Automated setup

macOS

Do you want your new machine (or a brand new, clean install of macOS on the same machine) to be automatically set up just the way you like it? You can set up your dotfiles, tools, apps (including the ones from the App Store), and macOS preferences automatically.

Tip

In Finder you can show/hide your hidden files e.g. dotfiles with Cmd+Shift+.

Current

On your current machine

1. Get the Homebrew package manager, the GitHub CLI and chezmoi to manage your dotfiles.

   /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
   brew install gh
   brew install chezmoi
   

2. Back up you current configuration.

   chezmoi init
   # Add your dotfiles e.g.
   chezmoi add ~/.gitconfig
   chezmoi add ~/.zshrc
   
   cd ~/.local/share/chezmoi
   brew bundle dump # generates your Brewfile
   # add and commit everything, then
   gh repo create dotfiles --public -d "My dotfiles" -y
   git remote add origin git@github.com:$GITHUB_USERNAME/dotfiles.git
   git branch -M main
   git push -u origin main
   

   See my dotfiles repo for an example that includes:

   • Brewfile with tools and apps from both Homebrew and the App Store (with mas).
   • Dotfiles for git and shell configurations.
   • iTerm profile.
   • macOS preferences.

New

On your new machine

1. Install Homebrew and chezmoi. Learn more.

   Tip

   Install antivirus software like Avast Security. The only reason I don't include it in my Brewfile is because at the time of this writing its Homebrew formula seems to be broken so I download it directly from their site.

2. If you use Oh My Zsh, install it:

   sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"
   

3. Let chezmoi and Homebrew configure your new machine:

   # Bring your dotfiles
   chezmoi init --apply $GITHUB_USERNAME
   # Install all tools, extensions, and apps from Homebrew and the App Store
   brew bundle --no-lock --file="~/.local/share/chezmoi/Brewfile" 
   
   # You can update your dotfiles at any time with
   chezmoi update -v
   # You can run `brew bundle` again to apply changes to your Brewfile
   

4. If you have a macOS configuration script, make sure your terminal has Full Disk Access and run it with sudo.

5. If you have an iTerm profile .json file, add it as default and delete the old one. This will set your shell, font, colors, etc.

   1. iTerm2 > Settings > Profiles > Other Actions... > Import JSON Profiles.
   2. Restart iTerm to reload the configuration file.

6. If you use GitHub with an SSH key:

   cd ~/.local/share/chezmoi
   git remote -v # is it https? Change it to SSH with:
   git remote remove origin
   git remote add origin git@github.com:$GITHUB_USERNAME/dotfiles.git
   git fetch # retrieve upstream branches from the remote
   git branch -u origin/main # set 'main' to track 'origin/main'.