Install FreeBSD with cloned config choices

gladiola

gladiola

I would like to install FreeBSD on several similar home computers. In the past I've installed FreeBSD one unit at a time, compiling from ports. Pretty much, I find I make the same choices when presented with the dialogs that come up for configuring the chosen programs.

Aside from sitting beside each computer and marking my choices and hitting "Enter," is there a way to write a script or use a feature that would allow me to install the programs I desire, port by port, with the config options I desire for each?

For instance, install FreeBSD 10, then OpenJDK7, then Xorg, then Xfce4, and so on.

I suppose I could simply clone a copy to each hard drive; but, I would like to know if there is a software method available. If this tactic exists, what is it called and what references are there about it?
 
Have you heard of ports-mgmt/poudriere before? That lets you build your own package repository with whatever custom options you'd like to use.

https://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/ports-poudriere.html

If you want some kind of automation for actually configuring stuff after it's installed, there are all kinds of configuration management programs out there. Unless you are trying to learn them on your own to apply the skills elsewhere, they are probably overkill for home use but they certainly are available to try out. See: sysutils/ansible, sysutils/py-salt,sysutils/puppet, sysutils/cfengine
 
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