Windows, Linux, and Kali Bootstrap Scripts for reverse-skill: Complete Setup Guide

reverse-skill provides three platform-specific bootstrap scripts—PowerShell for Windows, Bash for generic Linux/macOS, and a specialized Kali wrapper—that automatically install reverse engineering tools based on a shared JSON manifest.

The zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill repository ships automated setup scripts that eliminate manual dependency management across Windows, Linux, and Kali Linux environments. Each script parses a capability manifest, resolves tool dependencies, and installs them through native package managers or direct downloads. This guide covers all three platform implementations, their differences, and how to use them effectively.

Windows Bootstrap Script (PowerShell)

The Windows bootstrap is implemented in skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.ps1. It handles PowerShell-only tooling, winget packages, and Windows-specific installation paths.

How to Run the Windows Script

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass `
    -File skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.ps1 `
    -Capability apktool,adb,anything-analyzer

Key Windows-Specific Behavior

• OS detection: Uses Test-ReverseIsWindows internal function to confirm platform
• Package management: Preferred order is winget → manual download → build from source
• Path injection: Updates $env:PATH persistently via registry modifications
• Wrapper creation: Generates .cmd files for Java-based tools like apktool

The Windows script reads skills/scripts/bootstrap-manifest.json to determine download URLs, checksums, and installation methods. For capabilities marked with bootstrapKind: "winget", it executes winget install directly.

Linux and macOS Bootstrap Script (Bash)

The generic Unix bootstrap lives in skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh. It uses POSIX-compatible commands for maximum portability across distributions.

Running the Linux/macOS Script

# Install specific capabilities

bash skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh radare2,go-tools

# Single capability

bash skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh adb

Platform Resolution Logic

The script detects the host distribution and selects the appropriate package manager:

• Debian/Ubuntu: apt-get
• RHEL/CentOS/Fedora: dnf or yum
• macOS: brew (if available) or manual installation
• Fallback: Direct download and extraction

For GitHub-hosted releases, the script calls functions from skills/scripts/lib/bootstrap-supply-chain.sh to verify SHA-256 checksums before extraction.

Kali Linux Bootstrap Script

Kali Linux receives specialized treatment via kali/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh, which extends the generic Linux logic with penetration-testing-specific packages.

Kali-Specific Features

• Dual manifest loading: Reads kali/scripts/bootstrap-manifest.json first, then falls back to the generic manifest
• Debian package handling: Direct apt-get install -y for Kali metapackages (e.g., kali-tools-top10)
• MCP server shortcuts: Auto-generates systemd user service files for anything-analyzer

Running the Kali Bootstrap

bash kali/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh \
    nmap,sqlmap,metasploit-framework

Kali Manifest Overrides

The Kali manifest (kali/scripts/bootstrap-manifest.json) can:

• Override download URLs for Kali-packaged versions
• Add aptPackage entries not present in the generic manifest
• Specify kaliCategory tags for tool organization

Shared Bootstrap Flow (All Platforms)

All three scripts follow an identical five-phase process:

1. Manifest loading: Parse JSON capability definitions
2. Dependency resolution: Check existing tools via Get-Command (PowerShell) or which (Bash)
3. Tool installation: Execute platform-specific bootstrapKind handlers:
   • packageManager: winget, apt, dnf, brew
   • githubRelease: Download, verify, extract
   • buildFromSource: go install, pip, npm
4. MCP registration: Configure server endpoints if the capability exposes one
5. Index refresh: Run refresh-tool-index to update skills/tool-index.md

Scripts are idempotent—re-running skips already-installed tools and only adds missing capabilities.

Verifying Installation Results

Each script outputs JSON for programmatic inspection:

Windows Verification

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass `
    -File skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.ps1 -Capability adb `
    | ConvertFrom-Json | Format-Table name,status,ready

Linux/Kali Verification

bash skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh adb \
    | jq '.[] | {name, status, ready}'

A successful installation returns "status": "ready" and "ready": true. Failed installations include an error field with diagnostic details.

Core Library Files

File	Purpose
skills/scripts/lib/ToolDiscovery.ps1 / tool-discovery.sh	Locate existing system tools
skills/scripts/lib/BootstrapSupplyChain.ps1 / bootstrap-supply-chain.sh	Download, verify, and extract remote assets
skills/scripts/refresh-tool-index.ps1 / kali/scripts/refresh-tool-index.sh	Regenerate tool documentation

Summary

• skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.ps1: Windows PowerShell bootstrap with winget integration
• skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh: Generic Linux and macOS Bash bootstrap
• kali/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh: Kali-specific wrapper with pentesting package support
• All scripts share bootstrap-manifest.json format and produce structured JSON output
• Idempotent design allows safe repeated execution

Frequently Asked Questions

What distinguishes the Kali bootstrap from the generic Linux script?

The Kali bootstrap loads a secondary manifest at kali/scripts/bootstrap-manifest.json that contains Kali-specific package names and Debian repositories. It also applies automatic apt-get install logic for tools already packaged in Kali's repositories, avoiding redundant compilation.

Can I run these scripts on already-configured systems without breaking anything?

Yes. All bootstrap scripts implement idempotent installation: they check for existing tools via Get-Command (Windows) or which (Linux) before attempting installation. Already-present tools are skipped with "status": "present" in the JSON output.

What PowerShell execution policy is required for the Windows script?

The script requires Bypass execution policy for the current process only. The documented invocation (-NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass) does not change system-wide policy and avoids persistent security modifications.

How do I add a custom capability to the bootstrap process?

Add an entry to skills/scripts/bootstrap-manifest.json (or kali/scripts/bootstrap-manifest.json for Kali-specific tools) with fields for name, bootstrapKind, sourceUrl, and verificationHash. The scripts will automatically pick up new capabilities on next run.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}