basher.it

What is basher?

Basher is a package manager for Bash scripts. It installs, uninstalls and updates shell scripts from the command line, much like Composer does for PHP, npm for Node.js or apt for Linux tools. Its pitch is that if a Bash project is organised in a logical way, basher can install it without the author registering it anywhere first.

A typical use is pulling a single utility script into your environment and using it immediately:

basher install pforret/note

If you maintain dotfiles or work across several machines, basher gives you a repeatable way to bring in shared shell tooling instead of copying scripts by hand. It is aimed at people who write or collect Bash scripts and want a lightweight install path, not a full system package manager.

Trade-offs to weigh

• No central registration means lower friction for authors, but discoverability depends on directories and word of mouth rather than a curated index.
• It manages Bash packages specifically; it is not a replacement for apt, Homebrew or your OS package manager for system software.
• Because packages are plain scripts, review what you install before running it.

Next step: browse the package directory at basher to see whether the scripts you need are already listed, and check the usage page for install, uninstall and update commands.

How do I install basher on my system?

Install basher by running its installer script from the command line:

curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/basherpm/basher/master/install.sh | bash

That is the method shown on the basher site. After it finishes, basher becomes available as a command, and you can install bash packages the same way you would use Composer for PHP or npm for Node.js:

basher install pforret/note

The package's script is then installed and usable immediately, according to the site.

A safer habit

Piping a remote script straight into bash executes whatever the server returns, so if you want to inspect it first:

curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/basherpm/basher/master/install.sh -o install.sh
less install.sh
bash install.sh

The site also points to a step-by-step procedure in the basherpm/basher repository if you prefer to follow the install manually or understand what the script does. For background on the tool, see basher.

If you only need one script

Installing a package manager is worth it when you expect to add, update and remove several bash tools over time. For a single script you will never update, downloading it directly is simpler and avoids adding another tool to your shell setup.

How does basher compare to apt, npm, or composer for managing packages?

Basher is best understood as a lightweight, Git-based installer for standalone Bash scripts and small Bash projects. It borrows the command shape of mature package managers — basher install pforret/note mirrors apt install, npm install, or composer require — but it does not try to match their dependency resolution, registries, or ecosystem governance.

Where basher sits

The key difference is registration. According to the site, basher does not require packages to register before use — if a Bash project is organised in a logical way, basher can install it. That makes publishing trivial, but it also means discovery and quality control work differently from apt, npm, or composer, where a registry and maintainers mediate what you get.

Practical implications

For a developer who wants a small CLI helper — say, a note-taking script — basher is a fast path: one command installs it and it is usable immediately. Apt would be overkill and system-intrusive; npm would drag in a Node runtime; composer is PHP-specific.

For anything with version conflicts, transitive dependencies, or security review requirements, the established managers are safer choices. Basher's model suits scripts you can read and audit yourself.

A useful next step: check the basher package directory to see whether the kind of tool you need already exists, then compare its repository layout against the "logical way" basher expects before installing.

How do I install, uninstall, and update bash packages using basher?

Basher installs, removes and updates bash scripts from the command line, using the same package-plus-command pattern as composer, npm or apt. A package is identified as author/repo, so the main workflow is a short set of commands rather than editing files by hand.

Core commands

• Install: basher install pforret/note — the script is placed in basher's package directory and becomes usable immediately, so no separate build or copy step is needed.
• Uninstall: run the matching uninstall command with the same author/repo identifier. This is the clean way to reverse an install rather than deleting files manually, because basher tracks what it placed.
• Update: run the update command against the package name to pull the latest version of that script. Updating one package is safer than updating everything at once when you depend on a script's behaviour staying stable.

Basher itself is installed with a one-line shell command from its GitHub repository, and the site also documents a step-by-step procedure if you prefer to read the script before running it.

Who this suits

A practical example

Suppose you want a note-taking script available on your machine. Install it with basher install pforret/note, confirm it runs, then uninstall it with the same identifier if you stop using it. If the author later fixes a bug, update that single package rather than reinstalling everything.

Decision criterion

Use basher when the thing you are managing is a bash script or a collection of them and you want repeatable install, removal and update steps. Keep a record of the author/repo names you install, because that list is what makes uninstall and update straightforward later. For a fuller command reference, see the usage page on basher; for the installer source and step-by-step notes, see GitHub.

What bash packages can I install with basher?

Basher installs Bash packages hosted in Git repositories, not from a central curated registry. The site notes that basher doesn't require packages to register before they can be used; if a bash package is "organised in a logical way," basher will know how to install it. The page also lists a directory of 103 basher-compatible packages as examples of what you can install.

What you can install

• Any Git-hosted Bash script or project that follows basher's expected layout.
• Packages from the site's directory of 103 compatible packages, which it describes as "popular (or not)" examples.
• The site's own example: basher install pforret/note, after which the script is installed and usable immediately.

How to judge whether a package will work

Because there is no mandatory registration step, compatibility depends on the package's structure rather than an approval process. Check the repository for a clear entry script and a layout that matches what basher expects; if it is "organised in a logical way," basher should handle the install.

Next step

Browse the directory of 103 packages on basher to see real examples, then compare their repository layouts to any script you want to install. If your own Bash project follows a similar structure, it can likely be installed with basher too.

How do I publish a bash script as a basher package?

To publish a bash script as a basher package, you don't go through a registry or submission process. Basher installs directly from a Git repository, so "publishing" means making a repo that follows basher's expected layout. Once the repo is public and installable, anyone can run basher install user/repo and get your script.

The page itself states this directly: basher doesn't require packages to register before use, and if a bash package is "organised in a logical way," basher will know how to install it. That's the core of the publishing model — the structure of your repo is the package definition.

What to prepare

• A public Git host. Basher pulls from a repository, so the code must be reachable by whoever installs it.
• A predictable layout. Keep the executable script(s) in a conventional place and make the entry point obvious. The page references a "logical way" of organising a package but does not enumerate an exact required folder name, so check the project's usage and author documentation for the current convention before you commit to a structure.
• An executable entry point. The target script should have a shebang and executable permissions, since basher installs it so it "can be used immediately."
• A name that resolves cleanly. The install command takes a user/repo form, as in basher install pforret/note.

A practical workflow

1. Create the repository and add your script plus any supporting files.
2. Set the executable bit on the main script and give it a proper shebang.
3. Test the install path yourself in a clean environment — install it, run it, then uninstall and update it — before telling anyone else about it.
4. Optionally list it in the package directory so others can discover it. The site maintains a directory of basher-compatible packages, which is where a published package becomes findable.

Decision criteria

If your script is a one-off for your own machine, a repo plus a symlink is enough and basher adds little. If you want others to install, update and remove it with one command, the basher route is worth the small amount of structural discipline. The trade-off is that you inherit the conventions of the tool rather than controlling your own install story.

Next step: read the "for authors" section on basher and compare your repo against an existing package in the directory — copying a working layout is faster and less error-prone than guessing at it.