diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index caa866932..dc42f13a5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ With over 52 helm charts and apps available for Kubernetes, gone are the days of
   - [Getting arkade](#getting-arkade)
   - [Usage overview](#usage-overview)
   - [Download CLI tools with arkade](#download-cli-tools-with-arkade)
+  - [Install System packages](#install-system-packages)
   - [Installing apps with arkade](#installing-apps-with-arkade)
   - [Community & contributing](#community--contributing)
   - [Sponsored apps](#sponsored-apps)
@@ -154,6 +155,26 @@ Adding a new tool for download is as simple as editing [tools.go](https://github
 
 [Click here for the full catalog of CLIs](#catalog-of-apps)
 
+## Install System packages
+
+System packages, or "system apps" are tools designed for installation on a Linux workstation, server or CI runner.
+
+These are a more limited group of applications designed for quick setup, scripting and CI, and generally do not fit into the `arkade get` pattern, due to additional installation steps or system configuration.
+
+```bash
+arkade system install --help
+
+# Install latest version of Go to /usr/local/bin/go
+arkade system install go
+
+# Install Go 1.18 to /tmp/go
+arkade system install go \
+  --version 1.18 \
+  --path /tmp/
+```
+
+System apps are in preview, see more details in the proposal: [Feature: system packages for Linux servers, CI and workstations #654](https://github.com/alexellis/arkade/issues/654)
+
 ## Installing apps with arkade
 
 You'll need a Kubernetes cluster to arkade. Unlike cloud-based marketplaces, arkade doesn't have any special pre-requirements and can be used with any private or public cluster.
diff --git a/cmd/system/go.go b/cmd/system/go.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b1b543522
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/system/go.go
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+// Copyright (c) arkade author(s) 2022. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.
+
+package system
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"path"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/alexellis/arkade/pkg/archive"
+	"github.com/alexellis/arkade/pkg/env"
+	"github.com/alexellis/arkade/pkg/get"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+func MakeInstallGo() *cobra.Command {
+
+	command := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "go",
+		Short: "Install Go",
+		Long:  `Install Go programming language and SDK.`,
+		Example: `  arkade system install go
+  arkade system install go --version v1.18.1`,
+		SilenceUsage: true,
+	}
+
+	command.Flags().StringP("version", "v", "", "The version for Go, or leave blank for pinned version")
+	command.Flags().String("path", "/usr/local/", "Installation path, where a go subfolder will be created")
+	command.Flags().Bool("progress", true, "Show download progress")
+
+	command.PreRunE = func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	command.RunE = func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		installPath, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("path")
+		version, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("version")
+		fmt.Printf("Installing Go to %s\n", installPath)
+
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(installPath, 0755); err != nil && !os.IsExist(err) {
+			fmt.Printf("Error creating directory %s, error: %s\n", installPath, err.Error())
+		}
+
+		arch, osVer := env.GetClientArch()
+
+		if strings.ToLower(osVer) != "linux" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("this app only supports Linux")
+		}
+
+		dlArch := arch
+		if arch == "x86_64" {
+			dlArch = "amd64"
+		} else if arch == "aarch64" {
+			dlArch = "arm64"
+		} else if arch == "armv7" || arch == "armv7l" {
+			dlArch = "armv6l"
+		}
+
+		if len(version) == 0 {
+			v, err := getGoVersion()
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			version = v
+		} else if !strings.HasPrefix(version, "go") {
+			version = "go" + version
+		}
+
+		fmt.Printf("Installing version: %s for: %s\n", version, dlArch)
+
+		dlURL := fmt.Sprintf("https://go.dev/dl/%s.%s-%s.tar.gz", version, strings.ToLower(osVer), dlArch)
+		fmt.Printf("Downloading from: %s\n", dlURL)
+
+		progress := true
+		outPath, err := get.DownloadFileP(dlURL, progress)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		fmt.Printf("Downloaded to: %s\n", outPath)
+
+		f, err := os.OpenFile(outPath, os.O_RDONLY, 0644)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		defer f.Close()
+
+		fmt.Printf("Unpacking Go to: %s\n", path.Join(installPath, "go"))
+
+		if err := archive.UntarNested(f, installPath); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		fmt.Printf("\nexport PATH=$PATH:%s:$HOME/go/bin\n"+
+			"export GOPATH=$HOME/go/\n", path.Join(installPath, "go", "bin"))
+
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return command
+}
+
+func getGoVersion() (string, error) {
+	req, err := http.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "https://go.dev/VERSION?m=text", nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	res, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("unexpected status code: %d", res.StatusCode)
+	}
+	if res.Body == nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("unexpected empty body")
+	}
+
+	defer res.Body.Close()
+	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
+
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(body)), nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/system/install.go b/cmd/system/install.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..93a7ce7ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/system/install.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// Copyright (c) arkade author(s) 2022. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.
+
+package system
+
+import "github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
+func MakeInstall() *cobra.Command {
+
+	command := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:     "install",
+		Short:   "Install system apps",
+		Long:    `Install system apps for Linux hosts`,
+		Aliases: []string{"i"},
+		Example: `  arkade system install [APP]
+  arkade system install --help`,
+		SilenceUsage: true,
+	}
+
+	command.RunE = func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		return cmd.Usage()
+	}
+
+	command.AddCommand(MakeInstallGo())
+
+	return command
+}
diff --git a/cmd/system/system.go b/cmd/system/system.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..95c313aa1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/system/system.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// Copyright (c) arkade author(s) 2020. All rights reserved.
+// Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.
+
+// system contains a suite of Sponsored Apps for arkade
+package system
+
+import (
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+func MakeSystem() *cobra.Command {
+
+	command := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:     "system",
+		Short:   "System apps",
+		Long:    `Apps for systems.`,
+		Aliases: []string{"s"},
+		Example: `  arkade system install [APP]
+  arkade s i [APP]`,
+		SilenceUsage: true,
+	}
+
+	command.RunE = func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		return cmd.Usage()
+	}
+
+	command.AddCommand(MakeInstall())
+
+	return command
+}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 16665d961..c58c5abd2 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/alexellis/arkade/cmd"
 	"github.com/alexellis/arkade/cmd/kasten"
+	"github.com/alexellis/arkade/cmd/system"
 	"github.com/alexellis/arkade/cmd/venafi"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(venafi.MakeVenafi())
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(kasten.MakeK10())
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(system.MakeSystem())
 
