https://github.com/lcatlett/mydots
mydots, mydots, my lovely lady dotfiles :dancers:
https://github.com/lcatlett/mydots
dotfiles dotfiles-macos dotfiles-setup shell zsh
Last synced: 2 months ago
JSON representation
mydots, mydots, my lovely lady dotfiles :dancers:
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/lcatlett/mydots
- Owner: lcatlett
- License: mit
- Created: 2019-05-09T02:54:38.000Z (about 7 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2026-04-06T00:54:18.000Z (3 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-04-06T01:29:27.107Z (3 months ago)
- Topics: dotfiles, dotfiles-macos, dotfiles-setup, shell, zsh
- Language: Shell
- Homepage:
- Size: 4.09 MB
- Stars: 3
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Changelog: CHANGELOG.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# Dotfiles
Personal macOS dotfiles for Apple Silicon. This repo bootstraps a fresh Mac to a
working development environment and keeps config files synced via symlinks — no
magic, no frameworks. Tools are managed with a mise-first philosophy: language
runtimes and CLI tools go through [mise](https://mise.jdx.dev/), Homebrew is
reserved for system libraries and GUI apps. Portable enough to re-run on any
Apple Silicon Mac.
---
## Quick Start
```bash
xcode-select --install
git clone https://github.com/lcatlett/mydots ~/dotfiles
~/dotfiles/bin/dotfiles install
```
This installs Homebrew packages, creates symlinks, and installs mise-managed
tools. See [BOOTSTRAP.md](BOOTSTRAP.md) for the full step-by-step guide
(secrets setup, macOS defaults, GPG/SSH keys, troubleshooting).
---
## Repository Structure
```
dotfiles/
├── bin/ Scripts → ~/bin/ (includes the `dotfiles` CLI)
├── dots/ Config files → ~/ (symlinked)
├── mise/ mise global config → ~/.config/mise/ (symlinked)
├── install/ Bootstrap scripts (install.sh, symlinks.sh, brew.sh, Brewfile)
├── macos/ macOS defaults scripts (defaults.sh, extended.sh, dock.sh)
├── tests/ Drift detection and validation suite
├── dots/ghostty/ Ghostty terminal config + themes → ~/.config/ghostty/
├── iterm/ iTerm2 color schemes (fallback)
└── fonts/ FiraCode, Hack Nerd Font, Inconsolata
```
Live config files are symlinks into this repo. Editing `~/.zshrc` **is** editing
`dots/.zshrc`. Symlinks are managed by `install/symlinks.sh`.
---
## Tool Management
### mise manages runtimes and CLI tools
[mise](https://mise.jdx.dev/) is a single polyglot tool version manager that
replaces nvm, pyenv, rbenv, and most Homebrew CLI installs. The global config is
tracked at `mise/config.toml` in this repo and symlinked to
`~/.config/mise/config.toml` during setup.
**Language runtimes:** Node.js, Python, Go, PHP (8.2/8.3/8.4), Ruby, Rust, Bun, uv
**CLI tools:** bat, eza, fd, fzf, ripgrep, jq, yq, delta, zoxide, starship,
direnv, tmux, gum, glow, broot, gh, act, git-cliff, shellcheck, hadolint,
hyperfine, dust, duf, cmake, mkcert, and more (~55 tools total)
```bash
mise ls # List installed tools
mise use --global node@latest # Install latest Node globally
mise use node@20 # Pin Node 20 for current project
mise install # Install everything from config
mise outdated # Check for updates
```
### Homebrew manages system libraries and GUI apps
Homebrew is reserved for things mise can't handle — compilation libraries, system
services, and macOS GUI apps. The full list is in `install/Brewfile`.
**Libraries:** openssl, gnupg + pinentry-mac, imagemagick, mysql-client, curl,
libffi, libyaml, zlib, and build dependencies
**GUI apps (casks):** iTerm2, Raycast, Sequel Ace, GPG Suite, OrbStack, ngrok
**Rule of thumb:** before adding to the Brewfile, check `mise ls-remote `.
If mise has it, use mise.
