Ask HN: Hacker-friendly setup/install tools on the Mac?

[steveivy]

After my post about wiring up the Mac app Notational Velocity to a Github wiki got some interest (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2194998), I started working on a more generic solution that any Mac hacker could fork and go with.

I've realized that I don't have a good idea of what command-line install/setup tools to use. The solution involves a simple perl script, a .plist file, and some customization for the user's desired environment, but little else. What hacker-friendly setup/install tools should I use that can be used easily from the base of a cloned repo?