Tools

This document catalogs the tools available in the PAI ecosystem — both the build-time utilities that produce the ISO and the runtime software that ships on the installed system.

In PAI's context, a tool is any build-time or runtime capability an agent (human or AI) can invoke to accomplish work. The build system itself is driven by agents following the prompts in prompts/; see AGENTS.md for how those agents operate.

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Build-time tools

These tools run on the builder's machine (or inside the build container) to produce the PAI ISO. They are not present on the shipped system unless re-installed explicitly.

Tool	Purpose	Where invoked	Docs
debootstrap	Bootstraps a minimal Debian/Ubuntu root filesystem that becomes the base of the live system	Early in prompts/BUILD-FULL-AMD64.md	manpages.debian.org/debootstrap
chroot	Enters the bootstrapped filesystem so subsequent apt, config, and customization steps run in the target environment	Nearly every prompts/NN-*.md that installs packages	manpages.debian.org/chroot
squashfs-tools (mksquashfs)	Compresses the customized root filesystem into the read-only filesystem.squashfs carried on the ISO	prompts/06-build-iso.md, prompts/21-final-build.md	github.com/plougher/squashfs-tools
xorriso	Assembles the final hybrid ISO image (UEFI + BIOS bootable)	prompts/06-build-iso.md, prompts/21-final-build.md	gnu.org/software/xorriso
minisign	Signs release artifacts so downloaders can verify authenticity	Release workflow, SECURITY.md	jedisct1.github.io/minisign
sha256sum	Generates checksums published alongside every ISO	Release workflow	manpages.debian.org/sha256sum
ShellCheck	Lints the chroot scripts referenced by build prompts	CI, pre-commit	shellcheck.net
Docker build images	Reproducible build environment so any contributor can produce a byte-identical ISO	Top of prompts/BUILD-FULL-AMD64.md	See repo Dockerfile

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Runtime tools

These tools ship on the ISO and are available to end users the moment they boot. Each group maps to one or more prompts/NN-*.md files that document exactly what gets installed and how.

AI

Tool	Purpose	Prompt
ollama	Local LLM runtime — models run on-device, no cloud calls	prompts/03-fix-ollama-cpu-only.md, prompts/16-ai-tools-suite.md
model-manager	PAI utility to download, list, and prune local models	prompts/04-model-manager.md
AI crypto analysis tooling	On-device market analysis using local models	prompts/18-ai-crypto-analysis.md

Privacy

Tool	Purpose	Prompt
tor	Routes selected traffic through the Tor network	prompts/11-tor-privacy-mode.md
ufw	Default-deny host firewall	prompts/06-firewall-hardening.md
macchanger	Randomizes MAC on each boot	prompts/05-mac-spoofing.md
mat2	Strips metadata from documents, images, and media	prompts/32-encryption-privacy.md

Crypto

Tool	Purpose	Prompt
bitcoin-cli	Bitcoin Core CLI wallet and RPC client	prompts/12-bitcoin-wallet.md
monero-wallet-cli	Monero CLI wallet	prompts/15-monero-wallet.md
electrum	Lightweight Bitcoin wallet	prompts/12-bitcoin-wallet.md
Crypto dashboard + price ticker	System-level price feed and portfolio view	prompts/14-crypto-price-ticker.md, prompts/17-crypto-dashboard.md

Dev

Tool	Purpose	Prompt
git + GitHub tooling	Version control and forge integration	prompts/25-git-github-tools.md
VS Code	Default graphical editor	prompts/22-vscode.md
Language toolchains	Python, Node.js, Go, Rust, and others preinstalled	prompts/23-dev-languages.md
Terminal enhancements	Modern shell, prompt, and CLI utilities	prompts/26-terminal-enhancements.md

Utilities

General user-facing applications — file managers, archivers, media players, productivity apps, communication clients, and more. The full catalog lives in prompts/33-utilities.md and related prompts:

• prompts/27-music-player.md
• prompts/28-ssh-remote-access.md
• prompts/29-networking-privacy.md
• prompts/30-communication.md
• prompts/31-productivity-editing.md
• prompts/24-flatpak-appstore.md

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How to propose a new tool

1. Open an Issue describing the tool, why it belongs in PAI, and which category it fits (build-time, AI, privacy, crypto, dev, utility). Flag any licensing, telemetry, or network-call concerns up front — see ETHICS.md and PRIVACY.md.
2. Open a PR that adds:
3. A new prompts/NN-<name>.md build prompt (follow the authoring rules in PROMPTS.md).
4. The matching chroot script or config changes.
5. An entry in this file under the appropriate section.
6. An update to prompts/INDEX.md if a new numbered step is introduced.
7. Ensure the build still produces a reproducible ISO. See CONTRIBUTING.md for the full workflow.

For the agents that review and act on these proposals, see AGENTS.md.