diff --git a/install.py b/install.py
index a1a9c43..26935ce 100755
--- a/install.py
+++ b/install.py
@@ -46,6 +46,14 @@ class Installer:
 
         return command.returncode == 0
 
+    def generate_process_list(self) -> None:
+        """Use the config file to generate a file with the list of programs."""
+
+        ui.info("Generating 'process_list.txt'")
+
+        with open("process_list.txt", "w") as process_file:
+            process_file.write("\n".join(self.conf.keys()) + "\n")
+
     def pretty_path(self, path: Path) -> str:
         """Put the ~/ back in the path."""
 
@@ -90,9 +98,7 @@ class Installer:
         ui.info_2("Copy", p_src, "->", self.pretty_path(p_src))
         p_src.copy(p_dest)
 
-    def do_download(
-            self, *, url: str, dest: str, executable: bool = False
-    ) -> None:
+    def do_download(self, *, url: str, dest: str, executable: bool = False) -> None:
         """Retrieve a file from a url."""
 
         p_dest = Path(dest).expanduser()
@@ -108,9 +114,7 @@ class Installer:
         if executable:
             p_dest.chmod(0o755)
 
-    def do_install(
-            self, *packages: str, **os_specific_packages: List[str]
-    ) -> None:
+    def do_install(self, *packages: str, **os_specific_packages: List[str]) -> None:
         """Install packages with OS-specific package manager.
 
         Packages can either be in a tuple for non OS-specific packages, or in a
@@ -189,16 +193,12 @@ class Installer:
 
         self._do_symlink(src, dest, condition=condition, is_dir=False)
 
-    def do_symlink_dir(
-            self, src: str, dest: str, condition: str = "true"
-    ) -> None:
+    def do_symlink_dir(self, src: str, dest: str, condition: str = "true") -> None:
         """Make a symlink to a dir."""
 
         self._do_symlink(src, dest, condition=condition, is_dir=True)
 
-    def _do_symlink(
-            self, src: str, dest: str, *, condition: str, is_dir: bool
-    ) -> None:
+    def _do_symlink(self, src: str, dest: str, *, condition: str, is_dir: bool) -> None:
 
         p_src = Path(src).expanduser()
         pretty_src = self.pretty_path(p_src)
@@ -334,6 +334,24 @@ def define_os() -> str:
     return "Unsupported OS"
 
 
+def read_programs_from_process_list() -> List[str]:
+    """Read the process_list file to return a list of programs to process."""
+
+    ui.info("Found these programs in 'process_list.txt':")
+    with open("process_list.txt", "r") as process_file:
+        content = process_file.readlines()
+
+    programs = [
+        line.strip() for line in content
+        if not line.startswith("#") and len(line) > 0
+    ]
+
+    for program in programs:
+        ui.info_1(program)
+
+    return programs
+
+
 def main() -> None:
     """Parse args and instantiate the Installer."""
 
@@ -341,20 +359,30 @@ def main() -> None:
     parser.add_argument(
         "programs",
         nargs="*",
+        help="Programs to process, can be none",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
-        "--force",
+        "-f", "--from_file",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Use 'process_list.txt' as programs to process",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-F", "--force",
         action="store_true",
         help="Overwrite existing files",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
-        "-l",
-        "--list_programs",
+        "-g", "--generate",
         action="store_true",
-        help="List all programs from the configuration file.",
+        help="Generate a file containing all the programs from the config file"
     )
     parser.add_argument(
-        "--update",
+        "-l", "--list_programs",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="List all programs from the configuration file",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-u", "--update",
         action="store_true",
         help="Update git repos",
     )
@@ -362,19 +390,31 @@ def main() -> None:
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     programs = args.programs
+    from_file = args.from_file
     force = args.force
+    generate = args.generate
     list_programs = args.list_programs
     update = args.update
 
     installer = Installer(force=force, update=update)
 
+    if generate:
+        installer.generate_process_list()
+        return
+
     if list_programs:
         ui.info("The following items were found in the config file:")
         for program in installer.conf.keys():
             ui.info_1(program)
+        return
 
-    else:
-        installer.process(programs=programs)
+    if from_file:
+        assert not programs, \
+            "Can't use 'process_list.txt' if you also specify programs!"
+
+        programs = read_programs_from_process_list()
+
+    installer.process(programs=programs)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":