Ask HN: How do you sync your computer’s development configurations/environment? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you sync your computer’s development configurations/environment?

#131

Post by JamesSwift » Fri, May 27, 2022, 1:42 AM UTC

rgoulter wrote: post #130

JamesSwift wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But Nix and Guix are still very very new Uhh nix has been around since 2003 [1]. I can definitely recommend taking a look at it if you are fine with running Arch. [1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nix_(package_manager)

Sure, but Nix is very weird, and takes quite a different approach compared to other things. Understanding Linux is both necessary, but not sufficient. But comparing Arch an NixOS: - Arch requires more elbow grease than Ubuntu. NixOS requires more elbow grease than Ubuntu. I wouldn't recommend either to beginners. - On the other hand: NixOS is immutable and pure, whereas Arch is a system that can be beaten into shape.…

Nix is different, but I wouldn't say its _weird_. Nix the language is weird, but the packaging system is pretty straightforward. Imagine that every single thing you install is done in a chroot, so you need to declare exactly what it depends on to have it work. Thats it.

My point is that if you are comfortable with the effort needed for Arch, NixOS is _probably_ a better option because I think it does the same thing but better.

Re: Ask HN: How do you sync your computer’s development configurations/environment?

#132

Post by synicalx » Fri, May 27, 2022, 3:18 AM UTC

I just have my dotfiles in git, along with a script that clones the repo, moves the files into position, installs packages and does a few other little things. I had thought about just making my whole ~/ a git repo but I feel like that would inevitably lead to me putting something into git that I didn't want to be in there like a private key or something (I'm not that bright, it's bound to happen).

Another option I considered was Ansible or similar, but my script was very simple to write and has no dependencies other than bash and git which I do kind of like from a simplicity perspective.

Re: Ask HN: How do you sync your computer’s development configurations/environment?

#133

Post by mixedCase » Fri, May 27, 2022, 3:33 AM UTC

Nix/NixOS. It is the best in class tool for this purpose, with a bumpy learning curve due to the subpar language and complex documentation. But once things get going it's quite a convenience.

Re: Ask HN: How do you sync your computer’s development configurations/environment?

#134

Post by bradwood » Fri, May 27, 2022, 6:16 AM UTC

hybridtupel wrote: post #119

bradwood wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it was ESC instead you'd get a +1. ;)

What if I told you that you can have both? For me it's ctrl when I hold it down and use it with another key and esc when I press it briefly. Can be set up on a Mac with Karabiner Elements.

If you told me that, I'd give you the +1. But Karabiner Elements doesn't work on my Arch box.

I have a udev rule that does the ESC mapping, but will have to try harder to see if I can make it do that on Linux.

Re: Ask HN: How do you sync your computer’s development configurations/environment?

#135

Post by mogui » Fri, May 27, 2022, 7:17 AM UTC

I just use this https://github.com/lra/mackup since a decade

Re: Ask HN: How do you sync your computer’s development configurations/environment?

#136

Post by jbc1 » Fri, May 27, 2022, 8:28 AM UTC

maleldil wrote: post #128

metaltyphoon wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> CAPS LOCK an extra ctrl Another fine specimen, salute!

Why not Command instead of Ctrl? Isn't that something that you use way more often?

I'm not that commenter but ctrl is my least favourite regularly used key to hit. It's not comfortable to reach with either my pinky or thumb. Command is basically where my thumb rests naturally, it's in prime position.

Re: Ask HN: How do you sync your computer’s development configurations/environment?

#137

Post by bloopernova » Fri, May 27, 2022, 10:18 AM UTC

intrepidhero wrote: post #34

bloopernova wrote: post #13

Basically I use git for .local/dotfiles/ which are then symlinked to the relevant files like .zshrc or .emacs.d/init.el. Then I just keep that repo up to date with git pulls. Works across 2 macbooks, a Fedora workstation, and a Fedora headless server. Couple of bits from a guide I wrote recently: https://gist.github.com/aclarknexient/0ffcb98aa262c585c49d4b... # store stuff here that you don't want in github [[ -f $HO…

I did the same plus just a little bit of Ansible makes deployment a little nicer.

I looked into Ansible after reading your comment - I've only ever used it and Puppet for larger-scale stuff so hadn't even thought of using it as a localhost-only playbook. This looks like it could manage my symlinks for me very nicely :) Thank you!

Re: Ask HN: How do you sync your computer’s development configurations/environment?

#138

Post by lessthanseventy » Fri, May 27, 2022, 10:52 AM UTC

bradwood wrote: post #134

hybridtupel wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if I told you that you can have both? For me it's ctrl when I hold it down and use it with another key and esc when I press it briefly. Can be set up on a Mac with Karabiner Elements.

If you told me that, I'd give you the +1. But Karabiner Elements doesn't work on my Arch box. I have a udev rule that does the ESC mapping, but will have to try harder to see if I can make it do that on Linux.