diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
index 26c6d0c..d0bbd4a 100755
--- a/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ else
     BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE_DIR="$BOOTSTRAP_TMP_DIR"
     
     _BASE_URL="https://git.adityagupta.dev/sortedcord/bootstrap/raw/branch/master"
-    _LIBS=("lib/common.sh" "lib/rollback.sh" "lib/platform.sh" "lib/shell_config.sh" "lib/plugins.sh")
+    _LIBS=("lib/common.sh" "lib/rollback.sh" "lib/platform.sh" "lib/shell_config.sh" "lib/plugins.sh" "lib/registry_helpers.sh")
     
     _curl_args=()
     for _lib in "${_LIBS[@]}"; do
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ if [ -f "$BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE_DIR/lib/common.sh" ]; then
     . "$BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE_DIR/lib/rollback.sh"
     . "$BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE_DIR/lib/platform.sh"
     . "$BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE_DIR/lib/shell_config.sh"
+    . "$BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE_DIR/lib/registry_helpers.sh"
     init_rollback_system
 else
     echo "Error: Failed to locate or download bootstrap libraries." >&2
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ install_bootstrap() {
         "lib/rollback.sh"
         "lib/platform.sh"
         "lib/shell_config.sh"
+        "lib/registry_helpers.sh"
         "lib/plugins.sh"
         "commands/help.sh"
         "commands/con.sh"
diff --git a/lib/registry_helpers.sh b/lib/registry_helpers.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6339a37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/registry_helpers.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Registry management helpers for Bootstrap
+
+# Ensures the registry file exists
+ensure_registry() {
+    local registry_file="${BOOTSTRAP_DIR:-$HOME/.config/bootstrap}/registry.json"
+    if [ ! -f "$registry_file" ]; then
+        mkdir -p "$(dirname "$registry_file")"
+        echo '{"tools": {}}' > "$registry_file"
+    fi
+    echo "$registry_file"
+}
+
+# Safely applies a jq filter to the registry using a file lock
+registry_set() {
+    local jq_filter="$1"
+    shift
+    local registry_file
+    registry_file=$(ensure_registry)
+    local lock_file="${registry_file}.lock"
+    
+    (
+        flock -x 200
+        local temp_file
+        temp_file=$(mktemp)
+        # Apply jq filter with any additional arguments passed in
+        jq "$@" "$jq_filter" "$registry_file" > "$temp_file" && mv "$temp_file" "$registry_file"
+    ) 200>"$lock_file"
+}
+
+# Usage: register_tool <tool_name> <strategy> [version] [source]
+register_tool() {
+    local tool="$1"
+    local strategy="$2"
+    local version="${3:-}"
+    local source="${4:-}"
+    local timestamp=$(date -u +"%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")
+
+    local bindir="${BOOTSTRAP_DIR:-$HOME/.config/bootstrap}/bin"
+    
+    local filter='if .tools == null then .tools = {} else . end |
+        .tools[$tool].strategy = $strategy |
+        .tools[$tool].installed_at = $timestamp |
+        (if $version != "" then .tools[$tool].version = $version else . end) |
+        (if $source != "" then .tools[$tool].source = $source else . end) |
+        (if $strategy == "binary" then .tools[$tool].bin = ($bindir + "/" + $tool) else . end)'
+        
+    registry_set "$filter" \
+       --arg tool "$tool" \
+       --arg strategy "$strategy" \
+       --arg version "$version" \
+       --arg source "$source" \
+       --arg timestamp "$timestamp" \
+       --arg bindir "$bindir"
+}
+
+# Usage: registry_add_sys_deps <tool_name> <dep1> <dep2>...
+registry_add_sys_deps() {
+    local tool="$1"
+    shift
+    if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+    
+    local deps_json
+    deps_json=$(printf '%s\n' "$@" | jq -R . | jq -s .)
+
+    local filter='if .tools == null then .tools = {} else . end |
+        .tools[$tool].system_dependencies = ((.tools[$tool].system_dependencies // []) + $deps | unique)'
+
+    registry_set "$filter" --arg tool "$tool" --argjson deps "$deps_json"
+}
+
+# Usage: registry_remove_tool <tool_name>
+registry_remove_tool() {
+    local tool="$1"
+    registry_set 'del(.tools[$tool])' --arg tool "$tool"
+}
+
+# Usage: registry_get_sys_deps <tool_name>
+registry_get_sys_deps() {
+    local tool="$1"
+    local registry_file="${BOOTSTRAP_DIR:-$HOME/.config/bootstrap}/registry.json"
+    if [ -f "$registry_file" ]; then
+        jq -r --arg tool "$tool" '.tools[$tool].system_dependencies[]? // empty' "$registry_file"
+    fi
+}
+
+# Usage: registry_check <tool_name>
+# Validates that a tool is actually installed according to its strategy
+registry_check() {
+    local tool="$1"
+    local registry_file
+    registry_file=$(ensure_registry)
+
+    local strategy
+    strategy=$(jq -r --arg tool "$tool" '.tools[$tool].strategy // empty' "$registry_file")
+
+    if [ -z "$strategy" ]; then
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    if [ "$strategy" = "binary" ]; then
+        local bin_path
+        bin_path=$(jq -r --arg tool "$tool" '.tools[$tool].bin // empty' "$registry_file")
+        if [ -n "$bin_path" ] && [ -x "$bin_path" ]; then
+            return 0
+        fi
+    elif [ "$strategy" = "managed" ]; then
+        if command -v "$tool" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            return 0
+        fi
+    elif [ "$strategy" = "system" ]; then
+        local deps=()
+        while IFS= read -r dep; do
+            [ -n "$dep" ] && deps+=("$dep")
+        done < <(registry_get_sys_deps "$tool")
+        
+        if [ ${#deps[@]} -eq 0 ]; then
+            if command -v "$tool" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+                return 0
+            fi
+        else
+            if pkg_check "${deps[@]}"; then
+                return 0
+            fi
+        fi
+    fi
+    
+    return 1
+}
+
+export -f ensure_registry registry_set register_tool registry_add_sys_deps registry_remove_tool registry_get_sys_deps registry_check