| name | make-your-mac-easier |
| description | Automate new Mac setup by installing common productivity utilities with Homebrew Cask. Use when setting up a fresh macOS machine, onboarding a new work laptop, installing a curated list of Mac apps such as Rectangle, AltTab, Mos, Maccy, AppCleaner, IINA, The Unarchiver, Raycast, or customizing and running a repeatable Mac app installation checklist. |
Make Your Mac Easier
Overview
Use this skill to help a user set up a new Mac with a repeatable, reviewable app installation flow. Prefer the bundled script so installs are predictable, auditable, and easy to customize.
Workflow
- Confirm the Mac is ready:
- Run
uname -s and continue only on Darwin.
- Check whether Homebrew exists with
command -v brew.
- If Homebrew is already installed, do not change Homebrew sources or mirror settings; continue to the app scan/install flow.
- If Homebrew is missing, run
scripts/bootstrap_homebrew.sh. It must stop for user confirmation and ask whether to use the official source, Tsinghua mirror, or USTC mirror.
- For mainland China users without Homebrew, recommend Tsinghua or USTC during the bootstrap prompt. Do not silently install Homebrew or silently rewrite network-related settings.
- Review the install list:
- Read
references/default-apps.md when the user asks what will be installed or wants to customize the list.
- Keep the default list focused on small productivity utilities.
- Treat "AltTab Plus" as the user's preferred AltTab-style window switcher; install the Homebrew cask
alt-tab unless the user provides a different source for a paid or private variant.
- Dry-run first:
- Run
scripts/install_mac_apps.sh --dry-run before making changes.
- Show the user which casks are already installed, which would be installed, and which names look unavailable.
- Install only after clear permission:
- Run
scripts/install_mac_apps.sh --yes when the user explicitly asks to proceed.
- Use
--with-optional if the user wants the optional bundle.
- Use
--apps for a custom comma-separated cask list.
- Finish with a concise report:
- List installed apps, skipped apps, and any failures.
- Mention manual follow-up only for apps that are not available as Homebrew casks.
- If failures look network-related, separate "network/Homebrew metadata issue" from "app cask unavailable" in the report.
Commands
From the skill directory:
scripts/bootstrap_homebrew.sh
scripts/bootstrap_homebrew.sh --mirror tsinghua
scripts/bootstrap_homebrew.sh --mirror ustc
scripts/install_mac_apps.sh --dry-run
scripts/install_mac_apps.sh --yes
scripts/install_mac_apps.sh --yes --with-optional
scripts/install_mac_apps.sh --dry-run --apps rectangle,alt-tab,mos,maccy,appcleaner
The app installer intentionally defaults to dry-run behavior. Passing --yes is required for app installation.
The Homebrew bootstrap script changes mirror settings only during first-time Homebrew installation after explicit user confirmation. If Homebrew is already installed, it exits without changing sources.
Customization
Use references/default-apps.md as the source of truth for the default and optional app lists. If a user wants team-specific defaults, update that reference and keep the script defaults in sync.
Prefer Homebrew cask tokens over app display names. Examples:
- Rectangle ->
rectangle
- AltTab ->
alt-tab
- Mos ->
mos
- Maccy ->
maccy
- AppCleaner ->
appcleaner
