any new environment, have those under version control, and run a script to install/uninstall applications on any new personal or work computer, server, etc.

Goals

The main goal for appman is to be flexible and extensible. In that context the goals are:

• Cross-platform: handle multiple OS and devices. Currently appman handles Ubuntu and Windows (desktop).
• Multi-profile: define different profiles with a unique list of applications for different environments (e.g., work and personal computers).
• Supported Packages: aside from desktop and command line applications, support software like: device drivers, software plugins and extensions (e.g., vscode extensions), backend libraries (e.g., python libraries), fonts, etc.
• Package Management: support any package manager (e.g., apt, brew, scoop) or custom formulas to define how to install, uninstall and upgrade packages.
• Package definitions source: the source for package definitions is a git repository, which allows you to fork and use your own repository.

How to use

Set up your user package list

• Add a package to your user packages list

  Using interactive mode:

  $ appman add
  
  [?] Select the package type: (Use arrow keys)
  >app
   font
   driver
   provisioned
   backend
   extension
  
  [?] Select app packages to add: (<up>, <down> to move, <space> to select, <a> to toggle, <i> to invert)
   ○ curl
   ○ fzf
  >● git
   ○ jq
   ○ python
   ○ ...
  
  Added git package
  

  or directly passing parameters:

  $ appman add -pt app -id git
  

• Remove a previously added package

  Using interactive mode:

  $ appman remove
  
  [?] Select the package type: (Use arrow keys)
  >app
   font
   driver
   provisioned
   backend
   extension
  
  [?] Select app packages to remove: (<up>, <down> to move, <space> to select, <a> to toggle, <i> to invert)
   ○ 7zip
   ○ curl
  >● git
   ○ ...
  
  Removed git package
  

  Directly passing parameters:

  $ appman remove -pt app -id git
  

• Show your user packages list

  Using interactive mode:

  $ appman list
  
  [?] Select the package type: (Use arrow keys)
  >app
  
   • 7zip (cli, utils)
   • curl (cli, utils)
  

  Directly passing parameters:

  $ appman list -pt app
  

• Search all available packages to add

  Using interactive mode:

  $ appman search
  
  [?] Select the package type: (Use arrow keys)
  >app
  
   • 7zip
   • ack
   • apache2
   • aria2
   • bottom
   • broot
   • cookiecutter
   • curl
  ...
  

  Directly passing parameters:

  $ appman search -pt app -id 7zip
  

Install/Uninstall packages in your user packages list

Using interactive mode:

$ appman install

[?] Select the package type: (Use arrow keys)
>app

Installing 7zip...
Installing ack...
...

Directly passing parameters:

$ appman install -pt app -id 7zip

Change the package definitions repository source

$ appman repo https://github.com/basiliskus/appman-main

Update the package definitions repository source

$ appman update

Using labels

All packages have pre-defined labels (e.g. for apps: 'cli' & 'gui'), but you can also add your own labels by passing the --labels/-l parameter to the 'add' command.

$ appman add -pt app -id 7zip -l server

You can also filter by labels when using the 'list', 'search', 'remove', 'install' or 'uninstall' commands

$ appman list -pt app -l server

License

© Basilio Bogado. Distributed under the MIT License.