Dotfiles

Related articles

• XDG Base Directory support
• X resources

This article collects user repositories with custom configuration files, commonly known as dotfiles.

Version control

Managing dotfiles with version control systems such as Git helps to keep track of changes, share with others, and synchronize dotfiles across various hosts.

Using gitignore

Keeping a git directory inside the home folder allows to directly keep track of changes. It is recommended to selectively add file contents to the index with git-add(1).

To prevent untracked files (appearing in commits and removed by git-clean(1)), first exclude all files with gitignore(5):

~/.git/info/exclude

*

Then use git add -f, for example:

$ git add -f ~/.config/*

And commit the changes with git-commit(1):

$ git commit -a

Tip: To avoid accidentally commiting confidential information, see Git#Filtering confidential information.

Maintaining dotfiles across multiple machines

One way of maintaining dotfiles across various machines across various hosts while still allowing for per-host customizations, is by maintaining a master-branch for all shared configuration, while each individual machine has a machine-specific branch checked out. Host-specific configuration can be committed to the machine-specific branch; as shared configuration is added to the master-branch, the per-machine branches are then rebased on top of the updated master.

The drawback on having some of the configuration files in multiple branches is that you have to remember to maintain and synchronize changes. Use conditional logic to minimize the number of machine specific files. For example, bash scripts (i.e. .bashrc) can apply different configuration depending on the machine name (or type, custom variable, etc.):

if [[ "$(uname -n)" == "archlaptop" ]]; then
    # laptop specific commands here
else
    # desktop or server machine commands
fi

Another approach is to manage machine-specific configuration with tools based on template engines, e.g. qualia or Dotdrop. This approach requires less manual work and doesn't cause merge conflicts.

Tools

File grouping

How configuration files can be grouped to configuration groups (also called profiles or packages).

Processing

Some tools process configuration files to allow them to be customized depending on the host.

Name	Package	Written in	File grouping	Processing
dotdrop	dotdropAUR	Python	configuration file	Jinja2
dotfiles	dotfilesAUR	Python	No	No
Dots	dots-managerAUR	Python	directory-based	custom append points
GNU Stow	stow	Perl	directory-based[1]	No
Mackup	mackupAUR	Python	automatic per application	No
mir.qualia	mir.qualiaAUR	Python	No	custom blocks
rcm	rcmAUR	Perl	directory-based (by host or tag)	No

Tools wrapping Git

If you are uncomfortable with Git, you may want to use one of these tools, which abstract the version control system away (more or less).

Name	Package	Written in	File grouping	Processing
dotgit	dotgitAUR	Bash	filename-based	No
homeshick	homeshick-gitAUR	Bash	repository-wise	No
homesick	homesickAUR	Ruby	repository-wise	No
Pearl	pearl-gitAUR	Bash	repository-wise	No
vcsh	vcshAUR	Shell	repository-wise	No
yadm1)	yadm-gitAUR	Shell	filename-based (by class, OS, hostname & user) [2]	Jinja2 (optional)[3]

1. Supports encryption of confidential files with GPG.[4]

Repositories

Author	Shell (Shell framework)	WM / DE	Editor	Terminal	Multiplexer	Audio	Monitor	Mail	IRC
alfunx	zsh	awesome	vim	kitty	tmux	ncmpcpp/mpd	htop/lain	thunderbird
Ambrevar	Eshell	EXWM	Emacs	Emacs (Eshell)	Emacs TRAMP + dtach	EMMS	conky/dzen	mu4e	Circe
awal	fish	i3	vim	st	tmux		i3status		The Lounge
ayekat	zsh	karuiwm	vim	rxvt-unicode	tmux	ncmpcpp/mpd	karuibar	mutt	irssi
bamos	zsh	i3/xmonad	vim/emacs	rxvt-unicode	tmux	mpv/cmus	conky/xmobar	mutt	ERC
brisbin33	zsh	xmonad	vim	rxvt-unicode	screen		dzen	mutt	irssi
BVollmerhaus	bash	i3-gaps	kakoune	rxvt-unicode			polybar	thunderbird
cinelli	zsh	dwm	vim	termite-git		pianobar	htop	mutt-kz	weechat
dikiaap	zsh	i3-gaps	neovim	alacritty	tmux		i3blocks
Earnestly	zsh	i3/orbment	vim/emacs	termite	tmux	mpd	conky	mutt	weechat
ErikBjare	zsh	xmonad/xfce4	vim	terminator	tmux		xfce4-panel		weechat
falconindy	bash	i3	vim	rxvt-unicode		ncmpcpp	conky	mutt
graysky	zsh	xfce4	vim	terminal		ncmpcpp	custom	thunderbird
hugdru	zsh	awesome	neovim	rxvt-unicode	tmux			thunderbird	weechat
insanum	bash	herbstluftwm	vim	evilvte	tmux		dzen	mutt-kz
jasonwryan	bash/zsh	dwm	vim	rxvt-unicode	tmux	ncmpcpp	custom	mutt	irssi
jdevlieghere	zsh	xmonad	vim	terminal	tmux		htop	mutt	weechat
jelly	zsh	i3	vim	termite	tmux	ncmpcpp		mutt-kz-git	weechat
maximbaz	zsh	i3-gaps	neovim	kitty			py3status	thunderbird
meskarune	bash	herbstluftwm	vim	rxvt-unicode	screen		conky		weechat
neersighted	zsh	i3	vim	rxvt-unicode	tmux	ncmpcpp	htop	mutt	irssi
OK100	bash	dwm	vim	rxvt-unicode		cmus	conky, dzen	mutt	weechat
pablox-cl	zsh (zplug)	gnome3	neovim	kitty
reisub0	bash	awesome	neovim	termite		mpd	conky
sistematico	zsh/fish/bash	i3-gaps	vim/nano	termite	tmux	ncmpcpp	polybar	mutt	weechat
sitilge	zsh	awesome	neovim	termite				thunderbird
swalladge	zsh/bash	i3	neovim/vim	termite	tmux	cmus	i3pystatus	mutt
SyfiMalik	zsh	i3	vim	rxvt-unicode	tmux	ncmpcpp/mpd	polybar	mutt	weechat
thiagowfx	bash/zsh	i3	vim/emacs	rxvt-unicode		ncmpcpp	i3blocks
vodik	zsh	xmonad	vim	termite-git	tmux	ncmpcpp	custom	mutt	weechat
w0ng	zsh	dwm	vim	rxvt-unicode	tmux	ncmpcpp	custom	mutt	irssi
whitelynx	fish	i3	neovim	kitty			i3pystatus
Wintervenom	bash	herbstluftwm	vim	rxvt-unicode	screen	mpd (mpc-utils)	hlwm-dzen2	mutt	weechat
wolfcore	bash	dwm	vim	rxvt-unicode	tmux	cmus	custom		weechat
zendeavor	zsh	i3	vim	rxvt-unicode	tmux	ncmpcpp	i3status		weechat

See also

• gregswiki:DotFiles
• XMonad Config Archive
• dotshare.it
• dotfiles.github.io
• terminal.sexy - Terminal color scheme designer