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fullstackjam merged 1 commit into from
Jun 2, 2026
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docs: update dotfiles linking to reflect Makefile-first priority #12

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31 changes: 27 additions & 4 deletions src/docs/dotfiles-shell.md
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
---
title: Dotfiles & Shell
description: Automatic Oh-My-Zsh setup, dotfiles linking with GNU Stow, and developer-friendly macOS preferences.
description: Automatic Oh-My-Zsh setup, dotfiles linking via Makefile or GNU Stow, and developer-friendly macOS preferences.
group: Features
order: 6
---
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -39,7 +39,19 @@ If you keep your config files in a Git repo (`.zshrc`, `.gitconfig`, `.vimrc`, e

1. Set a **dotfiles repo URL** in your config (via the dashboard or config JSON)
2. During install, OpenBoot clones the repo to `~/.dotfiles`
3. Files are symlinked into your home directory using [GNU Stow](https://www.gnu.org/software/stow/)
3. Files are symlinked into your home directory — OpenBoot detects the linking method automatically

### Linking Methods

OpenBoot tries three methods in order, using the first one that applies:

| Priority | Condition | What happens |
|----------|-----------|-------------|
| 1 | `Makefile` with an `install:` target | Runs `make install` in `~/.dotfiles` |
| 2 | Top-level subdirectories (stow packages) | Links each package with [GNU Stow](https://www.gnu.org/software/stow/) |
| 3 | Flat file structure | Symlinks files directly into `$HOME` |

This lets your dotfiles repo own its own deployment logic — directory pre-creation, custom stow flags, or any other setup — without requiring OpenBoot to know repo-specific details.

### Dotfiles Modes

Expand All @@ -48,7 +60,7 @@ Control how OpenBoot handles dotfiles with the `--dotfiles` flag:
| Mode | What it does |
|------|-------------|
| `clone` | Clone the repo to `~/.dotfiles` |
| `link` | Clone and symlink with `stow` |
| `link` | Clone and link using the detected method above |
| `skip` | Don't touch dotfiles |

```
Expand All @@ -58,7 +70,18 @@ openboot install --dotfiles skip

### Setting Up Your Dotfiles Repo

Don't have a dotfiles repo yet? Here's the minimum structure that works with `stow`:
**Option A — Makefile (recommended for custom setups)**

Add a `Makefile` with an `install:` target. OpenBoot runs `make install`, so your repo controls everything:

```makefile
install:
stow -v --target="$(HOME)" git zsh vim
```

**Option B — Stow packages**

Structure your repo so each top-level directory is a stow package. OpenBoot calls `stow` on each one automatically:

```
~/.dotfiles/
Expand Down
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