diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..176e64d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# ====== CONFIG ======
+DOTFILES_DIR="${DOTFILES_DIR:-$HOME/repos/dotfiles}"
+DOTFILES_GIT_URL="${DOTFILES_GIT_URL:-}"  # ex: git@github.com:TON_USER/dotfiles.git
+STOW_PACKAGES_DEFAULT=("zsh" "tmux" "nvim" "hypr" "hypridle" "waybar" "alacritty")
+
+INSTALL_FONTS="${INSTALL_FONTS:-1}"      # 1 = install nerd font, 0 = skip
+SET_DEFAULT_SHELL="${SET_DEFAULT_SHELL:-1}" # 1 = chsh to zsh, 0 = skip
+
+# ====== HELPERS ======
+log() { printf "\n\033[1m==>\033[0m %s\n" "$*"; }
+warn() { printf "\033[33mWARN:\033[0m %s\n" "$*" >&2; }
+die() { printf "\033[31mERR:\033[0m %s\n" "$*" >&2; exit 1; }
+
+have() { command -v "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1; }
+
+require_sudo() {
+  if [ "${EUID:-$(id -u)}" -ne 0 ]; then
+    if ! have sudo; then die "sudo is required"; fi
+  fi
+}
+
+sudo_run() {
+  if [ "${EUID:-$(id -u)}" -eq 0 ]; then
+    "$@"
+  else
+    sudo "$@"
+  fi
+}
+
+# ====== OS CHECK ======
+if [ ! -f /etc/os-release ]; then
+  die "Unsupported OS (no /etc/os-release). This script targets Debian/Ubuntu."
+fi
+
+. /etc/os-release
+case "${ID:-}" in
+  debian|ubuntu|linuxmint|pop)
+    ;;
+  *)
+    warn "OS ID=${ID:-unknown}. Script is written for Debian/Ubuntu; proceeding anyway."
+    ;;
+esac
+
+# ====== APT PACKAGES ======
+log "Installing base packages (git, stow, zsh, tmux, neovim, etc.)"
+require_sudo
+sudo_run apt update
+sudo_run apt install -y \
+  git curl ca-certificates stow \
+  zsh tmux neovim \
+  ripgrep fd-find \
+  unzip zip tar \
+  fontconfig
+
+# Optional: tools often needed by nvim plugins (treesitter, etc.)
+sudo_run apt install -y build-essential || true
+
+# Hypr ecosystem (availability depends on distro/repo)
+# We try, but do not fail if packages aren't found.
+log "Trying to install Hyprland ecosystem packages (best effort)"
+sudo_run apt install -y hyprland hypridle waybar alacritty 2>/dev/null || true
+
+# ====== DOTFILES CLONE (OPTIONAL) ======
+if [ ! -d "$DOTFILES_DIR/.git" ]; then
+  if [ -n "$DOTFILES_GIT_URL" ]; then
+    log "Cloning dotfiles repo into: $DOTFILES_DIR"
+    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$DOTFILES_DIR")"
+    git clone "$DOTFILES_GIT_URL" "$DOTFILES_DIR"
+  else
+    warn "DOTFILES_DIR has no .git and DOTFILES_GIT_URL is empty."
+    warn "Skipping clone. (Set DOTFILES_GIT_URL env var to auto-clone.)"
+  fi
+else
+  log "Dotfiles repo already present: $DOTFILES_DIR"
+fi
+
+# ====== OH-MY-ZSH ======
+if [ ! -d "$HOME/.oh-my-zsh" ]; then
+  log "Installing Oh My Zsh"
+  # Unattended install: does not launch zsh at end
+  RUNZSH=no CHSH=no KEEP_ZSHRC=yes \
+    sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"
+else
+  log "Oh My Zsh already installed"
+fi
+
+# ====== POWERLEVEL10K + PLUGINS ======
+ZSH_CUSTOM="${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}"
+
+log "Installing Powerlevel10k theme + useful plugins"
+mkdir -p "$ZSH_CUSTOM/themes" "$ZSH_CUSTOM/plugins"
+
+if [ ! -d "$ZSH_CUSTOM/themes/powerlevel10k" ]; then
+  git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git \
+    "$ZSH_CUSTOM/themes/powerlevel10k"
+else
+  log "powerlevel10k already present"
+fi
+
+if [ ! -d "$ZSH_CUSTOM/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions" ]; then
+  git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions \
+    "$ZSH_CUSTOM/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions"
+else
+  log "zsh-autosuggestions already present"
+fi
+
+if [ ! -d "$ZSH_CUSTOM/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting" ]; then
+  git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting \
+    "$ZSH_CUSTOM/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting"
+else
+  log "zsh-syntax-highlighting already present"
+fi
+
+# ====== NERD FONT (FOR P10K) ======
+if [ "$INSTALL_FONTS" = "1" ]; then
+  log "Installing Meslo Nerd Font (for Powerlevel10k) (best effort)"
+  FONT_DIR="$HOME/.local/share/fonts"
+  mkdir -p "$FONT_DIR"
+
+  # Meslo Nerd Font (p10k recommended) - download 4 variants
+  # If this fails (no internet), it won't abort the script.
