Repolode
Submit
driesvints

driesvints/dotfiles

A personal macOS dotfiles repo that automates setting up a new Mac with Homebrew apps, shell config, and Git/SSH settings.

View on GitHubWebsite
Stars
2,728
Forks
681
Open issues
0
Last commit
4 days ago

What is it?

This is a personal dotfiles repository for macOS. Its goal is to take the manual work out of setting up a new Mac: a single script, fresh.sh, installs the apps listed in a Brewfile through Homebrew, links versioned shell, Git and SSH configuration into the home directory, and restores the author's preferred Oh My Zsh setup.

The repo is meant as a starting point rather than a turnkey setup for everyone. Git identity and signing keys are kept out of the repository in a local ~/.gitconfig.local file, and private keys are expected to come from 1Password or another secure store. Application and system preferences are not fully captured, so a separate machine backup is still needed for local app settings and files.

To build your own version, you fork the repo and edit the Brewfile, aliases.zsh, path.zsh and .zshrc to match your tools. The installer also supports linking Git and SSH configs independently, preserving any existing files as .before-dotfiles backups.

Key features

  • 01Installs apps and tools from a Brewfile via Homebrew.
  • 02Links versioned Git and SSH configuration into the home directory.
  • 03Preserves existing config files as backups before linking.
  • 04Customizes zsh with Oh My Zsh, aliases and PATH files.
  • 05Keeps personal Git identity and secrets out of the repository.

Use cases

  • Setting up a new macOS machine quickly with the same apps and shell config.
  • Using this repo as a template for building your own macOS dotfiles.
  • Keeping Git and SSH configuration consistent across multiple Macs.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Set up an SSH key (run the official install script from the README, or use 1Password's SSH agent)

  2. 2

    Clone the repo to ~/.dotfiles

    git clone git@github.com:driesvints/dotfiles.git ~/.dotfiles
  3. 3

    Run the installation script

    cd ~/.dotfiles && ./fresh.sh

Things to know

  • Only works on macOS.
  • It is the author's personal setup, so it installs his preferred apps and settings and is best forked and adapted.

In collections

Open-source Mac apps

Topics

#dotfiles#macos#homebrew#zsh#oh-my-zsh#shell#backup#brew

FAQ

What is dotfiles?
A personal macOS dotfiles repo that automates setting up a new Mac with Homebrew apps, shell config, and Git/SSH settings. This is a personal dotfiles repository for macOS. Its goal is to take the manual work out of setting up a new Mac: a single script, fresh.sh, installs the apps listed in a Brewfile through Homebrew, links versioned shell, Git and SSH configuration into the home directory, and restores the author's preferred Oh My Zsh setup.
Is dotfiles free to use? What license does it have?
dotfiles is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is dotfiles still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to dotfiles was on Nov 3, 2026.
What can I use dotfiles for?
Setting up a new macOS machine quickly with the same apps and shell config. Using this repo as a template for building your own macOS dotfiles. Keeping Git and SSH configuration consistent across multiple Macs.
How do I install dotfiles?
Set up an SSH key (run the official install script from the README, or use 1Password's SSH agent) Clone the repo to ~/.dotfiles: git clone git@github.com:driesvints/dotfiles.git ~/.dotfiles Run the installation script: cd ~/.dotfiles && ./fresh.sh
Where can I get dotfiles?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/driesvints/dotfiles

Summary generated by AI from the project's README. GitHub stats refresh daily.

Related projects