diff --git a/examples/system/dev-tools.scm b/examples/system/dev-tools.scm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2170034
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/system/dev-tools.scm
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+;; Example Fruix development system declaration.
+;;
+;; You can use this as a starting point for /etc/fruix/system.scm and then run:
+;;   fruix system build /etc/fruix/system.scm --system dev-tools-operating-system
+;; or on an installed Fruix node:
+;;   fruix system reconfigure /etc/fruix/system.scm --system dev-tools-operating-system
+
+(use-modules (fruix system freebsd)
+             (fruix packages freebsd))
+
+(define dev-tools-operating-system
+  (operating-system
+   #:host-name "fruix-dev"
+   ;; The recovered development profile now includes:
+   ;;   freebsd-nodejs, freebsd-npm, freebsd-ripgrep, freebsd-tmux, freebsd-neovim
+   ;; along with the existing compiler/build tools.
+   #:development-packages %freebsd-development-profile-packages
+   #:build-packages %freebsd-development-profile-packages))
diff --git a/modules/fruix/system/freebsd/render.scm b/modules/fruix/system/freebsd/render.scm
index ace0c48..37c86b9 100644
--- a/modules/fruix/system/freebsd/render.scm
+++ b/modules/fruix/system/freebsd/render.scm
@@ -597,6 +597,9 @@
    "       fruix package search QUERY\n"
    "       fruix package show NAME\n"
    "       fruix package build NAME [--store DIR]\n"
+   "       fruix package installed [--profile DIR]\n"
+   "       fruix package install NAME... [--profile DIR] [--store DIR]\n"
+   "       fruix package remove NAME... [--profile DIR] [--store DIR]\n"
    "EOF\n"
    "}\n\n"
    "die()\n"
diff --git a/scripts/fruix.scm b/scripts/fruix.scm
index bd91aa3..0287e15 100644
--- a/scripts/fruix.scm
+++ b/scripts/fruix.scm
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
              (fruix system storage)
              (fruix system freebsd utils)
              (fruix packages freebsd)
+             (guix build utils)
              (ice-9 format)
              (ice-9 match)
              (ice-9 hash-table)
@@ -55,9 +56,13 @@ Package actions:\n\
   search QUERY             Search known Fruix packages by name or text.\n\
   show NAME                Show metadata for one Fruix package.\n\
   build NAME               Materialize one Fruix package in /frx/store.\n\
+  installed                List packages installed in a Fruix package profile.\n\
+  install NAME...          Add packages to a Fruix package profile.\n\
+  remove NAME...           Remove packages from a Fruix package profile.\n\
 \n\
 Package options:\n\
-  --store DIR              Store directory to use for 'build' (default: /frx/store).\n\
+  --store DIR              Store directory to use for 'build' or profile updates (default: /frx/store).\n\
+  --profile DIR            Package profile state directory (default: $HOME/.local/state/fruix/profiles/default).\n\
 \n\
 Source actions:\n\
   materialize              Materialize a declared FreeBSD source tree in /frx/store.\n\
@@ -289,24 +294,30 @@ Common options:\n\
 (define (parse-package-arguments action rest)
   (let loop ((args rest)
              (positional '())
-             (store-dir "/frx/store"))
+             (store-dir "/frx/store")
+             (profile-dir #f))
     (match args
       (()
        (let ((positional (reverse positional)))
          `((command . "package")
            (action . ,action)
            (positional . ,positional)
-           (store-dir . ,store-dir))))
+           (store-dir . ,store-dir)
+           (profile-dir . ,profile-dir))))
       (("--help")
        (usage 0))
       (((? (lambda (arg) (string-prefix? "--store=" arg)) arg) . tail)
-       (loop tail positional (option-value arg "--store=")))
+       (loop tail positional (option-value arg "--store=") profile-dir))
       (("--store" value . tail)
-       (loop tail positional value))
+       (loop tail positional value profile-dir))
+      (((? (lambda (arg) (string-prefix? "--profile=" arg)) arg) . tail)
+       (loop tail positional store-dir (option-value arg "--profile=")))
+      (("--profile" value . tail)
+       (loop tail positional store-dir value))
       (((? (lambda (arg) (string-prefix? "--" arg)) arg) . _)
        (error "unknown option" arg))
       ((arg . tail)
-       (loop tail (cons arg positional) store-dir)))))
+       (loop tail (cons arg positional) store-dir profile-dir)))))
 
 (define (parse-native-build-arguments action rest)
   (let loop ((args rest)
@@ -754,6 +765,179 @@ Common options:\n\
      (references_file . ,(string-append store-path "/.references"))
      (package_metadata_file . ,(string-append store-path "/.fruix-package")))))
 
+(define profile-manifest-version "1")
+
+(define (default-package-profile-dir)
+  (let ((home (or (getenv "HOME") ".")))
