PowerCell is a beautiful, zero-dependency, command-line software installer that works on Windows, Linux, and macOS. Select software from 16 categories (170+ apps), queue them, and install everything with a single keystroke.
- Features
- Screenshots
- Requirements
- Installation
- Usage
- Software Categories
- How It Works
- Architecture
- Contributing
- Author
- License
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| 🖥️ Cross-Platform | Runs natively on Windows, Linux, and macOS |
| 📦 170+ Apps | Curated catalog across 16 categories |
| 🏷️ OS Badges | Every app shows which OS it supports at a glance |
| 🔍 Smart Search | Find any software by name instantly |
| 🔁 Fallback IDs | Tries multiple package IDs if the primary one fails |
| 🛡️ Error-Safe | Failed installs never stop the rest of the queue |
| ⚡ Queue System | Add multiple apps, then install all at once |
| 🎨 ANSI UI | Beautiful coloured terminal interface |
| 0️⃣ No Dependencies | Pure Python standard library only |
| 🔧 Auto-Detection | Detects OS, architecture, package manager, and admin status |
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ PowerCell — Cross-Platform Software Installer ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
OS: Ubuntu 22.04 | Arch: x64 | Python: 3.12.0 | Mode: Admin
Queue: 3 item(s) in queue
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
MAIN MENU — SELECT A CATEGORY
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[01] Web Browsers Internet browsers for web surfing
(10 available)
[02] Communication Tools Messaging, chat and video calling apps
(10 available)
...
[99] START INSTALLATION (3 items)
[ S ] Search software by name
[ I ] Install a single package by ID / name
| Platform | Requirement |
|---|---|
| All | Python 3.9 or newer |
| Windows | winget (App Installer — pre-installed on Windows 11, available for Windows 10) |
| Linux | apt, dnf, pacman, zypper, or apk (auto-detected) |
| macOS | Homebrew |
No Python packages required. PowerCell uses only the Python standard library.
# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/mmizan85/powercell.git
cd powercell
# 2. Run
python PowerCell.py# Ensure winget is available (Windows 10/11)
winget --version
# Clone and run
git clone https://github.com/mmizan85/powercell.git
cd powercell
python PowerCell.pyDownload the pre-built installer from Releases:
PowerCell-Setup-Windows.exe
Double-click to install, then launch PowerCell from the Start Menu or Desktop shortcut.
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mmizan85/powercell/main/installers/install.ps1 | iex# Clone
git clone https://github.com/mmizan85/powercell.git
cd powercell
# Make executable
chmod +x PowerCell.py
# Run
python3 PowerCell.py
# or
./PowerCell.pycurl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mmizan85/powercell/main/installers/install.sh | bash# Download from Releases page
wget https://github.com/mmizan85/powercell/releases/latest/download/powercell_2.0_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i powercell_2.0_amd64.deb
powercellgit clone https://github.com/yourusername/powercell.git
cd powercell
python3 PowerCell.pybrew tap mmizan85/powercell
brew install powercell
powercellDownload from Releases:
PowerCell-2.0.pkg
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
01–16 |
Open a software category |
99 |
Start installing all queued apps |
S |
Search for software by name |
I |
Quick install by package ID or name |
V |
View current installation queue |
C |
Clear the queue |
Q |
Quit |
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
1–N |
Toggle app in/out of queue |
A |
Add all compatible apps to queue |
B |
Back to main menu |
Type any package name or ID directly:
winget ID → e.g. Microsoft.VisualStudioCode
apt package → e.g. neovim
brew cask → e.g. rectangle
| Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|
