You signed in with another tab or window. Reload to refresh your session.You signed out in another tab or window. Reload to refresh your session.You switched accounts on another tab or window. Reload to refresh your session.Dismiss alert
description: All environment variables for the install script and CLI — version pinning, install directory, Git identity, and more.
3
+
description: All environment variables the install script and openboot CLI understand.
4
4
group: Reference
5
5
order: 12
6
6
---
7
7
8
8
# Environment Variables
9
9
10
-
All environment variables that control the install script and the `openboot` CLI.
10
+
Every environment variable OpenBoot reads. Short list — v1.0 kept things minimal.
11
11
12
-
## Install Script Variables
12
+
## Install script (`install.sh`)
13
13
14
-
These are used when running the`curl | bash` install command. The install script installs OpenBoot via Homebrew (`brew install openbootdotdev/tap/openboot`).
14
+
Used when you run`curl -fsSL openboot.dev/install.sh | bash`. The script installs OpenBoot via Homebrew (`brew install openbootdotdev/tap/openboot`).
15
15
16
16
| Variable | Description | Default |
17
17
|----------|-------------|---------|
18
-
|`OPENBOOT_VERSION`| Install a specific version instead of latest |Latest release|
18
+
|`OPENBOOT_VERSION`| Install a specific version instead of latest |`latest`|
19
19
|`OPENBOOT_DRY_RUN`| Set to `true` to preview without changes | — |
20
20
21
-
### Examples
22
-
23
21
Preview the install script without making changes:
Copy file name to clipboardExpand all lines: src/docs/faq.md
+33-28Lines changed: 33 additions & 28 deletions
Display the source diff
Display the rich diff
Original file line number
Diff line number
Diff line change
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ order: 13
9
9
10
10
## Is OpenBoot free?
11
11
12
-
Yes. Free and open source (MIT license). Create configs, snapshot your setup, share with your team—no cost. Team management features (org accounts, access controls) might have paid tiers later.
12
+
Yes. Free and open source (MIT license). Create configs, snapshot your setup, share with your team — no cost. Team features (org accounts, access controls) may have paid tiers later.
13
13
14
14
## Why not just use Homebrew directly?
15
15
@@ -19,32 +19,32 @@ If you're fine managing those separately, you don't need this. If you'd rather a
19
19
20
20
## Should I use Homebrew or the one-line installer?
21
21
22
-
**Use Homebrew** (`brew install openboot`) if you:
22
+
**Use Homebrew** (`brew install openbootdotdev/tap/openboot`) if you:
23
23
- Already have Homebrew installed
24
24
- Want cleaner updates (`brew upgrade openboot`)
25
-
- Prefer package managers and the OpenBoot CLI over ad-hoc scripts
25
+
- Prefer package managers over ad-hoc scripts
26
26
27
27
**Use the one-line installer** if you:
28
28
- Don't have Homebrew yet (it installs Homebrew for you)
29
29
- Want the absolute fastest setup on a fresh Mac
30
-
- Are running in CI/automation environments
30
+
- Are running in CI / automation environments
31
31
32
32
Both methods install the exact same binary.
33
33
34
34
## Is the one-line installer safe?
35
35
36
36
Fair question. Here's how it works:
37
37
38
-
- Install script is open source—review it at [github.com/openbootdotdev/openboot](https://github.com/openbootdotdev/openboot)
38
+
- Install script is open source — review it at [github.com/openbootdotdev/openboot](https://github.com/openbootdotdev/openboot/blob/main/scripts/install.sh)
39
39
- Hosted on openboot.dev (Cloudflare Workers), served over HTTPS
40
-
- Zero telemetry—no analytics, no tracking, nothing phones home
40
+
- Zero telemetry — no analytics, no tracking, nothing phones home
41
41
- Installs OpenBoot via Homebrew (`brew install openbootdotdev/tap/openboot`), which handles integrity verification
If you prefer, install via Homebrew instead (see above).
@@ -54,18 +54,28 @@ If you prefer, install via Homebrew instead (see above).
54
54
If you share a config publicly on the Explore page, we display an install count. This is **not telemetry** in the traditional sense:
55
55
56
56
-**Anonymous** — we don't track who installed it, only that someone did
57
-
-**Opt-in** — only happens when you actively set visibility to "Public"
58
-
-**No personal data** — no IP addresses, no user agents, no system info collected
59
-
-**Zero tracking** — we don't follow your behavior, clicks, or usage patterns
57
+
-**Opt-in** — only happens when visibility is set to "Public"
58
+
-**No personal data** — no IP addresses, no user agents, no system info
59
+
-**Zero tracking** — no behavior, clicks, or usage patterns
60
60
61
-
"Zero telemetry" means the OpenBoot CLI never reports back to us. It doesn't track what you install, what commands you run, or any system information. Install counts are simply a counter for configs you chose to share publicly with the community.