+    (string-append home "/.local/state/fruix/profiles/default")))
+
+(define (package-profile-manifest-path profile-dir)
+  (string-append profile-dir "/manifest.scm"))
+
+(define (package-profile-generation-file profile-dir)
+  (string-append profile-dir "/current-generation"))
+
+(define (package-profile-current-link profile-dir)
+  (string-append profile-dir "/current"))
+
+(define (package-profile-generate-link profile-dir generation)
+  (string-append profile-dir "/generations/" (number->string generation)))
+
+(define (path-directory path)
+  (let ((index (string-index-right path #\/)))
+    (if index
+        (substring path 0 index)
+        ".")))
+
+(define (path-present? path)
+  (or (file-exists? path)
+      (false-if-exception (readlink path))))
+
+(define (symlink-force target link-name)
+  (mkdir-p (path-directory link-name))
+  (delete-path-if-exists link-name)
+  (symlink target link-name))
+
+(define (merge-node source destination)
+  (let ((kind (stat:type (lstat source))))
+    (case kind
+      ((directory)
+       (mkdir-p destination)
+       (for-each (lambda (entry)
+                   (merge-node (string-append source "/" entry)
+                               (string-append destination "/" entry)))
+                 (directory-entries source)))
+      ((symlink)
+       (unless (path-present? destination)
+         (mkdir-p (path-directory destination))
+         (symlink (readlink source) destination)))
+      (else
+       (unless (file-exists? destination)
+         (copy-node source destination))))))
+
+(define (merge-package-output source-root target-root)
+  (mkdir-p target-root)
+  (for-each (lambda (entry)
+              (unless (string-prefix? "." entry)
+                (merge-node (string-append source-root "/" entry)
+                            (string-append target-root "/" entry))))
+            (directory-entries source-root)))
+
+(define (package-profile-activate-script)
+  (string-append
+   "#!/bin/sh\n"
+   "set -eu\n"
+   "profile=$(CDPATH= cd -- \"$(dirname \"$0\")\" && pwd)\n"
+   "cat <<EOF\n"
+   "export FRUIX_PROFILE=\"$profile\"\n"
+   "export PATH=\"$profile/bin:$profile/sbin:$profile/usr/bin:$profile/usr/sbin${PATH:+:$PATH}\"\n"
+   "export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=\"$profile/lib:$profile/usr/lib${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:+:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH}\"\n"
+   "export MANPATH=\"$profile/share/man:$profile/usr/share/man${MANPATH:+:$MANPATH}\"\n"
+   "export NODE_PATH=\"$profile/lib/node_modules${NODE_PATH:+:$NODE_PATH}\"\n"
+   "export VIMRUNTIME=\"$profile/share/nvim/runtime\"\n"
+   "export LUA_CPATH=\"$profile/lib/lua/5.1/?.so${LUA_CPATH:+;$LUA_CPATH};;\"\n"
+   "EOF\n"))
+
+(define (read-package-profile-manifest profile-dir)
+  (let ((path (package-profile-manifest-path profile-dir)))
+    (if (file-exists? path)
+        (call-with-input-file path read)
+        '((version . "1")
+          (packages . ())))))
+
+(define (package-profile-package-names profile-dir)
+  (let ((manifest (read-package-profile-manifest profile-dir)))
+    (or (assoc-ref manifest 'packages) '())))
+
+(define (normalize-package-names names)
+  (sort (delete-duplicates names string=?) string<?))