[ Windows ] |
Windows only (installed via winget) |
[ Linux ] |
Linux only (installed via apt/dnf/pacman…) |
[ macOS ] |
macOS only (installed via Homebrew) |
[ All ] |
All three platforms supported |
| # | Category | Apps | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 🌐 Web Browsers | 10 | All |
| 02 | 💬 Communication Tools | 10 | All |
| 03 | 💻 Development Tools | 15 | All |
| 04 | 🎵 Media & Entertainment | 12 | All |
| 05 | 🔧 System Utilities | 12 | All |
| 06 | 📄 Office & Productivity | 12 | All |
| 07 | 🔒 Security & Privacy | 12 | All |
| 08 | 🎨 Graphics & Design | 10 | All |
| 09 | 🎮 Gaming Platforms | 10 | Win/Mac+ |
| 10 | 🌐 Networking Tools | 10 | All |
| 11 | 🗄️ Database Tools | 10 | All |
| 12 | ☁️ Cloud & DevOps | 10 | All |
| 13 | ✍️ Writing & Notes | 10 | All |
| 14 | 💰 Finance & Business | 10 | Win/Mac |
| 15 | 🐧 Linux-Specific Tools | 10 | Linux |
| 16 | 🍎 macOS-Specific Tools | 10 | macOS |
User selects apps
│
▼
InstallQueue
│
▼
SystemDetector ──► Detects OS, arch, package manager, admin status
│
▼
InstallerEngine
│
┌────┴────┐
│ │
Windows Linux/macOS
│ │
winget apt/dnf/ brew
install pacman… cask/formula
│ │
└────┬────┘
│
Primary ID ──► Alt IDs ──► Name search ──► InstallResult
│
┌─────────────────┼─────────────────┐
"ok" "fail" "skip"
│ │ │
Logged Logged Logged
(queue continues in all cases)
PowerCell automatically selects the right package manager:
- apt / apt-get → Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, Pop!_OS
- dnf → Fedora, RHEL 8+, CentOS Stream
- yum → RHEL 7, CentOS 7
- pacman → Arch Linux, Manjaro, EndeavourOS
- zypper → openSUSE
- apk → Alpine Linux
powercell/
├── PowerCell.py # Main application (single file)
├── WinSetupCLI.ps1 # Original PowerShell version (legacy)
├── assets/
│ ├── powercell.ico # Windows icon (multi-size: 16–256px)
│ ├── powercell_256.png # PNG icon 256×256
│ └── powercell_512.png # PNG icon 512×512
├── installers/
│ ├── install.sh # Linux/macOS shell installer
│ ├── install.ps1 # Windows PowerShell installer
│ ├── build_exe.spec # PyInstaller spec (Windows .exe)
│ └── build_pkg.sh # macOS .pkg builder script
├── .github/
│ └── workflows/
│ └── release.yml # GitHub Actions release workflow
├── docs/
│ └── USAGE.md # Extended usage guide
├── README.md # This file
├── LICENSE # MIT License
├── CHANGELOG.md # Version history
└── .gitignore # Git ignore rules
| Class | Responsibility |
|---|---|
SystemDetector |
One-time OS/arch/admin/tool detection at startup |
AppEntry |
Data model for a single installable application |
InstallResult |
Result of a single install attempt |
InstallerEngine |
Platform-specific install logic with fallback chains |
InstallQueue |
Manages the ordered list of apps to install |
PowerCellApp |
Main controller: UI loop, menus, orchestration |
Colors |
ANSI colour constants + Windows console fix |
Contributions are very welcome!
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch:
git checkout -b feature/add-new-apps - Add your apps to the
build_catalog()function inPowerCell.py - Test on your platform:
python3 PowerCell.py - Commit:
git commit -m "feat: add 10 new Linux tools to cat 15" - Push:
git push origin feature/add-new-apps - Open a Pull Request
app("App Name",
win = "Publisher.AppName", # winget ID
linux = "package-name", # apt/dnf/pacman name
mac = "homebrew-cask-name", # brew cask or formula
app_type = "Category",
os_sup = A, # A=All, W=Windows, L=Linux, M=macOS
lic = FREE, # FREE, PAID, FREEMIUM, TRIAL
alt_win = ["Alt.WingetID"], # fallback IDs
),Mohammad Mizanur Rahman
Passionate developer building tools that make everyday computing easier.
This project is licensed under the MIT License — see the LICENSE file for details.
MIT License © 2024 Mohammad Mizanur Rahman
Made with ❤️ by Mohammad Mizanur Rahman
⭐ If PowerCell helped you, please give it a star!