Install and Run Salt Stack on macOS Servers and Desktops

salt_on_mac.md

Install Salt on macOS

Install Homebrew

Install Dependencies

brew install python swig zmq

Set OS Parameters for Salt

sudo launchctl limit maxfiles 4096 8192

Run the Salt Master

sudo salt-master --log-level=all

On Your Client Linux Machines

curl -L https://bootstrap.saltstack.com | sudo sh
sudo salt-minion start

On Client macOS Machines

brew install saltstack

Accept Keys on the Master

sudo salt-key -a macbook
sudo salt-key -a imac

Or if you have many:

sudo salt-key -A

Set Minion To Autostart

curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/saltstack/salt/develop/pkg/darwin/com.saltstack.salt.minion.plist | sudo tee cp /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.saltstack.salt.minion.plist && \
sudo launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.saltstack.salt.minion.plist && \
sudo launchctl unload /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.saltstack.salt.minion.plist

sudo salt -G 'os:macos' cmd.run "curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/saltstack/salt/develop/pkg/darwin/com.saltstack.salt.minion.plist | sudo tee cp /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.saltstack.salt.minion.plist && 
sudo launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.saltstack.salt.minion.plist && 
sudo launchctl unload /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.saltstack.salt.minion.plist"

Set Master to Autostart

curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/saltstack/salt/develop/pkg/darwin/com.saltstack.salt.master.plist | sudo tee cp /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.saltstack.salt.master.plist && \
sudo launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.saltstack.salt.master.plist && \
sudo launchctl unload /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.saltstack.salt.master.plist

Run Tasks on Macs

Update packages:

sudo salt -G 'os:macos' pkg.upgrade zsh

Install packages:

sudo salt -G 'os:macos' pkg.install zsh

No /etc/salt/minion file on mac os.... where do you tell it address of saltmaster?

No /etc/salt/minion file on mac os.... where do you tell it address of saltmaster?

You have to manually create that file, and put master: <ip address> in it. Usually /usr/local/etc/salt/minion is a sample configuration.

Thank you @ryancaclean
I opened an upstream PR for that saltstack-formulas/salt-formula#447