diff --git a/manifests/devel.pp b/manifests/devel.pp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..525c3b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manifests/devel.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# profile for the workstation of a Software Heritage developer
+class profile::devel {
+  $packages = hiera_array('packages::devel')
+
+  package { $packages:
+    ensure => present,
+  }
+
+  include ::profile::devel::postgres
+  include ::profile::devel::python
+}
diff --git a/manifests/devel/postgres.pp b/manifests/devel/postgres.pp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dcc423c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manifests/devel/postgres.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+class profile::devel::postgres {
+  $packages = hiera_array('packages::devel::postgres')
+
+  package { $packages:
+    ensure => present,
+  }
+}
diff --git a/manifests/devel/python.pp b/manifests/devel/python.pp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4d0898
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manifests/devel/python.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+class profile::devel::python {
+  $packages = hiera_array('packages::devel::python')
+
+  package { $packages:
+    ensure => present,
+  }
+}