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chezmoi Dotfile manager

Version 2.73.1 · source

chezmoi, Postcard, light preview Light · Postcard 102 × 152 mm · PDF chezmoi, Postcard, dark preview Dark · Postcard 102 × 152 mm · PDF chezmoi, Postcard, ink saver preview Ink saver · Postcard 102 × 152 mm · PDF
chezmoi, A5, light preview Light · A5 148 × 210 mm · PDF chezmoi, A5, dark preview Dark · A5 148 × 210 mm · PDF chezmoi, A5, ink saver preview Ink saver · A5 148 × 210 mm · PDF
chezmoi, A4, light preview Light · A4 210 × 297 mm · PDF chezmoi, A4, dark preview Dark · A4 210 × 297 mm · PDF chezmoi, A4, ink saver preview Ink saver · A4 210 × 297 mm · PDF
chezmoi, A4 landscape, light preview Light · A4 landscape 297 × 210 mm · PDF chezmoi, A4 landscape, dark preview Dark · A4 landscape 297 × 210 mm · PDF chezmoi, A4 landscape, ink saver preview Ink saver · A4 landscape 297 × 210 mm · PDF
chezmoi, A3, light preview Light · A3 297 × 420 mm · PDF chezmoi, A3, dark preview Dark · A3 297 × 420 mm · PDF chezmoi, A3, ink saver preview Ink saver · A3 297 × 420 mm · PDF
chezmoi, A3 landscape, light preview Light · A3 landscape 420 × 297 mm · PDF chezmoi, A3 landscape, dark preview Dark · A3 landscape 420 × 297 mm · PDF chezmoi, A3 landscape, ink saver preview Ink saver · A3 landscape 420 × 297 mm · PDF
chezmoi, Letter, light preview Light · Letter 8.5 × 11 in · PDF chezmoi, Letter, dark preview Dark · Letter 8.5 × 11 in · PDF chezmoi, Letter, ink saver preview Ink saver · Letter 8.5 × 11 in · PDF
chezmoi, Tabloid, light preview Light · Tabloid 11 × 17 in · PDF chezmoi, Tabloid, dark preview Dark · Tabloid 11 × 17 in · PDF chezmoi, Tabloid, ink saver preview Ink saver · Tabloid 11 × 17 in · PDF

Start here

chezmoi init <user>
Clone your dotfiles repo
chezmoi add <file>
Start managing a file
chezmoi edit <file>
Edit the source copy
chezmoi diff
Preview changes
chezmoi apply
Write changes to $HOME
chezmoi status
What would change?
chezmoi update
Pull and apply
chezmoi cd
Shell into the source dir

Concepts

  1. Source dir ~/.local/share/chezmoi
  2. Target state computed per machine
  3. Destination your home dir
  4. Source dir back into the repo

Setup

chezmoi init
Create an empty source directory
chezmoi init <user>
Clone github.com/<user>/dotfiles
chezmoi init --apply <user>
Clone and apply in one step
chezmoi cd
Open a shell in the source dir

Manage files

chezmoi add <file>
Start managing a file or dir
chezmoi add --template <file>
Add as a template
chezmoi re-add
Pull edited $HOME files back into source
chezmoi edit <file>
Edit a managed file's source
chezmoi edit --apply <file>
Edit and apply on exit

Inspect and apply

chezmoi diff
Show what apply would change
chezmoi apply
Make $HOME match the source
chezmoi apply -n -v
Dry run with verbose output
chezmoi status
Two-column change summary
First column: changed since chezmoi last wrote it. Second: what apply would do.
chezmoi managed
List managed targets
chezmoi update
Pull the repo, then apply
chezmoi git -- <args>
Run git in the source dir
Put git flags after -- so chezmoi does not parse them.

Templates and data

chezmoi data
Show template data as JSON
chezmoi execute-template '<tmpl>'
Render a template string
Template variables
Variable Value
.chezmoi.os linux, darwin, windows
.chezmoi.arch amd64, arm64
.chezmoi.hostname Short hostname
.chezmoi.username Current user
.chezmoi.homeDir Home directory
.chezmoi.sourceDir Source directory
OS-specific block
{{ if eq .chezmoi.os "darwin" -}}export BROWSER=open{{ else -}}export BROWSER=xdg-open{{ end -}}

Source naming

Source prefixes
Name Effect
dot_zshrc Target .zshrc
private_ No group/world access
executable_ Mark executable
readonly_ Remove write bits
symlink_ Create a symlink
exact_ Delete unmanaged children
encrypted_ Stored encrypted
create_ Write only if missing
modify_ Script that edits a file
remove_ Delete the target
Suffixes and scripts
Name Effect
file.tmpl Contents are a template
run_<name> Run script on every apply
run_once_<name> Run once per content
run_onchange_<name> Run when content changes
before_ / after_ Script ordering vs files
.chezmoiignore
Targets to skip (template, per machine)

Secrets and externals

Global flags

-n / --dry-run
Never modify anything
-v / --verbose
Show diffs and commands

Recipes

New machine in one line
chezmoi init --apply <user>chezmoi status# later: pick up changeschezmoi update
Track a new dotfile
chezmoi add ~/.config/nvimchezmoi edit ~/.config/nvim/init.luachezmoi diffchezmoi apply
Commit and push the source
chezmoi cdgit add -Agit commit -m "Update dotfiles"git push
Per-machine git identity
# dot_gitconfig.tmpl[user]  name = {{ .name | quote }}  email = {{ .email | quote }}