dotfiles

Cross-platform Bash dotfiles for macOS and Linux.

Install

Preview first:

./bootstrap.sh --dry-run

Install:

./bootstrap.sh

Force replacement of existing targets only when you intend to overwrite them:

./bootstrap.sh --force

--force backs up existing targets before replacing them.

Model

Bootstrap uses the current OS automatically:

• Darwin -> macOS
• Linux -> Linux

You normally do not need to pass a platform flag.

The shell runtime is built from:

1. shared shell files from shell/
2. platform overlays from platform/macos/ or platform/linux/
3. copied local/private files in your home directory
4. prompt loaded last

Symlinked files

Stable shared files are symlinked into $HOME:

• ~/.bashrc -> shell/bashrc
• ~/.bash_profile -> shell/bash_profile
• ~/.bash_prompt -> shell/bash_prompt
• ~/.aliases -> shell/aliases
• ~/.functions -> shell/functions
• ~/.exports -> shell/exports
• ~/.curlrc -> shell/curlrc
• ~/.wgetrc -> shell/wgetrc
• ~/.fonts -> .fonts

On macOS, bootstrap also symlinks:

• ~/.hushlogin -> platform/macos/hushlogin
• ~/.screenrc -> platform/macos/screenrc

If a target already exists, bootstrap skips it unless --force is used.

Copied local/private files

Machine-local files are copied only when missing:

• ~/.path
• ~/.extra
• ~/.gitconfig

Sources are selected as follows:

• ~/.path: platform-specific platform/<os>/path.sample, falling back to shell/path.sample
• ~/.extra: shell/extra.sample
• ~/.gitconfig: samples/gitconfig

These files are intentionally copied, not symlinked, so each machine can edit them locally.

Dangerous helpers

Destructive helpers are not loaded by default. They live in shell/dangerous.

Opt in by setting:

export DOTFILES_ENABLE_DANGEROUS=1

or by creating a private ~/.dotfiles_dangerous file.

Provisioning

Provisioning scripts are manual and are not run by bootstrap:

• provisioning/macos/
• provisioning/linux/

Review scripts before running them. Some require sudo or mutate system settings.

Host-specific examples

Machine-specific examples live under hosts/examples/, including netplan configs. Do not apply them blindly to another host.