Chezmoi Workflows

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Backing up dotfiles to Git repository

• Syncing configuration files across machines

• Tracking changes to shell configs, editor settings, or other dotfiles

• Managing templated configurations with chezmoi

• Troubleshooting dotfile drift between source and target

Architecture

Component Location Purpose

Source $(chezmoi source-path)

Git repository with dotfile templates

Target ~/

Home directory (deployed files)

Remote GitHub (private recommended) Cross-machine sync and backup

Config ~/.config/chezmoi/chezmoi.toml

User preferences and settings

1. Status Check

chezmoi source-path # Show source directory chezmoi git -- remote -v # Show GitHub remote chezmoi status # Show drift between source and target chezmoi managed | wc -l # Count tracked files

2. Track File Changes

After editing a config file, add it to chezmoi:

chezmoi status # 1. Verify file shows as modified chezmoi diff ~/.zshrc # 2. Review changes chezmoi add ~/.zshrc # 3. Add to source (auto-commits if configured) chezmoi git -- log -1 --oneline # 4. Verify commit created chezmoi git -- push # 5. Push to remote

3. Track New File

Add a previously untracked config file:

chezmoi add ~/.config/app/config.toml # 1. Add file to source chezmoi managed | grep app # 2. Verify in managed list chezmoi git -- push # 3. Push to remote

4. Sync from Remote

Pull changes from GitHub and apply to home directory:

chezmoi update # 1. Pull + apply (single command) chezmoi verify # 2. Verify all files match source chezmoi status # 3. Confirm no drift

5. Push All Changes

Bulk sync all modified tracked files to remote:

chezmoi status # 1. Review all drift chezmoi re-add # 2. Re-add all managed files (auto-commits) chezmoi git -- push # 3. Push to remote

6. First-Time Setup

Install chezmoi

brew install chezmoi # macOS

Initialize (fresh start)

/usr/bin/env bash << 'CONFIG_EOF' chezmoi init # Create empty source chezmoi add ~/.zshrc ~/.gitconfig # Add first files gh repo create dotfiles --private --source="$(chezmoi source-path)" --push CONFIG_EOF

Initialize (clone existing)

chezmoi init git@github.com:<user>/dotfiles.git chezmoi apply # Deploy to home directory

7. Configure Source Directory

Move source to custom location (e.g., for multi-account SSH):

/usr/bin/env bash << 'SKILL_SCRIPT_EOF' mv "$(chezmoi source-path)" ~/path/to/dotfiles SKILL_SCRIPT_EOF

Edit ~/.config/chezmoi/chezmoi.toml :

sourceDir = "~/path/to/dotfiles"

Verify:

chezmoi source-path # Should show new location

8. Change Remote

Switch to different GitHub account or repository:

chezmoi git -- remote -v # View current chezmoi git -- remote set-url origin git@github.com:<user>/<repo>.git # Change chezmoi git -- push -u origin main # Push to new remote

9. Resolve Merge Conflicts

/usr/bin/env bash << 'GIT_EOF' chezmoi git -- status # 1. Identify conflicted files chezmoi git -- diff # 2. Review conflicts

Manually edit files in $(chezmoi source-path)

chezmoi git -- add <resolved-files> # 3. Stage resolved files chezmoi git -- commit -m "Resolve merge conflict" chezmoi apply # 4. Apply to home directory chezmoi git -- push # 5. Push resolution GIT_EOF

10. Validation (SLO)

After major operations, verify system state:

chezmoi verify # Exit 0 = all files match source chezmoi diff # Empty = no drift chezmoi managed # Lists all tracked files chezmoi git -- log --oneline -3 # Recent commit history

11. Forget (Untrack) a File

Stop tracking a file without deleting it from home directory:

chezmoi managed | grep config.local # 1. Confirm file is tracked chezmoi forget --force ~/.config/app/config.local.toml # 2. Remove from source (--force skips TTY prompt) chezmoi git -- push # 3. Push removal to remote ls ~/.config/app/config.local.toml # 4. Verify file still exists in home

When to use: Machine-specific configs, files with secrets that shouldn't be synced, files accidentally added.

12. Template Management

Create OS/architecture-conditional configs using Go templates:

Convert existing file to template

chezmoi add --template ~/.config/app/config.toml # 1. Add as template (creates .tmpl suffix in source) chezmoi edit ~/.config/app/config.toml # 2. Edit template in $EDITOR (helix) chezmoi diff ~/.config/app/config.toml # 3. Preview what would change chezmoi apply ~/.config/app/config.toml # 4. Apply rendered template to home

Common template patterns

OS-conditional block

{{ if eq .chezmoi.os "darwin" -}} export HOMEBREW_PREFIX="/opt/homebrew" {{ else if eq .chezmoi.os "linux" -}} export HOMEBREW_PREFIX="/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew" {{ end -}}

Architecture-conditional

{{ if eq .chezmoi.arch "arm64" -}} ARCH="aarch64" {{ else -}} ARCH="x86_64" {{ end -}}

Custom data from chezmoi.toml [data] section

git_name = "{{ .git.name }}" git_email = "{{ .git.email }}"

1Password secret (requires op CLI)

api_key = {{ onepasswordRead "op://Vault/Item/Field" }}

Verify template renders correctly

chezmoi execute-template < "$(chezmoi source-path)/dot_config/app/config.toml.tmpl" chezmoi cat ~/.config/app/config.toml # Show rendered output without applying

13. Safe Update (Diff Before Apply)

Pull from remote with review step — safer than blind chezmoi update :

chezmoi git -- pull # 1. Pull source changes only (no apply) chezmoi diff # 2. Review what WOULD change in home directory chezmoi apply --dry-run --verbose # 3. Dry run — shows actions without executing chezmoi apply # 4. Apply after review chezmoi status # 5. Confirm clean state

When to use: When pulling changes made on another machine, or after a long gap between syncs. Avoids surprise overwrites of local edits.

14. Doctor (Diagnostic)

Troubleshoot chezmoi setup and environment:

chezmoi doctor # Full diagnostic — checks all components

Key fields to verify:

Check Expected Meaning if failing

config-file found ~/.config/chezmoi/chezmoi.toml

Config missing or wrong path

source-dir ~/own/dotfiles is a git working tree (clean)

Source dirty or not a git repo

git-command found /opt/homebrew/bin/git

Git not installed

edit-command found /opt/homebrew/bin/hx

Editor not configured

1password found /opt/homebrew/bin/op

1Password CLI needed for templates

age/gpg info = optional Only needed for encrypted files

chezmoi doctor | grep -v "^ok" # Show only warnings and errors

Reference

• Setup Guide - Installation, multi-account GitHub, migration

• Prompt Patterns - Detailed workflow examples

• Configuration - chezmoi.toml settings, templates

• Secret Detection - Handling detected secrets

Chezmoi docs: https://www.chezmoi.io/reference/

Troubleshooting

Issue Cause Solution

chezmoi not found Not installed Install via brew install chezmoi

Source path empty Not initialized Run chezmoi init

Git remote not set Missing GitHub repo Run chezmoi git -- remote add origin URL

Apply fails Template error Check template syntax with chezmoi diff

Merge conflicts Diverged source and target Use chezmoi merge to resolve

Secrets detected Plain text credentials Use chezmoi templates with 1Password/Doppler

forget needs TTY Interactive confirmation Use chezmoi forget --force <path>

Template not found Missing .tmpl suffix Use chezmoi add --template to create .tmpl