Setting Up Dotfiles

Easily track and synchronize your machine’s config files (dotfiles) using Git

Step 1: Initialize a new Git repository

1. Initialize a bare Git repository in your home directory

   cd
   git init --bare $HOME/.dotfiles
   

2. Create an config alias instead of git to work specifically with dotfiles

   alias config='/usr/bin/git --git-dir=$HOME/.dotfiles/ --work-tree=$HOME'
   

3. Hides untracked files to keep your config status output clean.

   config config --local status.showUntrackedFiles no
   

4. Add the alias to your shell config file

   echo "alias config='/usr/bin/git --git-dir=$HOME/.dotfiles/ --work-tree=$HOME'" >> $HOME/.zshrc
   

5. Reload your shell

   source $HOME/.zshrc
   

Step 2: Connect to a remote repository

1. Create a new repository on GitHub

2. Link the local repository to the remote

   config remote add origin YOUR_REPO_URL
   

3. Push the repository to GitHub and set the default branch

   config push -u origin main
   

Step 3: Manage dotfiles

With the setup complete, you can now use the config alias to track files in your $HOME directory

1. Check the repository’s status

   config status
   

2. Add and commit a file:

   config add .zshrc
   config commit -m "feat: add new alias"
   

3. Push changes to the remote repository:

   config push
   

   Repeat these steps for any additional files you want to track