+
+(define (resolve-package-list names)
+  (map (lambda (name)
+         (or (find-freebsd-package name)
+             (error "unknown package" name)))
+       names))
+
+(define (materialize-package-profile package-names store-dir)
+  (let* ((normalized (normalize-package-names package-names))
+         (packages (resolve-package-list normalized))
+         (cache (make-hash-table))
+         (source-cache (make-hash-table))
+         (package-stores (map (lambda (package)
+                                (materialize-freebsd-package package store-dir cache source-cache))
+                              packages))
+         (payload (object->string `((profile-version . ,profile-manifest-version)
+                                    (packages . ,normalized)
+                                    (package-stores . ,package-stores))))
+         (profile-store (make-store-path store-dir "fruix-package-profile" payload
+                                         #:kind 'profile)))
+    (unless (file-exists? profile-store)
+      (mkdir-p profile-store)
+      (for-each (lambda (store)
+                  (merge-package-output store profile-store))
+                package-stores)
+      (write-file (string-append profile-store "/.references")
+                  (string-join package-stores "\n"))
+      (write-file (string-append profile-store "/.fruix-profile.scm")
+                  (object->string `((version . ,profile-manifest-version)
+                                    (packages . ,normalized)
+                                    (package-stores . ,package-stores))))
+      (write-file (string-append profile-store "/activate")
+                  (package-profile-activate-script))
+      (chmod (string-append profile-store "/activate") #o555))
+    `((profile-store . ,profile-store)
+      (package-stores . ,package-stores)
+      (packages . ,normalized))))
+
+(define (next-package-profile-generation profile-dir)
+  (let ((path (package-profile-generation-file profile-dir)))
+    (if (file-exists? path)
+        (+ 1 (string->number (call-with-input-file path get-string-all)))
+        1)))
+
+(define (update-package-profile profile-dir store-dir package-names)
+  (let* ((materialized (materialize-package-profile package-names store-dir))
+         (normalized (assoc-ref materialized 'packages))
+         (profile-store (assoc-ref materialized 'profile-store))
+         (generation (next-package-profile-generation profile-dir))
+         (generation-link (package-profile-generate-link profile-dir generation))
+         (current-link (package-profile-current-link profile-dir))
+         (activate-link (string-append profile-dir "/activate"))
+         (manifest-path (package-profile-manifest-path profile-dir)))
+    (mkdir-p (string-append profile-dir "/generations"))
+    (symlink-force profile-store generation-link)
+    (symlink-force (string-append "generations/" (number->string generation))
+                   current-link)
+    (symlink-force "current/activate" activate-link)
+    (write-file (package-profile-generation-file profile-dir)
+                (number->string generation))
+    (write-file manifest-path
+                (object->string `((version . ,profile-manifest-version)
+                                  (generation . ,generation)
+                                  (profile-store . ,profile-store)
+                                  (packages . ,normalized))))
+    `((profile-dir . ,profile-dir)
+      (generation . ,generation)
+      (profile-store . ,profile-store)
+      (current-link . ,current-link)
+      (activate-link . ,activate-link)
+      (manifest-path . ,manifest-path)
+      (packages . ,normalized)
+      (package-count . ,(length normalized)))))
+
+(define (emit-package-profile-metadata action store-dir result)
+  (emit-metadata
+   `((action . ,action)
+     (store_dir . ,store-dir)
+     (profile_dir . ,(assoc-ref result 'profile-dir))
+     (generation . ,(assoc-ref result 'generation))
+     (profile_store . ,(assoc-ref result 'profile-store))
+     (current_link . ,(assoc-ref result 'current-link))
+     (activate_link . ,(assoc-ref result 'activate-link))
+     (manifest_path . ,(assoc-ref result 'manifest-path))
+     (package_count . ,(assoc-ref result 'package-count))
+     (packages . ,(string-join (assoc-ref result 'packages) ",")))))
+
 (define (shell-quote text)
   (string-append "'" (string-replace-all text "'" "'\"'\"'") "'"))
 
@@ -1154,10 +1338,12 @@ Common options:\n\
                                                #:disk-capacity disk-capacity))))))))))))
      ((string=? command "package")
       (let* ((positional (assoc-ref parsed 'positional))
+             (profile-dir (or (assoc-ref parsed 'profile-dir)
+                              (default-package-profile-dir)))
              (name-or-query (match positional
                               ((value . _) value)