61
+
"Zero telemetry" means the OpenBoot CLI never reports back to us. It doesn't track what you install, what commands you run, or any system information. Install counts are simply a counter for configs you chose to share publicly.
62
62
63
-
Think of it like GitHub's star count — it shows popularity, but doesn't track individual users.
63
+
Think of it like GitHub's star count — shows popularity, doesn't track individuals.
64
64
65
65
## What if I already have Homebrew?
66
66
67
67
OpenBoot detects existing Homebrew installs and skips the setup. It also skips already-installed packages — only new ones get installed. Re-running is fast and safe.
68
68
69
+
## Does OpenBoot uninstall packages?
70
+
71
+
No — by design. As of v1.0, OpenBoot is add-only:
72
+
73
+
-`openboot install` never removes packages, even if they're not in the config you're installing from
74
+
- There is no `openboot clean` or `openboot uninstall`
75
+
- To remove something, run Homebrew directly: `brew uninstall <package>`
76
+
77
+
This makes re-running `openboot install` always safe — you never lose packages you added manually.
78
+
69
79
## Can I use it without an account?
70
80
71
81
Yes. No account needed for:
@@ -76,7 +86,7 @@ Yes. No account needed for:
76
86
77
87
An account (GitHub or Google OAuth) is needed to:
78
88
79
-
-Upload configs to openboot.dev and share them via URL
89
+
-Publish configs to openboot.dev (`openboot snapshot --publish`)
This deletes your auth token, local snapshots, install state, and update config. If you want to keep anything, back it up first — see [File Locations](/docs/env-vars#file-locations) for what's in there.
119
+
This deletes your auth token, local snapshots, install state, and sync source. See [File Locations](/docs/env-vars#file-locations) for what's in there if you want to keep something.
114
120
115
121
### 3. Clean up shell config (optional)
116
122
117
-
If OpenBoot configured your shell, open `~/.zshrc` and remove the block starting with `# OpenBoot additions` — it includes Homebrew init, PATH changes, CLI aliases, and tool integrations. If you're not sure which lines, look for the block between `# OpenBoot additions` and the next blank line or section.
123
+
If OpenBoot configured your shell, open `~/.zshrc` and remove the block starting with `# OpenBoot additions` — it includes Homebrew init, PATH changes, CLI aliases, and tool integrations.
118
124
119
-
If you used dotfiles linking, OpenBoot created `.openboot.bak` backups of your original files. To restore them:
125
+
If you used dotfiles linking, OpenBoot created `.openboot.bak` backups of your original files. To restore:
120
126
121
127
```bash
122
-
# Example: restore a backed-up .zshrc
123
128
mv ~/.zshrc.openboot.bak ~/.zshrc
124
129
```
125
130
126
131
### 4. Packages and apps (optional)
127
132
128
-
OpenBoot doesn't remove Homebrew packages or casks when you uninstall it — they're yours to keep. If you want to remove packages that were installed via OpenBoot, use `brew uninstall <package>` individually.
133
+
OpenBoot doesn't remove Homebrew packages when you uninstall it — they're yours to keep. To remove packages installed via OpenBoot, use `brew uninstall <package>` individually.
129
134
130
135
## Where is my data stored?
131
136
@@ -134,7 +139,7 @@ OpenBoot doesn't remove Homebrew packages or casks when you uninstall it — the
134
139
| Configs & user data | Cloudflare D1 on openboot.dev |
135
140
| Auth token |`~/.openboot/auth.json` (local) |
136
141
| Local snapshots |`~/.openboot/snapshot.json` (local) |
137
-
| OpenBoot binary | Managed by Homebrew (run `which openboot` to find it) |
142
+
| OpenBoot binary | Managed by Homebrew (`which openboot`) |
138
143
139
144
Configs are **unlisted** by default — not listed on your profile, but the install URL works if shared. You can set them to **public** (listed on profile) or **private** (requires authentication to install). See [Custom Configs — Visibility](/docs/custom-configs#visibility) for details.
140
145
@@ -154,6 +159,6 @@ Not yet. OpenBoot is macOS-only. Linux support is being explored.
154
159
155
160
## Can I use it with my existing dotfiles?
156
161
157
-
Yes. Set your dotfiles repo URL in your config and OpenBoot will clone and link it with GNU Stow. See [Dotfiles & Shell](/docs/dotfiles-shell) for details.
162
+
Yes. Set your dotfiles repo URL in your config and OpenBoot will clone and link it with GNU Stow. See [Dotfiles & Shell](/docs/dotfiles-shell).
158
163
159
164
Your existing dotfiles repo structure works as-is — OpenBoot doesn't require any special format.
0 commit comments