Chezmoi Workflows

Self-Evolving Skill: This skill improves through use. If instructions are wrong, parameters drifted, or a workaround was needed — fix this file immediately, don't defer. Only update for real, reproducible issues.

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

Post-Execution Reflection

After this skill completes, check before closing:

1. Did the command succeed? — If not, fix the instruction or error table that caused the failure.
2. Did parameters or output change? — If the underlying tool's interface drifted, update Usage examples and Parameters table to match.
3. Was a workaround needed? — If you had to improvise (different flags, extra steps), update this SKILL.md so the next invocation doesn't need the same workaround.

Only update if the issue is real and reproducible — not speculative.