Here's a guide using a git bare repository: https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/dotfiles
I've been using this (lightly) for a couple years, and I've been happy with it.
Ask HN: Dotfiles Management Tools?
11–20 of 20 posts
Re: Ask HN: Dotfiles Management Tools?
#12Although I just use git (with symlinks from ~/.dotfiles to wherever the software is actually expecting the config), most people I know use https://yadm.io instead.
Re: Ask HN: Dotfiles Management Tools?
#13I use yadm (https://yadm.io/), and like it for dealing with multiple systems because of it's alternates system (https://yadm.io/docs/alternates#). It's git based, and works on various systems (your list is covered).
edit: Note if you're on Debian stable, the current package is 1.x. At this point testing has moved on to 3.x. It's probably worth going straight to 3.x to avoid reworking alternates and dealing with other changes. The testing/unstable package is easy to backport (look up simple sid backport).
Re: Ask HN: Dotfiles Management Tools?
#14Can't get much simpler than git and stow
Re: Ask HN: Dotfiles Management Tools?
#15Here's a guide using a git bare repository: https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/dotfiles
I try to use Drew DeVault's method [1], which is similar, but it seems much more straightforward. It uses a regular git repository in $HOME, a .gitignore file that is just a `*` so that it ignores all files and you have to force add the files that you want.
As a disclaimer I have to say I have never migrated my system to another one or even shared my config, so unforeseen problems may appear.
Re: Ask HN: Dotfiles Management Tools?
#16Re: Ask HN: Dotfiles Management Tools?
#17Here's a guide using a git bare repository: https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/dotfiles
The one issue I've had with this is that ripgrep will use the gitignore so without an extra option most any search in any folder under $HOME will turn up empty
Re: Ask HN: Dotfiles Management Tools?
#18Here's a guide using a git bare repository: https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/dotfiles
I try to use Drew DeVault's method [1], which is similar, but it seems much more straightforward. It uses a regular git repository in $HOME, a .gitignore file that is just a `*` so that it ignores all files and you have to force add the files that you want. As a disclaimer I have to say I have never migrated my system to another one or even shared my config, so unforeseen problems may appear. [1] https://drewdevault.…
I use this method as well, but instead of force adding files, I use an inverted .gitinore.
*
!/.bashrc
!/.config/
!/.config/monitors.xml
Re: Ask HN: Dotfiles Management Tools?
#19Hardmode: INI canonicalization + some sort of per-section/key .gitignore for 'noisy' or machine-specific data.
Re: Ask HN: Dotfiles Management Tools?
#20I’m biased, but would recommend trying yadm.
I specifically have a design goal of very little external dependency. It only requires Git and Bash be present, so it is quite portable. Many people even use it on some network equipment. You can simply download the script if it isn’t packaged somewhere.
It can easily handle directories of files, but also submodules. Many people add vim plugin Git repos directly as submodules.
If you are familiar with Git, you’ll find yadm extremely easy to use. When you need them, more features are there to solve specific problems, like bootstrapping operations, encrypting private data, templating, or system dependent alternate files.
On a new system you can quickly bootstrap your existing dotfiles repo using https://bootstrap.yadm.io, without yadm installed yet. This is mostly useful if you’ve included yadm directly in you dotfiles (directly, or as a submodule, or as some installation during bootstrap).