chezmoi

Setup up chezmoi, creating a Git repository in ~/.local/share/chezmoi

$ chezmoi init

$ chezmoi init [repository_url]

$ chezmoi add [path/to/dotfile1 path/to/dotfile2 ...]

$ chezmoi re-add [path/to/dotfile1 path/to/dotfile2 ...]

$ chezmoi edit [path/to/dotfile_or_symlink]

$ chezmoi diff

$ chezmoi -v apply

$ chezmoi update

chezmoi command [options] [arguments]

--config=
    Path to the configuration file. Default: ~/.config/chezmoi/chezmoi.toml

--destination=
    The destination directory. Default: your home directory.

--source=
    The source directory. Default: ~/.local/share/chezmoi

--verbose
    Enable verbose output.

--dry-run
    Perform a dry run, showing what would be done without actually doing it.

--apply
    Apply changes to the destination directory.

chezmoi is a powerful tool for managing your personal configuration files (dotfiles) across multiple machines. It allows you to keep your configuration consistent and up-to-date, even when you're working on different operating systems or environments. Unlike simple symlinking or copying dotfiles, chezmoi uses a source directory containing your desired configurations and a target directory (typically your home directory) where it creates and manages the actual dotfiles.

chezmoi allows you to use templates in your dotfiles, meaning you can generate configuration files that adapt to each host with specific values. This allows creating dynamic configurations.

It leverages a secure, encrypted store to hold sensitive information that should not be stored in a public git repository, and it integrates with popular password managers. chezmoi can also be used to manage system configurations, not just user dotfiles.

chezmoi heavily relies on version control (typically Git) to manage the source directory. It's crucial to understand Git basics to effectively use chezmoi. File names can be changed with special meaning

The typical chezmoi workflow involves using the `chezmoi add` command to add existing dotfiles to the source directory. Files are renamed to a standard format (with a .tmpl if templating is used). Then `chezmoi apply` is used to materialize the files from the source directory to the destination. Files can be easily updated with the `chezmoi edit` command.

chezmoi integrates with password managers such as Bitwarden, 1Password, and LastPass. You can use secret variables in your templates and chezmoi will automatically retrieve the values from your password manager when applying changes.

chezmoi was created by Tom Payne to solve the problem of managing dotfiles across multiple machines. It has gained popularity for its flexible templating system and secure storage of secrets. Development is actively maintained and supported by a growing community.

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