"Dotfiles" are files or directories with names that start with a dot .
and contain vital setup and configuration information for the system and
for tools. Most dotfiles are stored in the user's $HOME directory.
On most systems, dotfiles are "hidden" (not visible) in the filesystem by default. To show them, follow instructions for Mac or Windows.
Login (new terminal) and startup (new shell process) scripts are: .profile, .zprofile (Mac), .bashrc, .zshrc (Mac).
Script .paths includes definitions for the $PATH environment variable. It is used by .bashrc and .zshrc. Script .ansi-colors.sh defines ANSI Color Codes for colored prompt and terminal output.
File .mintty has definitions for the mintty terminal (used by cygwin, Gitbash). File .vimrc contains settings for the vim editor.
Directory .tmux stores settings for the tmux terminal multiplexer.
<$HOME> # User's home directory
|
+--.gitconfig # User's git configuration in $HOME
+--.gitignore # patterns of file and directory names for git to ignore
+-- README.md # this markup file
|
+--.profile # bash login script (Windows, Linux)
+--.zprofile # zsh login script (Mac)
+--.bashrc # bash startup script (runs with new bash process)
+--.zshrc # zsh startup script (runs with new zsh process)
+--.paths # PATH definitions (used by .bashrc, .zshrc)
+--.ansi-colors.sh # ANSI color codes for colored prompt and terminal output
|
+--.minttyrc # definitions for the mintty terminal (used by cygwin, Gitbash)
+--.vimrc # settings for the 'vim' editor
|
+-<.tmux> # directory with settings for the 'tmux' terminal multiplexer
| +--default.conf # preset with 2 vertical terminal panel
| +--dev2x2.conf # preset with 2x2 terminal panels
| +--tmux.md # brief 'tmux' introduction
|
+--dotfiles_git.tar # .tar archive with dotfile .git repository
+--dotfiles_git.zip # .zip archive
In order to install dotfiles, fetch dotfiles_git.tar or dotfiles_git.zip and un-tar or unzip in the $HOME directory.
cd $HOME # cd to $HOME directory
tar xvf dotfiles_git.tar # unpack .tar file creating local .git repository in $HOME
git status # test status of dotfile git repositoryDotfiles that are already present in $HOME are shown as modified, new dotfiles appear as deleted (not yet present)).
On branch main
Your branch is ahead of 'origin/main' by 2 commits.
(use "git push" to publish your local commits)
Changes not staged for commit:
(use "git add/rm <file>..." to update what will be committed)
(use "git restore <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
deleted: .ansi-colors.sh
modified: .bashrc
deleted: .gitconfig
deleted: .gitignore
deleted: .minttyrc
deleted: .paths
modified: .profile
deleted: .tmux/default.conf
deleted: .tmux/dev2x2.conf
deleted: .tmux/tmux.md
deleted: .vimrc
deleted: .zprofile
deleted: .zshrc
deleted: README.md
Untracked files:
(use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)
dotfiles_git.tar
no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")
Dotfiles can be checked out from the local git-repository:
git checkout . # check-out dotfiles
ls -la # show filesNew dotfiles are now in the $HOME directory and effective immetiately.
total 151
drwxr-xr-x 1 0 Oct 18 00:03 ./
drwxr-xr-x 1 0 Oct 17 23:57 ../
-rw-r--r-- 1 3935 Oct 18 00:03 .ansi-colors.sh
-rw-r--r-- 1 13939 Oct 18 00:03 .bashrc
drwxr-xr-x 1 0 Oct 18 00:03 .git/
-rw-r--r-- 1 964 Oct 18 00:03 .gitconfig
-rw-r--r-- 1 516 Oct 18 00:03 .gitignore
-rw-r--r-- 1 376 Oct 18 00:03 .minttyrc
-rw-r--r-- 1 4384 Oct 18 00:03 .paths
-rw-r--r-- 1 4462 Oct 18 00:03 .profile
drwxr-xr-x 1 0 Oct 18 00:03 .tmux/
-rw-r--r-- 1 1056 Oct 18 00:03 .vimrc
-rw-r--r-- 1 360 Oct 18 00:03 .zprofile
-rw-r--r-- 1 4640 Oct 18 00:03 .zshrc
-rw-r--r-- 1 2590 Oct 18 00:03 README.md
-rw-r--r-- 1 81920 Oct 17 23:58 dotfiles_git.tar
Dotfiles need to be adjusted to your environment.
Git requires name and email configured in .gitconfig in your $HOME
directory. Enter your name and email either by commands:
git config --global user.name "your name"
git config --global user.email "your@email.com"or by editing .gitconfig directly:
# must spefify your name:
# - git config --global user.name "your name"
# - git config --global user.email "your@email.com"
# [user]
# name = Sven Graupner
# email = sgraupner@bht-berlin.de
[user]
name = your first and last name
email = your email address
# leave other parts unchangedAdjust paths in .paths depending on your system, for example
the $PATH to the Java JDK:
# Java installation directory (commands: 'java', 'javac', 'jar', 'javap')
export JAVA_HOME="/c/Program Files/Java/jdk-21"
export PATH="${PATH}:${JAVA_HOME}/bin"
The initial dotfiles_git.tar is no longer needed as is README.md that
came with the check-out.
Remove these files and commit changes made to .gitconfig and .paths:
rm dotfiles_git.* README.md # remove files
git statusOn branch main
Changes not staged for commit:
(use "git add/rm <file>..." to update what will be committed)
(use "git restore <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
modified: .gitconfig
modified: .paths
deleted: README.md
Commit changes back to the local .git repository:
git add . # stage and commit changes
git commit -m "update .gitconfig, .paths"The last step is to detach the .git repository from its remote source. You can add your own remote repository.
git branch -r -d origin/main # remove remote branch
git remote remove origin # remove remote repository URL
git remote add origin <your url> # add your own remote repository URL