My Mac Kickstart Script for a Fresh Dev Setup

Every time I get a new Mac or do a clean install, I go through the same ritual: install Homebrew, install my tools, configure git, tweak system settings. It takes hours if done manually.

So I wrote a setup script that automates the entire thing. Run it once, grab a coffee, and come back to a fully configured machine.

Get the Script

git clone https://github.com/sek3b/mac-kickstart.git
cd mac-kickstart
chmod +x setup.sh && ./setup.sh

What Gets Installed

CLI Tools (via Homebrew)

  • git - Version control
  • wget / curl - File downloads
  • htop - Process monitoring
  • vim - Text editor

Applications (via Homebrew Cask)

App Purpose
Brave Privacy-focused browser
VS Code Code editor
iTerm2 Terminal replacement
Wireshark Network analysis
Obsidian Notes and knowledge base
Slack Communication
Rectangle Window management
Stats Menu bar system monitor
AppCleaner Clean app uninstalls

Shell Setup

The script installs Oh My Zsh with plugins for a better terminal experience.

VS Code Configuration

Automatically sets up VS Code with the Catppuccin Macchiato theme to match my terminal aesthetic.

Git Configuration

Sets up sensible defaults and aliases so I don't have to configure git manually on every machine.

macOS Tweaks

The script applies my preferred system settings:

  • Finder - Show hidden files, path bar, status bar
  • Dock - Auto-hide with no delay
  • Keyboard - Fast key repeat
  • Trackpad - Three-finger drag
  • Screenshots - Save to ~/Screenshots as PNG

Design Principles

  1. Idempotent - Run it multiple times without breaking things
  2. Homebrew for everything - One package manager to rule them all
  3. Opinionated but modular - Comment out what you don't need

Fork It

The script reflects my preferences. Fork the repo and swap in your own tools and apps.

github.com/sek3b/mac-kickstart