System Initiative

What is System Initiative?

System Initiative is a DevOps automation platform designed as an intuitive, powerful, and collaborative replacement for Infrastructure as Code. It is open source under the Apache License 2.0 and is developed by System Initiative, Inc.

How to use System Initiative?

To run System Initiative locally, install nix (≥2.18.1 with flakes), Docker, and direnv (≥2.30). After cloning the repository, cd into it to activate the Nix environment. Run buck2 run dev:healthcheck to verify readiness, then buck2 run dev:up to start the full stack (accessible via Tilt UI at localhost:10350). Use buck2 run dev:down to stop and remove containers.

Key features of System Initiative

• Collaborative replacement for Infrastructure as Code.
• Local development stack with PostgreSQL, NATS, Jaeger, and OpenTelemetry.
• Supported on x86_64 and aarch64 (macOS, Linux, WSL2).
• Built with Buck2 build system for service orchestration.
• Open source with clear contribution and trademark guidelines.

Use cases of System Initiative

• Automating infrastructure provisioning and configuration.
• Collaborative infrastructure management across teams.
• Local development and testing of DevOps workflows.
• Replacing traditional IaC tools with a visual, collaborative interface.

FAQ from System Initiative

What platforms are supported for local development?

macOS (x86_64 and aarch64/Apple Silicon), Linux (x86_64 and aarch64), and Windows via WSL2 are officially supported. Rosetta 2 is required on Apple Silicon.

What are the required dependencies?

nix (≥2.18.1 with flakes), Docker (Desktop or Engine), and direnv (≥2.30) must be installed and configured.

How do I log into a local instance?

After starting the stack, visit https://auth.systeminit.com/workspaces, create a new workspace of type “Local Dev Instance”, and select it.

How can I contribute to System Initiative?

Read CONTRIBUTING.md, sign the CONTRIBUTORS.md file by adding your name and GitHub handle in a pull request, and ensure commit author metadata matches.

What is the license and trademark policy?

The code is licensed under Apache License 2.0. Trademarks and logos are not covered; others may build distributions but cannot use System Initiative trademarks or cloud services.