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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Yet Another Dotfiles Management Post (lemmy.ml)

submitted 3 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

10 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hi all!

Recently, I've been thinking about how to handle my dotfiles again.

I've used chezmoi for a while, and while it's good, I've been wanting something a little lighter.

The simplicity of having my $HOME be a git repository was attractive, but I ran into issues. Specifically, many command line tools I use such as fzf and ripgrep have a feature to automatically ignore in their search results any files which are ignored by a gitignore. This meant I had to either turn this feature off (not ideal) or they wouldn't work any more. Also, the terminal prompt I use also showed I was within a git repository all the time, which was annoying.

Does anyone have an wisdom they'd like to share? If I can't get the $HOME as a git repository working the way I'd like, I may check out GNU Stow, which seems to be the next most lightweight option.

Thanks!

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 years ago (1 children)

I have often heard of using Git bare repository instead of having $HOME as a normal Git repository itself. This approach sets your $HOME directory only as a Git repository's work tree, not entire Git repository. That would solve the problem of your CLI tools, I believe. For further information, see for example the following.

But GNU Stow seems to be pretty interesting way to manage dotfiles, too. It could definitely do what you need, as far as I know.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 years ago (1 children)

I've been experimenting with the Git bare repository method and I think it solves all my problems! Thanks very much. If I run into issues again, I'll for sure check out GNU Stow.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 years ago

Glad to hear that. Hope everything will work out for you. I have already thought about trying Git bare repository myself, but so far I am quite content with just copying dotfiles from my repository directory to $HOME myself. Might give these options a second thought someday soon.