+  curl -fsSL -o "$FONT_DIR/MesloLGS NF Regular.ttf" \
+    "https://github.com/ryanoasis/nerd-fonts/raw/master/patched-fonts/Meslo/L/Regular/MesloLGSNerdFont-Regular.ttf" || true
+  curl -fsSL -o "$FONT_DIR/MesloLGS NF Bold.ttf" \
+    "https://github.com/ryanoasis/nerd-fonts/raw/master/patched-fonts/Meslo/L/Bold/MesloLGSNerdFont-Bold.ttf" || true
+  curl -fsSL -o "$FONT_DIR/MesloLGS NF Italic.ttf" \
+    "https://github.com/ryanoasis/nerd-fonts/raw/master/patched-fonts/Meslo/L/Italic/MesloLGSNerdFont-Italic.ttf" || true
+  curl -fsSL -o "$FONT_DIR/MesloLGS NF Bold Italic.ttf" \
+    "https://github.com/ryanoasis/nerd-fonts/raw/master/patched-fonts/Meslo/L/Bold-Italic/MesloLGSNerdFont-BoldItalic.ttf" || true
+
+  if have fc-cache; then
+    fc-cache -f >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  fi
+else
+  log "Skipping font installation (INSTALL_FONTS=0)"
+fi
+
+# ====== STOW APPLY ======
+if [ -d "$DOTFILES_DIR" ]; then
+  log "Applying stow packages into \$HOME (target=~)"
+  cd "$DOTFILES_DIR"
+
+  # Only stow packages that exist as directories
+  stow_args=()
+  for pkg in "${STOW_PACKAGES_DEFAULT[@]}"; do
+    if [ -d "$pkg" ]; then
+      stow_args+=("$pkg")
+    else
+      warn "Package dir missing, skipping: $pkg"
+    fi
+  done
+
+  if [ "${#stow_args[@]}" -eq 0 ]; then
+    warn "No stow package dirs found in $DOTFILES_DIR. Nothing to apply."
+  else
+    # Use verbose so you see what happened
+    stow -v -t "$HOME" "${stow_args[@]}"
+  fi
+else
+  warn "DOTFILES_DIR not found: $DOTFILES_DIR (skipping stow apply)"
+fi
+
+# ====== DEFAULT SHELL ======
+if [ "$SET_DEFAULT_SHELL" = "1" ]; then
+  if have zsh; then
+    log "Setting default shell to zsh (may prompt for password)"
+    # Ensure zsh is in /etc/shells
+    if ! grep -q "$(command -v zsh)" /etc/shells 2>/dev/null; then
+      warn "zsh not listed in /etc/shells; attempting to add (requires sudo)"
+      require_sudo
+      echo "$(command -v zsh)" | sudo_run tee -a /etc/shells >/dev/null
+    fi
+    chsh -s "$(command -v zsh)" "$USER" || true
+  else
+    warn "zsh not found; cannot set default shell"
+  fi
+else
+  log "Skipping default shell change (SET_DEFAULT_SHELL=0)"
+fi
+
+log "Bootstrap complete."
+log "Next steps:"
+echo "  - Open a new terminal (or log out/in) to use zsh."
+echo "  - If p10k prompts, run: p10k configure"
+echo "  - If Hypr/Waybar are missing, you may need distro-specific repos (not always in apt)."