Awesome Mac Admin Tools

A curated list of handy-dandy tools for Mac Admins.

Inspired by the awesome list.

Contents

• Command-line tools
• Deployment
• Helper Menus
• Onboarding Experience
• Productivity
• Text Editing
• Utilities

Command-line tools

erase-install

erase-install.sh is a script to download macOS full installers, and to reinstall, upgrade or erase macOS.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/grahampugh/erase-install

getmacosipsws.py

Quick-and-dirty tool to download the macOS IPSW files currently advertised by Apple in the https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/com_apple_macOSIPSW/com_apple_macOSIPSW.xml feed.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/munki/macadmin-scripts

installinstallmacos.py

Create disk images containing macOS Installer applications available via Apple's softwareupdate catalogs.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/munki/macadmin-scripts

MIST - macOS Installer Super Tool

A Mac command-line tool that automatically downloads macOS Installers/firmware.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/ninxsoft/Mist

moss

A helper app for Hello IT to make building mobileconfig files easier.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/WardsParadox/moss

Recategorizer

Quickly recategorize policies and packages in Jamf Pro, and even more unused categories.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/sheagcraig/Recategorizer

scriptorium

A utility for managing the scripts in Jamf Pro. It provides backup, change tracking, and an easier edit process.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/Honestpuck/scriptorium

Spruce

Works with your Jamf server to identify objects not currently being used, out of date, or are generally "crufty".

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/sheagcraig/Spruce

Stronghold

Easily configure macOS security settings from the terminal.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/alichtman/stronghold

vfuse

A handy script that converts a never-booted DMG into a VMware Fusion VM.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/chilcote/vfuse

Deployment

Apparency

An application for inspecting application bundles, including code signing requirements, notarization, and included frameworks.

Cost: Free

Link: https://www.mothersruin.com/software/Apparency/

AutoDMG

Create deployable system images from macOS installers.*

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/MagerValp/AutoDMG

AutoPkg

Automated third party package download and creation for deployment.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/autopkg/autopkg

AutoPkgr

GUI for AutoPkg, with click-to-add functionality of additional components.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/lindegroup/autopkgr

Composer

Jamf's in-house package creator tool. Builds pkgs and dmgs made for deployment with the Jamf Pro Suite, but pkgs built with Composer can be used with any management framework.

Cost: $ USD 99.95, otherwise included with the Jamf Pro Suite if a Jamf customer.

Link: https://www.jamf.com/products/jamf-composer/

Low Profile

A Mac utility to help inspect Apple Configuration Profile payloads.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/ninxsoft/LowProfile

munki-pkg

munki-pkg is a simple tool for building packages. While it was developed for use with munki, it can be used to make pkgs that are deployable with any management framework.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/munki/munki-pkg

Nudge

Nudge strongly encourages running macOS updates and can be customized with profiles or local json files.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/macadmins/nudge

Packages.app

A free package creation tool. The gold standard of making your own custom installer packages.

Cost: Free

Link: http://s.sudre.free.fr/Software/Packages/about.html

Payload-Free Package Creator

An Automator application that quickly builds payload-free pkgs for deployment.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/rtrouton/Payload-Free-Package-Creator

ProfileCreator

macOS application to create configuration profiles.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/ProfileCreator/ProfileCreator

Suspicious Package

An application for inspecting the contents of macOS packages.

Cost: Free

Link: https://www.mothersruin.com/software/SuspiciousPackage/

Helper Menus

Hello-IT

A handy menubar application to get users in touch with IT and quickly get information and resources on their Mac.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/ygini/Hello-IT

MacDNA

Customizable menubar that checks for hardware status, management framework status, and other handy information.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/jhbush/Arek/tree/master/Development/MacDNA%20Menulet

NoMAD

The functionality you want from a Mac bound to Active Directory without having to actually bind to AD. (Make sure you check out this NoMAD updater as well.)

Cost: Free, Jamf Connect (pro version) pricing information can be found here

Link: https://nomad.menu/products/#nomad

Pareto Security

Automatically audit your Mac for basic security hygiene.

Price: N/A

Link: https://paretosecurity.app/

SupportApp

The Support app is a macOS menu bar app built for organizations to help users and helpdesks to see basic diagnostic information at a glance and easily customizable with a configuration profile.

Cost: Free

Link: https://github.com/root3nl/SupportApp

Onboarding Experience

ADEPT

A setup/splash screen for DEP and user-initiated Jamf Pro enrollments. Detailed documentation highlights how to work with the application in Xcode to customize it for your organization's needs.

Cost: Free to use, paid installation/customization services available.

Link: https://git.tramscloud.co.uk/projects/XCOD/repos/adept/browse

DEP Notify

A lightweight notification app designed to let users know what's happening during DEP enrollment.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://gitlab.com/Mactroll/DEPNotify

Octory

Octory is a highly customizable and elegant macOS application to onboard, support and watch over your users on their Mac.

