dotman-git 1.0.1

Dotfile manager with git-powered branching

dot-man

Dotfile manager with git-powered branching

Features • Installation • Quick Start • Commands • Configuration

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Overview

dot-man manages your dotfiles across multiple machines using git branches. Each branch represents a different configuration (work, personal, minimal, server).

# Switch between configurations instantly
dot-man navigate work      # Deploy work setup
dot-man navigate personal  # Deploy personal setup

# Audit for secrets before pushing
dot-man audit --strict

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Features

• 📦 PyPI ready - Install with pip install dotman-git
• 🌿 Git-powered branching - Each config is a branch, easy to sync
• 🔐 Secret detection - Automatically redacts API keys, passwords, tokens
• 🔒 Encryption - Encrypt/decrypt sensitive files with GPG or AGE
• 🔄 Save & deploy - One command to save current state and switch configs
• ☁️ Remote sync - Push/pull dotfiles across machines with dot-man sync
• ⚡ Pre/Post hooks - Run commands before/after deploying (e.g., reload config)
• 📝 Edit in place - Opens your $EDITOR for quick changes
• 🛡️ Dry-run mode - Preview changes before making them
• 🐚 Shell completions - Auto-installed for Bash, Zsh, and Fish
• 🏷️ Tags - Tag commits for fast navigation
• 📜 History & Diff - View commit history, compare branches, restore files
• 🎨 Rich diff - Syntax-highlighted colored diffs
• 🔄 Global hooks - System-wide hooks for any dot-man command
• 🔀 Auto-detect hooks - Automatically reload configs when switching branches
• 🌍 Import - Import from git repos, chezmoi, yadm, or GNU Stow
• 📤 Export - Export to tar, zip, or JSON
• 🔍 Discover - Auto-detect existing dotfiles (30+ locations)
• 📦 Universal merge - Manage shared content across branches with markers
• 🌐 YAML support - Config files in TOML or YAML format

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Current Status

Metric	Value
Version	1.0.0 (Production)
Test Coverage	61%
Commands	30+
Python	3.9+

What's New in 1.0.0

• PyPI Ready - Install with pip install dotman-git
• Auto shell completions - Automatically installed on first run
• dot-man init --import - Import from existing git repositories
• dot-man navigate - Unified command replacing switch and checkout
• dot-man import - Import from other dotfile managers:
  • dot-man import chezmoi / dot-man import yadm / dot-man import stow
  • dot-man import all - Auto-detect and import
• dot-man export - Export to portable formats:
  • dot-man export tar backup.tar.gz
  • dot-man export zip dots.zip
  • dot-man export json manifest.json
• dot-man discover - Auto-detect existing dotfiles (30+ locations)
• dot-man encrypt - Encrypt/decrypt sensitive files (GPG/AGE)
• dot-man diff --rich - Syntax-highlighted diffs with colors

Deprecated (use navigate instead)

• switch → dot-man navigate <branch>
• checkout → dot-man navigate <commit>

v1.0.0 Release ✅

• Test Coverage: 61%
• PyPI: Published as dotman-git
• Shell completions: Auto-installed for Bash, Zsh, Fish

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Installation

From PyPI (Recommended)

pip install dotman-git

This automatically installs shell completions for Bash, Zsh, and Fish.

With pipx

pipx install dotman-git

From Source

git clone https://github.com/BeshoyEhab/dot-man.git
cd dot-man
pip install .

Uninstall

pip uninstall dotman-git

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Quick Start

1. Initialize

dot-man init

Creates ~/.config/dot-man/ with a git repository.

2. Add your dotfiles

dot-man add ~/.bashrc
dot-man add ~/.zshrc
dot-man add ~/.config/nvim

3. Save your configuration

dot-man navigate main

This copies your dotfiles to the repository and commits them.

4. Create different configurations

Create a work configuration:

dot-man navigate work  # Creates 'work' branch with current files

Modify files, then switch back:

dot-man navigate main  # Saves work, deploys main

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How Navigation Works

The navigate Command

dot-man navigate is your main command for switching between configurations.

# Switch branches
dot-man navigate work           # Switch to 'work' branch
dot-man navigate personal       # Switch to 'personal' branch

# Preview before switching (recommended!)
dot-man navigate work --preview        # See what changes
dot-man navigate work --preview --diff # See full diff

# Switch to specific point in history
dot-man navigate v1.0          # Go to tag
dot-man navigate abc1234        # Go to commit (detached HEAD)

# Branch at tag
dot-man navigate work@v1.0      # Switch to work branch at tag v1.0

Branch vs Commit: What's the Difference?

