install-script-generator

name	install-script-generator
effort	high
description	Generate cross-platform installation scripts for any software, library, or module. Use when users ask to "create an installer", "generate installation script", "automate installation", "setup script for X", "install X on any OS", "write an install script", "deployment script", or need automated deployment across Windows, Linux, and macOS. Follows a three-phase approach with environment detection, installation planning with verification/rollback, and documentation generation. Trigger this skill whenever the user wants to automate installing or deploying software, even if they just say "how do I install X everywhere".
metadata	{"version":"1.2.0","creator":"Montimage"}

Install Script Generator

Generate robust, cross-platform installation scripts with automatic environment detection, verification, and documentation.

Repo Sync Before Edits (mandatory)

Before generating any output files, sync with the remote to avoid conflicts:

branch="$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)"
git fetch origin
git pull --rebase origin "$branch"

If the working tree is dirty, stash first, sync, then pop. If origin is missing or conflicts occur, stop and ask the user before continuing.

Workflow

Phase 1: Environment Exploration

Gather comprehensive system information:

# Run the environment explorer script
python3 {SKILL_DIR}/scripts/env_explorer.py

Use sub-agents for parallel discovery. Launch multiple Agent tool calls concurrently to keep the main context clean:

• Agent 1 — System detection: Run env_explorer.py and parse the JSON output. Detect OS, version, CPU architecture, and user permissions (admin/sudo availability). Return a structured summary.
• Agent 2 — Package manager inventory: Identify all available package managers (apt, yum, brew, choco, winget) and their versions. Check shell environment (bash, zsh, powershell, cmd). Return a capability list.
• Agent 3 — Existing dependencies: Scan for already-installed dependencies and their versions relevant to the target software. Return a dependency status report.

Collect the results from all three agents before proceeding.

The script detects:

• Operating system (Windows/Linux/macOS) and version
• CPU architecture (x86_64, ARM64, etc.)
• Package managers available (apt, yum, brew, choco, winget)
• Shell environment (bash, zsh, powershell, cmd)
• Existing dependencies and versions
• User permissions (admin/sudo availability)

Output: JSON summary of system capabilities and constraints.

Phase 2: Installation Planning

Based on the environment analysis and target software:

1. Identify dependencies - List all required packages/libraries
2. Check existing installations - Avoid reinstalling what exists
3. Order operations - Resolve dependency graph
4. Add verification steps - Each step must be verifiable
5. Plan rollback - Define cleanup on failure

Create the plan using:

python3 {SKILL_DIR}/scripts/plan_generator.py --target "<software_name>" --env-file env_info.json

Plan structure:

target: "<software_name>"
platform: "detected_os"
steps:
  - name: "Install dependency X"
    command: "..."
    verify: "command to verify success"
    rollback: "cleanup command if failed"
  - name: "Configure system"
    command: "..."
    verify: "..."

Phase 3: Execution

Execute the plan with real-time verification:

python3 {SKILL_DIR}/scripts/executor.py --plan installation_plan.yaml

Execution behavior:

• Run each step sequentially
• Verify success after each step
• On failure: execute rollback, report error, stop
• Log all output for debugging
• Generate installation report

Phase 4: Documentation Generation

After successful installation, generate usage documentation:

python3 {SKILL_DIR}/scripts/doc_generator.py --target "<software_name>" --plan installation_plan.yaml

Use sub-agents for parallel documentation. The documentation sections are independent of each other. Dispatch them concurrently using the Agent tool, then collect results:

• Agent A — Installation report: Generate install_report.md with the execution log, step-by-step status, and any warnings or errors encountered during installation.
• Agent B — Usage guide: Generate USAGE_GUIDE.md with a quick start guide, common commands/usage examples, and troubleshooting tips based on the installed software.
• Agent C — Uninstall & maintenance: Generate the uninstallation instructions and maintenance notes (upgrade paths, configuration locations, log file paths).

Each agent should return the path(s) of files it created or updated.

Output includes:

• Installation summary (what was installed, where)
• Quick start guide
• Common commands/usage examples
• Troubleshooting tips
• Uninstallation instructions

Output Files

The skill generates these files in the current directory:

File	Description
env_info.json	System environment analysis
installation_plan.yaml	Detailed installation steps
install_report.md	Execution log and status
USAGE_GUIDE.md	User documentation

Platform-Specific Notes

Windows

• Prefer winget over choco when available
• Use PowerShell for script execution
• Handle UAC elevation requirements

Linux

• Detect distro family (Debian/RedHat/Arch)
• Use appropriate package manager
• Handle sudo requirements gracefully

macOS

• Use Homebrew as primary package manager
• Handle Apple Silicon vs Intel differences
• Respect Gatekeeper and notarization

Example Usage

User request: "Create an installation script for Node.js"

1. Run env_explorer.py to detect system
2. Generate plan with Node.js as target
3. Execute plan (installs Node.js + npm)
4. Generate USAGE_GUIDE.md with npm commands

Error Handling

• All scripts exit with non-zero codes on failure
• Verification failures trigger rollback
• Detailed error messages include remediation hints
• Partial installations are cleaned up automatically