dotfiles

Dotfiles are configuration files that typically start with a . (dot) for Unix-type systems such as: MacOS, Linux, BSD, Docker containers, Windows/WSL, Windows Unix-emulators such as cygwin or GitBash.

Since dotfiles start with a ., they are sometimes hidden and not shown. Make sure to enable showing hidden files on your system.

Dotfiles define settings of the environment (e.g. environment variables such as PATH to find commands or CLASSPATH to run Java programs). They apply to specific applications, services and tools.

 

Dotfiles are grouped into:

• system-wide files that apply to the system/machine and all users. They are stored in folders associated with the system or application installations.

  For example: the system-wide (global) settings.json file for the VS Code IDE resides in "C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Code\User" on Windows.

• user dotfiles apply to a user account and reside in the user's HOME-directory.

  Examples of dotfiles in the HOME directory are:

  • .profile: with commands executed when a new terminal is opened.

  • .bashrc: with commands when a new bash shell starts (command interpreter), e.g. when a new terminal is opened or bash command is invoked.

  • .zshrc: with commands when zsh shell starts (command interpreter for MacOS).

  • .gitconfig: with user settings for git.

  • .vimrc: settings for the vi editor.

  • .ssh: directory with PKI keys (e.g. id_rsa.pub and id_rsa public, private keys pairs).

• project dotfiles reside in a project directory and are associated with the project.

  Examples of project dotfiles are:

  • .vscode: directory with configuration files for the VS Code IDE.

  • .project, .classpath: project configurations for eclipse and VS Code IDE.

  • .git/config: project git settings

 

Read short article "Dotfiles – What is a Dotfile and How to Create it in Mac and Linux" and answer questions:

1. What is the PATH environment variable?

2. Where and how is the PATH environment defined or adjusted?

3. What is prompt customization?

4. What are aliases and functions and where are they defined?

5. What does -> mean in:

   lrwxrwxrwx 1  15 Apr 7 11:11 .profile -> .dotfiles/profile.sh

6. How is it created?

 

Checkout GitHub's currated collection of awesome-dotfiles.