                               (() #f))))
-        (unless (member action '("list" "search" "show" "build"))
+        (unless (member action '("list" "search" "show" "build" "installed" "install" "remove"))
           (error "unknown package action" action))
         (cond
          ((string=? action "list")
@@ -1188,7 +1374,36 @@ Common options:\n\
              (materialize-freebsd-package package
                                           store-dir
                                           (make-hash-table)
-                                          (make-hash-table))))))))
+                                          (make-hash-table)))))
+         ((string=? action "installed")
+          (for-each (lambda (name)
+                      (let ((package (find-freebsd-package name)))
+                        (if package
+                            (format #t "~a~%" (package-summary-line package))
+                            (format #t "~a\tunknown\tunknown\tUnknown package recorded in profile\n" name))))
+                    (package-profile-package-names profile-dir)))
+         ((string=? action "install")
+          (unless (pair? positional)
+            (error "package install requires at least one package name"))
+          (emit-package-profile-metadata
+           "package-install"
+           store-dir
+           (update-package-profile profile-dir
+                                   store-dir
+                                   (append (package-profile-package-names profile-dir)
+                                           positional))))
+         ((string=? action "remove")
+          (unless (pair? positional)
+            (error "package remove requires at least one package name"))
+          (let ((removals (normalize-package-names positional)))
+            (emit-package-profile-metadata
+             "package-remove"
+             store-dir
+             (update-package-profile profile-dir
+                                     store-dir
+                                     (filter (lambda (name)
+                                               (not (member name removals)))
+                                             (package-profile-package-names profile-dir)))))))))
      ((string=? command "source")
       (let* ((positional (assoc-ref parsed 'positional))
              (cache-dir (assoc-ref parsed 'cache-dir))
diff --git a/tests/package-profile.scm b/tests/package-profile.scm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a7dd51c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/package-profile.scm
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+(use-modules (ice-9 match)
+             (srfi srfi-1)
+             (srfi srfi-13)
+             (srfi srfi-64)
+             (fruix system freebsd utils))
+
+(define repo-root
+  (or (getenv "FRUIX_REPO_ROOT")
+      (error "FRUIX_REPO_ROOT is not set")))
+
+(define guile-bin
+  (or (getenv "GUILE_BIN")
+      (error "GUILE_BIN is not set")))
+
+(define fruix-script
+  (string-append repo-root "/scripts/fruix.scm"))
+
+(define (cli-output . args)
+  (apply command-output guile-bin
+         (append '("--no-auto-compile" "-s")
+                 (list fruix-script)
+                 args)))
+
+(define (output-lines text)
+  (filter (lambda (line) (not (string-null? line)))
+          (string-split text #\newline)))
+
+(define (summary-line-name line)
+  (car (string-split line #\tab)))
+
+(define (metadata-value text key)
+  (let ((prefix (string-append key "=")))
+    (let loop ((lines (output-lines text)))
+      (match lines
+        (() #f)
+        ((line . rest)
+         (if (string-prefix? prefix line)
+             (substring line (string-length prefix))
+             (loop rest)))))))
+
+(define (path-present? path)
+  (or (file-exists? path)
+      (false-if-exception (readlink path))))
+
+(test-begin "package-profile")
+
+(let* ((store-dir (mktemp-directory "/tmp/fruix-package-profile-store.XXXXXX"))
+       (profile-dir (mktemp-directory "/tmp/fruix-package-profile-state.XXXXXX"))
+       (install-output
+        (cli-output "package" "install"
+                    "freebsd-nodejs" "freebsd-npm"
+                    "--store" store-dir
+                    "--profile" profile-dir))
+       (installed-output-1
+        (cli-output "package" "installed"
+                    "--profile" profile-dir))
+       (install-output-2
+        (cli-output "package" "install"
+                    "freebsd-ripgrep" "freebsd-tmux"
+                    "--store" store-dir
+                    "--profile" profile-dir))
+       (remove-output
+        (cli-output "package" "remove"
+                    "freebsd-npm" "freebsd-tmux"
+                    "--store" store-dir
+                    "--profile" profile-dir))
+       (installed-output-2
+        (cli-output "package" "installed"
+                    "--profile" profile-dir))
+       (current-link (string-append profile-dir "/current"))
