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A package manager for Bash scripts

JavaScript has npm, Ruby has gem, Python has pip. bpkg brings the same workflow to Bash: discoverable packages, repeatable installs, and a shared distribution model for shell tooling.

Use bpkg to install command-line tools, reusable shell libraries, and small automation utilities without inventing a custom setup step for every repository.

It handles installation, removal, and executable permissions so a package can be consumed like any other CLI tool:

# Install `term` into `/usr/local/bin`
$ bpkg install term -g
$ term

bpkg also works well at project scope, where dependencies live alongside the code that uses them:

# Install `term` inside the local `deps/` directory
$ bpkg install term
$ ./deps/term/term.sh

Install

There are three common ways to install bpkg.

1. Install Script

The bootstrap script installs bpkg with minimal setup:

$ curl -sLo- http://get.bpkg.sh | bash

If you want to inspect it first, open get.bpkg.sh or review setup.sh in the repository.

2. clibs

If you already use clibs, you can install bpkg from there as well:

$ clib install bpkg/bpkg

3. Source Code

If you prefer to install from source:

$ git clone https://github.com/bpkg/bpkg.git
$ cd bpkg
$ ./setup.sh install

Why bpkg exists

Shell ecosystems often end up as disconnected gists, dotfiles, and one-off repositories. bpkg aims to make Bash tooling more reusable by giving packages a standard shape and a standard installation flow.

That makes it easier to:

• publish small utilities without building a full language runtime around them;
• consume shell scripts as dependencies inside projects;
• discover tools by category instead of by chance.