Type	Purpose	Changes Saved?
Branch (e.g., main, work)	Your full configuration	Yes - auto-saved when you switch
Tag (e.g., v1.0)	Snapshot in time	No - just marks a point
Commit (e.g., abc1234)	Specific state	No - viewing only (detached HEAD)

⚠️ Deprecated Commands

Old Command	Use Instead	Why
switch	navigate	Unified command with preview
checkout	navigate	Same functionality

Run these commands and they'll show deprecation warnings. Use navigate instead.

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Commands

Core Commands

Command	Description
dot-man init	Initialize repository at ~/.config/dot-man/
dot-man status	Show tracked files and their status
dot-man navigate <target>	Navigate to branch, tag, or commit (unified)
dot-man switch <target>	Switch to branch, tag, or commit (legacy)
dot-man edit	Open dot-man.toml in your editor
dot-man deploy <branch>	One-way deploy (for new machines)
dot-man audit	Scan repository for secrets
dot-man log	Show commit history with optional diffs
dot-man checkout <target>	Checkout a specific commit or tag (detached)
dot-man diff	Show changes between branches or files
dot-man revert <file>	Revert file to repository version
dot-man revert <file> -c <sha>	Restore file from specific commit
dot-man template	Manage template variables
dot-man profile	Manage machine-specific profiles
`dot-man hooks list	create
dot-man discover	Auto-detect existing dotfiles
dot-man import <source>	Import from chezmoi, yadm, or stow
dot-man export <format>	Export to tar, zip, or json
dot-man encrypt	Encrypt/decrypt sensitive files

Navigate Command

The navigate command supports multiple target types:

dot-man navigate work              # Navigate to branch
dot-man navigate work@tag          # Navigate to branch at tag position
dot-man navigate abc1234          # Navigate to specific commit
dot-man navigate my-tag           # Navigate to tag

# Override default save behavior
dot-man navigate work --save       # Force save current changes
dot-man navigate work --no-save    # Force discard current changes
dot-man navigate --save work       # Flexible argument order

Set a default behavior preference:

dot-man config set navigate.default_behavior no-save

Navigate Command (Unified)

The navigate command is the unified way to switch between branches, tags, and commits with preview capabilities:

# Basic navigation
dot-man navigate work              # Switch to branch
dot-man navigate work@tag         # Switch to branch at tag position
dot-man navigate abc1234          # Switch to specific commit
dot-man navigate my-tag           # Switch to tag

# Preview changes before switching
dot-man navigate work --preview              # Preview diff
dot-man navigate work --preview --diff       # Show full diff
dot-man navigate work --preview --files-only  # Only commits with file changes

# Override default save behavior
dot-man navigate work --save                  # Force save current changes
dot-man navigate work --no-save               # Force discard current changes

Hooks

Hooks allow you to run custom scripts before or after commands:

# List available hooks
dot-man hooks list

# Create a hook (creates ~/.config/dot-man/hooks/pre_switch)
dot-man hooks create pre switch

# Create a post-deploy hook
dot-man hooks create post deploy

# Delete a hook
dot-man hooks delete pre checkout

Hook scripts have environment variables available:

• DOTMAN_HOOK_COMMAND - The command being run (switch, checkout, deploy, etc.)
• DOTMAN_HOOK_PHASE - "pre" or "post"
• DOTMAN_SOURCE - Source branch/commit (for switch)
• DOTMAN_TARGET - Target branch/commit

Remote & Sync

Command	Description
dot-man sync	Push/pull dotfiles with remote repository
dot-man remote set <url>	Set remote repository URL
dot-man remote get	Show current remote URL
dot-man remote sync-branch	Sync local/remote branch names (main vs master)
dot-man setup	Guided setup for GitHub remote (supports gh)

Branch Management

Command	Description
dot-man branch list	List all configuration branches
dot-man branch delete <name>	Delete a branch (prompts if unmerged)

Tags

Tags allow you to mark specific commits for fast navigation:

Command	Description
dot-man tag list	List all tags
dot-man tag create <name>	Create tag at current commit
dot-man tag create <name> <sha>	Create tag at specific commit
dot-man tag delete <name>	Delete a tag
dot-man tag switch <name>	Switch to tag (checkout tag)

Diff & History

Compare changes and restore from history:

# Show uncommitted changes
dot-man diff

# Compare current branch with main
dot-man diff --branch main

# Show changes for a specific file
dot-man diff ~/.bashrc

# Show staged changes
dot-man diff --staged

# Show last 20 commits with diffs
dot-man log --diff -n 20

# Restore file from specific commit
dot-man revert ~/.bashrc -c abc1234

# View commit history for a file
dot-man log -- path/to/file

Profile Variables

Profiles allow different machine-specific configurations:

# Create a profile
dot-man profile create work-laptop -h laptop -h work-laptop -i minimal

# Set the branch for a profile
dot-man profile set-branch work-laptop work-main

# Auto-detect profile by hostname
dot-man profile detect

# Switch to a profile
dot-man profile switch work-laptop

Profile inheritance: Profiles can inherit from another profile.