+       (activate-link (string-append profile-dir "/activate"))
+       (manifest-path (string-append profile-dir "/manifest.scm"))
+       (first-profile-store (metadata-value install-output "profile_store"))
+       (second-profile-store (metadata-value install-output-2 "profile_store"))
+       (third-profile-store (metadata-value remove-output "profile_store")))
+  (test-equal "package install reports action"
+    "package-install"
+    (metadata-value install-output "action"))
+  (test-equal "first profile generation is 1"
+    "1"
+    (metadata-value install-output "generation"))
+  (test-assert "profile current link exists"
+    (false-if-exception (readlink current-link)))
+  (test-assert "profile activate link exists"
+    (false-if-exception (readlink activate-link)))
+  (test-assert "profile manifest exists"
+    (file-exists? manifest-path))
+  (test-assert "node is present in the first profile store"
+    (path-present? (string-append first-profile-store "/bin/node")))
+  (test-assert "npm is present in the first profile store"
+    (path-present? (string-append first-profile-store "/bin/npm")))
+  (test-assert "activate script exists in the first profile store"
+    (path-present? (string-append first-profile-store "/activate")))
+  (test-assert "installed lists nodejs after first install"
+    (member "freebsd-nodejs"
+            (map summary-line-name (output-lines installed-output-1))))
+  (test-assert "installed lists npm after first install"
+    (member "freebsd-npm"
+            (map summary-line-name (output-lines installed-output-1))))
+  (test-equal "activate script exposes node"
+    "v24.14.0"
+    (command-output "sh" "-eu" "-c"
+                    "eval \"$($0)\"; node --version"
+                    activate-link))
+
+  (test-equal "second profile generation is 2"
+    "2"
+    (metadata-value install-output-2 "generation"))
+  (test-assert "ripgrep is present after second install"
+    (path-present? (string-append second-profile-store "/bin/rg")))
+  (test-assert "tmux is present after second install"
+    (path-present? (string-append second-profile-store "/bin/tmux")))
+  (test-equal "activate script exposes ripgrep after second install"
+    "ripgrep 15.1.0"
+    (car (output-lines
+          (command-output "sh" "-eu" "-c"
+                          "eval \"$($0)\"; rg --version | head -1"
+                          activate-link))))
+
+  (test-equal "package remove reports action"
+    "package-remove"
+    (metadata-value remove-output "action"))
+  (test-equal "third profile generation is 3"
+    "3"
+    (metadata-value remove-output "generation"))
+  (test-assert "node remains after remove"
+    (path-present? (string-append third-profile-store "/bin/node")))
+  (test-assert "ripgrep remains after remove"
+    (path-present? (string-append third-profile-store "/bin/rg")))
+  (test-assert "npm is removed from the current profile"
+    (not (path-present? (string-append third-profile-store "/bin/npm"))))
+  (test-assert "tmux is removed from the current profile"
+    (not (path-present? (string-append third-profile-store "/bin/tmux"))))
+  (test-assert "installed still lists nodejs"
+    (member "freebsd-nodejs"
+            (map summary-line-name (output-lines installed-output-2))))
+  (test-assert "installed still lists ripgrep"
+    (member "freebsd-ripgrep"
+            (map summary-line-name (output-lines installed-output-2))))
+  (test-assert "installed no longer lists npm"
+    (not (member "freebsd-npm"
+                 (map summary-line-name (output-lines installed-output-2)))))
+  (test-assert "installed no longer lists tmux"
+    (not (member "freebsd-tmux"
+                 (map summary-line-name (output-lines installed-output-2))))))
+
+(test-end "package-profile")
diff --git a/tests/run-package-profile.sh b/tests/run-package-profile.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..98a565f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/run-package-profile.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -eu
+
+repo_root=$(CDPATH= cd -- "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)
+. "$HOME/.local/opt/fruix-builder/env.sh"
+
+guile_version=$($GUILE_BIN -c '(display (effective-version))')
+guile_load_path="$repo_root/modules:$GUIX_SOURCE_DIR:$HOME/.local/opt/fruix-builder/shepherd/share/guile/site/$guile_version${GUILE_LOAD_PATH:+:$GUILE_LOAD_PATH}"
+guile_load_compiled_path="$HOME/.local/opt/fruix-builder/shepherd/lib/guile/$guile_version/site-ccache${GUILE_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH:+:$GUILE_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH}"
+
+env \
+  FRUIX_REPO_ROOT="$repo_root" \
+  GUILE_BIN="$GUILE_BIN" \
+  GUILE_AUTO_COMPILE=0 \
+  GUILE_LOAD_PATH="$guile_load_path" \
+  GUILE_LOAD_COMPILED_PATH="$guile_load_compiled_path" \
+  "$GUILE_BIN" --no-auto-compile "$repo_root/tests/package-profile.scm"