Cost: Free, with Pro pricing/options available

Link:

Splash Buddy

A customizable onboarding app designed to work with Jamf Pro and DEP.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/macadmins/SplashBuddy

Productivity

Google Keep

Virtual sticky notes, lists, photos, and audio.

Cost: Included with Gmail accounts.

Link: https://www.google.com/keep/

Slack

Team chat and productivity client. Anyone can create a free team with ten integrations. (Join the MacAdmins Slack!)

Cost: Free teams with limited capabilities, additonal pricing can be found here

Link: https://slack.com/downloads/osx

Taskade

Create simple and minimal checklists, notes and outlines. Taskade is collaborative and syncs in real-time across all devices. Free, browser-based and mobile app interface.

Cost: Free, with paid features available.

Link: https://taskade.com/

Trello

Use Trello's boards, lists, and cards to organize and prioritize your projects. Free, browser-based and mobile app interface.

Cost: Free, with paid features available.

Link: https://trello.com/

Text Editing

Atom

A free, open source, hackable text editor.

Cost: Free

Link: https://atom.io/

BBEdit

Clean and simple HTML & text editor, made by Bare Bones Software.

Cost: USD $49.99 (direct download or via Mac App Store)

Link: https://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/

MacDown

An open source markdown editor for macOS.

Cost: Free

Link: https://macdown.uranusjr.com/

Nova

Nova is a new, fast, and flexible text editor, with all the features like smart autocomplete, multiple cursors, a Minimap, editor overscroll, tag pairs and brackets, and way, way more.

Cost: USD $99.99 + tax (includes one year of updates and new features)

Link: https://nova.app/

Sublime Text

A high performance, cross-platform text editor.

Cost: USD $80 to buy, free to evaluate.

Link: https://www.sublimetext.com/

Visual Studio Code

Microsoft's source code editor in a lightweight, open source, cross-platform application.

Cost: Free

Link: https://code.visualstudio.com/

Xcode

Apple's integrated development environment (IDE) containing a suite of software development tools developed by Apple for developing software used by Apple hardware.

Cost: Free with an Apple ID.

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/xcode/id497799835?mt=12

Utilities

Amphetamine

A caffeine replacement that prevents your Mac from sleeping on demand.

Cost: Free in the Mac App Store

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/app/amphetamine/id937984704?mt=12

AppCleaner

A small application which allows you to thoroughly uninstall unwanted apps.

Cost: Free

Link: https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/

Giphy Capture

Easily capture GIFs from your Mac, great for documentation.

Cost: Free from the Mac App Store.

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/giphy-capture-the-gif-maker/id668208984?mt=12

Icons.app

Icons.app is an application for macOS which enables you to create graphics files in PNG format, for use with management tools like Jamf Software's Jamf Pro or the open source Munki software installation tool.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/SAP/macOS-icon-generator

Jamf Compliance Editor

Jamf Compliance Editor is a tool that provides macOS system administrators with an easy way to establish and manage compliance baselines on their fleet of macOS devices. This tool is built on the foundations of the macOS Security Compliance Project, hosted by the United States government agency, NIST, in their Github repo.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://trusted.jamf.com/docs/establishing-compliance-baselines

Jamf Migrator

A tool to migrate data granularly between Jamf Pro servers.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/jamf/JamfMigrator

macOS Security Compliance Project

The macOS security compliance project is an open source effort to provide a programmatic approach to generating security guidance. This project can be used to create customized security baselines of technical security controls by leveraging a library of rules which are mapped to compliance requirements in existing security guides or used to develop customized guidance.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/usnistgov/macos_security

The MUT

The MUT is a native macOS application written in Swift which allows Jamf admins to make mass updates to attributes (such as username, asset tag, or extension attribute) of their devices and users in Jamf.

Cost: Free

Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-mut/id1133234759

Postman

Postman is an API platform for building and using APIs. The Postman desktop app provides a simple way to interact with an API.

Cost: Free, with paid options

Link: https://www.postman.com/downloads/

PPPC-Utility

PPPC Utility is a macOS (10.15 and newer) application for creating configuration profiles containing the Privacy Preferences Policy Control payload for macOS.

Cost: Free

Link: https://github.com/jamf/PPPC-Utility

Prune

Prune is a handy app that looks for unused items in a Jamf Pro server and makes them easy to identify and remove.

Cost: Free

Link: https://github.com/BIG-RAT/Prune

Rectangle

Move and resize windows in macOS using keyboard shortcuts or snap areas.

Cost: Free

Link: https://rectangleapp.com/

Script2Pkg

Helps with the process of creating payload-free installer packages.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/SAP/script-to-package-tool-for-macos

sus-inspector

Inspect Apple macOS software updates.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/hjuutilainen/sus-inspector

umad

A Professional Tool to help users with getting pre-existing devices enrolled into MDM.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/macadmins/umad

Yo

Custom user notifications with Swift.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/sheagcraig/yo

ProfileCreator

A macOS app to create standard & customized configuration profiles & plists.

Cost: N/A

Link: https://github.com/ProfileCreator/ProfileCreator

License

To the extent possible under law, Emily Kausalik has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this work.