wtf is pm?

pm is a lightweight package manager designed for self-contained binaries, programs that don't need extra dependencies installed to run. It handles the full lifecycle of distributing software: building packages from your binaries, downloading and installing them, listing what's installed, removing them, and verifying their authenticity. Think of it as a simple way to distribute and manage standalone applications without the overhead of traditional package systems. The workflow is straightforward. When building a package, you point the tool at your binary, a metadata file, and a private key. It produces a compressed archive along with checksum and signature files for integrity and security. On the receiving end, someone can download or install packages from a URL or a local file. The tool caches downloads locally and skips re-downloading if the local copy is already up to date. It also supports cryptographic verification: you add trusted public keys to a keyring directory, then verify packages against those keys before installing them. This tool would appeal to teams or individuals who distribute self-contained binaries and want a clean, secure way to manage installation and updates. For example, a startup shipping a command-line tool to customers could use it to package, sign, and distribute each release. The end user could then install, verify, and update the tool with a few simple commands, without needing a complex package manager or worrying about missing dependencies. The project is notably minimal in scope. It doesn't try to handle dependency resolution, shared libraries, or complex installation environments, it's built specifically for binaries that run on their own. This makes it easy to understand and use, but limits it to scenarios where that simplicity fits. The README doesn't go into detail about supported platforms beyond an example showing macOS and AMD64 architecture in filenames, and it doesn't explain how hosting or serving packages at remote URLs should be set up.