Dotfiles

Babashka-based dotfile manager. Installs packages and symlinks config files via a declarative manifest.

Philosophy

• A folder for each application
• Loose coupling between applications
• Be declarative
• Use the application's native config files
• Split config into multiple files where possible
• Comment liberally
• Use application defaults most of the time

Setup

1. Create macOS account and sign into Mac App Store (so mas works)
2. Clone this repo to ~/dotfiles
3. Install prerequisites: Homebrew, then brew install borkdude/brew/babashka git-crypt
4. Unlock secrets: git-crypt unlock (requires GPG key)
5. Run ~/dotfiles/cfg/bin/bin/bootstrap

Usage

bootstrap              # Run all actions
bootstrap :pkg/brew    # Only brew packages
bootstrap :fs/symlink  # Only symlinks
bootstrap --dry-run    # Preview without executing

Structure

├── manifest.edn        # Main manifest
├── secrets.edn         # Encrypted secrets (git-crypt)
├── bb.edn              # Babashka config
├── src/                # Installer code
└── cfg/                # Dotfile configs
    └── <app>/
        ├── manifest.edn    # Package/symlink definitions
        └── .config/    # Actual config files to symlink

Manifest

manifest.edn has a :plan key containing entries to process:

{:plan [:ghostty                           ; keyword -> cfg/ghostty/manifest.edn
        "cfg/custom/config.edn"            ; string -> explicit path
        {:pkg/brew {:ripgrep {}}}]}        ; map -> inline actions

Actions

Package Managers

Action	Description	Options
:pkg/brew	Homebrew packages	:head, :cask
:pkg/mise	mise version manager	:version (required), :global
:pkg/mas	Mac App Store	{app-name app-id}
:pkg/bbin	Babashka binaries	:url, :local, :as, :git/tag, :git/sha, :main-opts
:pkg/npm	npm global packages	-
:pkg/script	Run shell scripts	:path or :src

{:pkg/brew {:ripgrep {}
            :neovim {:head true}
            :rectangle {:cask true}}
 :pkg/mise {:node {:version "22" :global true}}
 :pkg/mas {"Tailscale" 1475387142}
 :pkg/bbin {:neil {:url "https://github.com/babashka/neil"}}}

Filesystem

Action	Description
:fs/symlink	Symlink individual files
:fs/symlink-folder	Symlink all files in a folder recursively

{:fs/symlink {"~/.gitconfig" "./gitconfig"}
 :fs/symlink-folder {"~/.config/nvim" "./.config/nvim"}}

macOS

Action	Description	Options
:osx/defaults	macOS defaults	:domain, :settings or :key/:value
:brew/service	Homebrew services	:restart, :sudo

{:osx/defaults {:dock {:domain "com.apple.dock"
                       :settings {:autohide true
                                  :tilesize 48}}}
 :brew/service {:postgresql {:restart true}}}

Claude Code

Action	Description	Options
:claude/marketplace	Add plugin marketplaces	:source
:claude/plugin	Install plugins	-
:claude/mcp	Add MCP servers	:command, :args, :env, :scope

{:claude/marketplace {:my-marketplace {:source "user/repo"}}
 :claude/plugin {:some-plugin {}}
 :claude/mcp {:my-server {:command "npx"
                          :args ["-y" "some-mcp-server"]
                          :env {:API_KEY #secret :my-api-key}}}}

Dependencies

Actions can declare dependencies using :dep/provides and :dep/requires:

;; In bootstrap: mise installation provides :pkg/mise capability
{:pkg/brew {:mise {:dep/provides #{:pkg/mise}}}}

;; Later: node installation requires mise to be installed first
{:pkg/mise {:node {:version "22"
                   :dep/requires #{:pkg/mise}}}}

;; Depend on a specific action (not just capability)
{:claude/mcp {:my-server {:dep/requires #{[:pkg/brew :claude-code]
                                          [:pkg/mise :node]}}}}

Actions are executed in topological order based on dependencies.

Secrets

Sensitive values live in secrets.edn (encrypted with git-crypt):

;; secrets.edn
{:github-token "ghp_xxx"
 :api-key "sk-xxx"}

Reference secrets in config with the #secret reader tag:

{:claude/mcp {:server {:env {:API_KEY #secret :api-key}}}}

To disable a secret without removing it:

{:api-key :secret/disabled}

Tools

The tools/ directory contains local Babashka tools installed via bbin:

Tool	Description
hello	Template/example tool

Tools are installed with :local in manifest.edn:

{:pkg/bbin {:hello {:local "./tools/hello"}}}

Creating a new tool

1. Copy tools/hello to tools/mytool
2. Rename namespace in src/hello/main.clj to mytool.main
3. Update bb.edn with the new main namespace
4. Add to manifest: {:pkg/bbin {:mytool {:local "./tools/mytool"}}}
5. Run bootstrap :pkg/bbin

Updating after config change

bootstrap