---
## Shell Architecture
### Startup order
```
.zshrc
→ .exports (env vars — EDITOR, tokens, build flags)
→ .aliases
→ ~/.zsh/functions/*.zsh (auto-sourced modular functions)
→ History config
→ PATH construction (typeset -U, priority order)
→ GPG agent + SSH keys (async, non-blocking)
→ rg/fd/pigz wrappers (override grep/find/gzip)
→ compinit (cached daily)
→ mise activate
→ zoxide init
→ Starship prompt init
```
Startup target: under 300ms.
### Key files
| File | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `dots/.zshrc` | Main shell config — PATH construction + startup orchestration |
| `dots/.exports` | Environment variables (EDITOR, tokens, build flags) — **gitignored** |
| `dots/.aliases` | Shell aliases |
| `dots/.gitconfig` | Git config + ~30 aliases + delta pager settings |
| `dots/.gitignore_global` | Global gitignore (applies to all repos) |
| `install/Brewfile` | Homebrew packages, casks, fonts, VS Code extensions |
| `install/symlinks.sh` | Defines every managed symlink |
| `mise/config.toml` | Global mise tool versions |
| `bin/dotfiles` | CLI entry point (`dotfiles help` for commands) |
### PATH priority
```
~/.local/share/mise/shims → mise-managed tools (injected by mise activate)
~/bin → Personal scripts (from this repo)
~/.local/bin → Direct installs
/opt/homebrew/bin → Homebrew (Apple Silicon)
/usr/bin → System
```
### Git config highlights
- **Pager:** delta (syntax-highlighted, side-by-side diffs, VS Code hyperlinks)
- **Defaults:** `pull.rebase=true`, `fetch.prune=true`, `push.autoSetupRemote=true`
- **Conflict style:** `zdiff3` (shows base in three-way conflicts)
- **rerere:** enabled (reuse recorded conflict resolutions)
- **Signing:** GPG via gpg-agent (also handles SSH auth)
Useful aliases: `git s` (short status), `git wip` (quick savepoint), `git undo`
(soft reset last commit), `git ahead` (unpushed commits), `git lol` (graph log).
---
## What's Not Here
This repo does **not** contain — and never will contain:
- **SSH keys** — generate per-machine (`ssh-keygen -t ed25519`)
- **GPG keys** — generate per-machine (`gpg --full-generate-key`)
- **secrets** — `dots/.exports` is gitignored; it holds tokens and credentials
A template for `.exports` is provided at `dots/.exports.template`. Copy it to
`dots/.exports` and fill in your values. See [BOOTSTRAP.md](BOOTSTRAP.md) for
details.
---
## Making Changes
**Edit shell config** — edit directly in `dots/`; changes are live via symlink:
```bash
source ~/.zshrc # reload, or open a new shell
```
**Add a Homebrew package** — add to `install/Brewfile`, then:
```bash
brew bundle --file=install/Brewfile
```
**Add a mise tool:**
```bash
mise use --global @latest
```
**Add a new dotfile** — add the file to `dots/`, add a `ln -sfv` line to
`install/symlinks.sh`, then:
```bash
dotfiles symlinks
```
**Add a new script** — add to `bin/`, add the script name to the loop in
`install/symlinks.sh`, then run `dotfiles symlinks`.
**Run drift detection** — checks for config drift (broken symlinks, wrong
permissions, stale Brewfile entries, secrets in tracked files):
```bash
bash tests/validate.sh
```
---
## dotfiles CLI
```bash
dotfiles help # Show all commands
dotfiles install # Full bootstrap (brew, mise, symlinks, macOS defaults)
dotfiles update # Update OS, Homebrew, and mise tools
dotfiles symlinks # Re-run symlink creation
dotfiles brew # Run brew install only
dotfiles defaults # Apply macOS defaults
dotfiles dock # Configure Dock layout
dotfiles clean # Clean brew caches
```