Decent Software
Introduction
Opinionated list of sysadmin/development software that is/has:
- Minimal configuration: software should work after a new user spending less than 5 minutes configuring/fixing it
- Secure
- Self hosted
- Convenient: e.g. you can technically browse the web from your terminal, but it's not convenient
- Already installed on Unix systems
- Cross-platform
- Small
in that order.
List
| Mainstream | Alternative | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Backups | rsync | |
| File sharing | sftp | |
| Firewall | ufw | let's be honest, iptables is not usable |
| General purpose language | go | cause cross-compilation |
| JSON | csv | |
| MediaWiki | cmark | |
| Offline reading | chromium print to pdf | |
| PDF reader | chromium | cause sandboxing |
| Package manager | pkgsrc | wide platform support |
| Password manager | chown, chmod and sudo cat | cause if someone has root access you're already screwed |
| Scripting language | /bin/sh | |
| Server dashboard | cockpit | |
| Static site generator | cmark | |
| Text editor | mg | |
| VPN | wireguard | |
ansible | /bin/sh + ssh | |
apache | busybox httpd | |
bash | ash | |
chrome | chromium | big but SECURITY |
coreutils | busybox | |
docker | chroot | only for trusted software, otherwise cockpit-machines |
git | cvs | |
glibc | musl | |
make | bmake | |
man-db | mandoc | |
perl | awk | |
qbittorrent | transmission-daemon | |
selinux | chmod | |
sudo | doas | |
systemd | openrc | used in alpine and gentoo |
virtualbox | cockpit-machines |