 	if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
 		os.Exit(1)
diff --git a/pkg/archive/untar_nested.go b/pkg/archive/untar_nested.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c2d085a16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/archive/untar_nested.go
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+package archive
+
+import (
+	"archive/tar"
+	"compress/gzip"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// Untar reads the gzip-compressed tar file from r and writes it into dir.
+func UntarNested(r io.Reader, dir string) error {
+	return untarNested(r, dir)
+}
+
+func untarNested(r io.Reader, dir string) (err error) {
+	t0 := time.Now()
+	nFiles := 0
+	madeDir := map[string]bool{}
+	defer func() {
+		td := time.Since(t0)
+		if err == nil {
+			log.Printf("extracted tarball into %s: %d files, %d dirs (%v)", dir, nFiles, len(madeDir), td)
+		} else {
+			log.Printf("error extracting tarball into %s after %d files, %d dirs, %v: %v", dir, nFiles, len(madeDir), td, err)
+		}
+	}()
+	zr, err := gzip.NewReader(r)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("requires gzip-compressed body: %v", err)
+	}
+	tr := tar.NewReader(zr)
+	loggedChtimesError := false
+	for {
+		f, err := tr.Next()
+		if err == io.EOF {
+			break
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Printf("tar reading error: %v", err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("tar error: %v", err)
+		}
+		if !validRelPath(f.Name) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("tar contained invalid name error %q", f.Name)
+		}
+		rel := filepath.FromSlash(f.Name)
+		abs := filepath.Join(dir, rel)
+
+		fi := f.FileInfo()
+		mode := fi.Mode()
+		switch {
+		case mode.IsRegular():
+			// Make the directory. This is redundant because it should
+			// already be made by a directory entry in the tar
+			// beforehand. Thus, don't check for errors; the next
+			// write will fail with the same error.
+			dir := filepath.Dir(abs)
+			if !madeDir[dir] {
+				if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(abs), 0755); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				madeDir[dir] = true
+			}
+			wf, err := os.OpenFile(abs, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, mode.Perm())
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			n, err := io.Copy(wf, tr)
+			if closeErr := wf.Close(); closeErr != nil && err == nil {
+				err = closeErr
+			}
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("error writing to %s: %v", abs, err)
+			}
+			if n != f.Size {
+				return fmt.Errorf("only wrote %d bytes to %s; expected %d", n, abs, f.Size)
+			}
+			modTime := f.ModTime
+			if modTime.After(t0) {
+				// Clamp modtimes at system time. See
+				// golang.org/issue/19062 when clock on
+				// buildlet was behind the gitmirror server
+				// doing the git-archive.
+				modTime = t0
+			}
+			if !modTime.IsZero() {
+				if err := os.Chtimes(abs, modTime, modTime); err != nil && !loggedChtimesError {
+					// benign error. Gerrit doesn't even set the
+					// modtime in these, and we don't end up relying
+					// on it anywhere (the gomote push command relies
+					// on digests only), so this is a little pointless
+					// for now.
+					log.Printf("error changing modtime: %v (further Chtimes errors suppressed)", err)
+					loggedChtimesError = true // once is enough
+				}
+			}
+			nFiles++
+		case mode.IsDir():
+			if err := os.MkdirAll(abs, 0755); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			madeDir[abs] = true
+		default:
+			return fmt.Errorf("tar file entry %s contained unsupported file type %v", f.Name, mode)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// func validRelativeDir(dir string) bool {
+// 	if strings.Contains(dir, `\`) || path.IsAbs(dir) {
+// 		return false
+// 	}
+// 	dir = path.Clean(dir)
+// 	if strings.HasPrefix(dir, "../") || strings.HasSuffix(dir, "/..") || dir == ".." {
+// 		return false
+// 	}
+// 	return true
+// }
+
+// func validRelPath(p string) bool {
+// 	if p == "" || strings.Contains(p, `\`) || strings.HasPrefix(p, "/") || strings.Contains(p, "../") {
+// 		return false
+// 	}
+// 	return true
+// }
diff --git a/pkg/get/download.go b/pkg/get/download.go
index 735e2674f..c908c0346 100644
--- a/pkg/get/download.go
+++ b/pkg/get/download.go
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ func Download(tool *Tool, arch, operatingSystem, version string, downloadMode in
 	return outFilePath, finalName, nil
 }
 
+func DownloadFileP(downloadURL string, displayProgress bool) (string, error) {
+	return downloadFile(downloadURL, displayProgress)
+}
+
 func downloadFile(downloadURL string, displayProgress bool) (string, error) {
 	res, err := http.DefaultClient.Get(downloadURL)
 	if err != nil {