Utilities

Command	Description
dot-man repo	Print repository path for direct access
dot-man shell	Open a shell in the repository directory
dot-man verify	Validate repository integrity
dot-man doctor	Run diagnostics and health checks

Options

dot-man navigate work --dry-run   # Preview without changes
dot-man navigate work --force     # Skip confirmation
dot-man navigate work --save      # Save current changes before switching
dot-man navigate work --no-save   # Discard current changes
dot-man sync --push-only        # Only push, don't pull
dot-man sync --pull-only        # Only pull, don't push
dot-man audit --strict          # Exit with error if secrets found
dot-man audit --fix             # Auto-redact detected secrets
dot-man status --secrets        # Highlight files with secrets
dot-man diff --rich/--no-rich    # Enable/disable rich diff colors (default: on)
dot-man discover --add          # Auto-add detected configs to dot-man.toml
dot-man import chezmoi --dry-run # Preview what would be imported
dot-man export tar backup.tar.gz # Export to tar archive
dot-man encrypt status           # Show encryption status

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Configuration

Supported Formats

dot-man supports both TOML and YAML configuration formats:

• TOML: dot-man.toml (default)
• YAML: dot-man.yaml or dot-man.yml

Example: TOML format

Located at ~/.config/dot-man/repo/dot-man.toml:

# Global defaults (applied to all sections)
[defaults]
secrets_filter = true
update_strategy = "replace"

# Individual file sections
[bashrc]
paths = ["~/.bashrc"]

[nvim]
paths = ["~/.config/nvim"]
update_strategy = "rename_old"

[ssh-config]
paths = ["~/.ssh/config"]
secrets_filter = true

Example: YAML format

Located at ~/.config/dot-man/repo/dot-man.yaml:

defaults:
  secrets_filter: true
  update_strategy: replace

bashrc:
  paths:
    - ~/.bashrc

nvim:
  paths:
    - ~/.config/nvim
  update_strategy: rename_old

ssh-config:
  paths:
    - ~/.ssh/config
  secrets_filter: true

Global Configuration

Global settings are stored in ~/.config/dot-man/global.toml. Use dot-man config to manage them:

# View current settings
dot-man config list

# Set switch default behavior (save or no-save)
dot-man config set switch.default_behavior no-save

Setting	Values	Description
switch.default_behavior	save / no-save	Default for switch command

Options

Option	Values	Description
paths	list of paths	Paths to track (supports $HOME, $USER, etc.)
local_path	path	Path on your filesystem
repo_path	path	Path in the repository
secrets_filter	true/false	Redact secrets when saving
update_strategy	replace/rename_old/ignore	How to deploy files
pre_deploy	command string	Shell command to run before file is changed
post_deploy	command string	Shell command to run after file is changed

Environment Variables in Paths

Paths support environment variable expansion:

[work-files]
paths = ["$WORK_DIR/config", "~/$USER/.config/app"]

work-files:
  paths:
    - $WORK_DIR/config
    - ~/$USER/.config/app

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Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Q: I'm on a detached HEAD state. How do I get back?

# List your branches
dot-man branch list

# Return to a branch
dot-man navigate main

Q: How do I undo the last switch?

# Your previous work is saved as a commit
dot-man log

# Switch back to it
dot-man navigate <previous-branch>

Q: My changes aren't being saved when I switch

# Make sure you're using the save mode (default)
dot-man navigate work --save

# Or check if secrets are being redacted
dot-man status

Q: How do I see what changed in a branch?

# Preview changes before switching
dot-man navigate work --preview

# See full diff
dot-man navigate work --preview --diff

Q: What are the differences between branches?

# Compare two branches
dot-man diff --branch main

# Show only commits that changed tracked files
dot-man navigate main --preview --files-only

Getting Help

# See all commands
dot-man --help

# See specific command help
dot-man navigate --help
dot-man add --help

# Diagnose issues
dot-man doctor

# Check repository integrity
dot-man verify

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Secret Detection

dot-man detects and redacts common secrets:

Pattern	Severity	Example
Private Keys	CRITICAL	-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
AWS Keys	CRITICAL	AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE
GitHub Tokens	HIGH	ghp_xxxxxxxxxxxx
API Keys	HIGH	api_key=sk_live_xxxxx
Passwords	HIGH	password=mysecret

Run dot-man audit to scan your repository.

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Documentation

• Development Guide Manual - In-depth architecture and development guide
• Command Specifications - Detailed command behavior
• Security Specification - Secret detection patterns
• Development Roadmap - Version milestones
• Architecture Overview - High-level system structure

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Contributing

See DEVELOPMENT.md for setup and contribution guidelines.

# Setup development environment
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -e ".[dev]"

# Run tests
pytest tests/ -v

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License

MIT License - see LICENSE