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what is starter fr?

wurstmeister/starter — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-25 · repo last pushed 2015-01-08

1ShellAudience · developerComplexity · 2/5DormantSetup · moderate

tl;dr

A template for automating Mac setup using Ansible. Define your apps and settings in text files once, then run a single command to configure any Mac automatically.

vibe map

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Automates Mac setup
      Installs apps automatically
      Applies system preferences
    Tech stack
      Ansible
      Shell scripts
      Xcode CLI Tools
    Use cases
      New Mac setup
      Multiple machines sync
      Fresh install recovery
    Audience
      Developers
      Multi machine users
    Setup
      Command line required
      Not compatible with old version

Code map

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filefunction / class

what do people make with this?

VIBE 1

Set up a brand-new Mac with all your favorite apps and system preferences in one command.

VIBE 2

Keep multiple Mac computers synchronized with the same software and configuration.

VIBE 3

Reproduce your exact development environment after wiping or replacing a Mac.

what's the stack?

AnsibleShellosxc

how it stacks up fr

wurstmeister/starter100/dotfilesabdellaouiamir/palworld-server
Stars111
LanguageShellShellShell
Last pushed2015-01-082016-11-18
MaintenanceDormantDormant
Setup difficultymoderateeasymoderate
Complexity2/51/53/5
Audiencedeveloperdeveloperops devops

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

how do i run it?

Difficulty · moderate time til it works · 30min

Requires Xcode Command-Line tools installed and basic command-line knowledge, not compatible with the older version of the project.

in plain english

This project is a starting template for automating the setup of a Mac computer. Instead of manually installing apps, changing system preferences, and configuring settings every time you get a new Mac or wipe your current one, you define all of those choices in a file once. Then, a tool reads your file and applies all those settings for you automatically. It is built on top of a configuration system called osxc. Under the hood, it uses a popular automation tool called Ansible. You get a few text files where you specify what you want installed or changed. One file handles your configuration preferences, and another handles software installations. When you run a single command, Ansible reads those files, downloads any extra modules it needs, and applies your defined setup to the Mac. You can rerun that same command anytime to keep your machine in sync with your defined setup. This is ideal for developers or anyone who manages their own Mac and wants a reproducible setup. For example, if you use multiple computers or frequently set up fresh machines, this template saves you from repeating the tedious process of reinstalling your favorite tools and tweaking system defaults. You just run one command, walk away, and come back to a fully configured machine. To use it, you need a basic understanding of the command line and an Apple developer tool called Xcode Command-Line tools. The README notes that this version represents a newer approach for the project, and there is a warning that it is not compatible with an older version. If you used the previous system, you may need to manually copy over some older configuration files to make a smooth transition.

prompts (copy fr)

prompt 1
Help me customize the Ansible playbook in this repo to install Homebrew casks like Slack, Firefox, and Visual Studio Code on my Mac.
prompt 2
Show me how to add system preference settings to the configuration file so that dark mode and specific dock settings are applied automatically.
prompt 3
Walk me through running this Ansible-based Mac setup template for the first time, including installing Xcode Command-Line tools and any prerequisites.
prompt 4
Help me migrate my old configuration files from the previous version of this project to this newer approach.

Frequently asked questions

what is starter fr?

A template for automating Mac setup using Ansible. Define your apps and settings in text files once, then run a single command to configure any Mac automatically.

What language is starter written in?

Mainly Shell. The stack also includes Ansible, Shell, osxc.

Is starter actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2015-01-08).

How hard is starter to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is starter for?

Mainly developer.

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