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# Automate Your Mac Setup: A Developer’s Guide
Setting up a new Mac for development can be tedious. Installing tools, configuring the shell, and tweaking settings by hand often takes hours and can vary between machines. After years of doing this manually across multiple devices, I created an automated setup to handle it more efficiently. This post outlines a tool that cuts Mac setup time to about an hour. It’s something I’ve used myself and shared with others, like when I set up my son’s Mac mini. You can find it on GitHub at ravishan16/dotFile. Feel free to try it, tweak it, or suggest improvements. Why Automate? Manual setups have drawbacks. Automation offers a few clear advantages: Saves Time: Drops setup from several hours to roughly one by handling repetitive tasks. Keeps Things Consistent: Applies the same configuration every time, avoiding differences between machines. Simplifies Replication: Makes it easy to set up new devices or assist someone else. Tracks Changes: Uses Git to manage your environment, so you can see or undo modifications. Speeds Recovery: Re-runs quickly if you reset your system. Teaches Skills: Shows how shell scripting and configuration work if you dig into the code. These points come from real experience, not hypotheticals. What’s in the Setup? The repository (ravishan16/dotFile) includes scripts and files to automate a developer environment on macOS. Here’s what it covers: Installation Scripts (scripts/): Homebrew: Manages CLI tools and GUI apps. CLI Tools: Adds git, node, ripgrep, and more (check 02_install_brew_core.sh). GUI Apps: Installs VS Code, iTerm2, Docker, Raycast, etc. (see 06_install_apps_cask.sh). Shell Setup: Installs Zsh with Oh My Zsh and plugins like zsh-autosuggestions, zsh-syntax-highlighting, and autojump for a better terminal. Python: Sets up Miniconda for isolated Python environments. Git & SSH: Configures Git and creates SSH keys for GitHub access. Dotfiles (dot/): Includes .zshrc, .aliases, .gitignore_global, and others. Symlinks these to your home directory so updates in the repo apply instantly. Docs (docs/): Offers guides on Homebrew, Zsh, Git, Conda, Docker, and macOS shortcuts. It’s a straightforward package to get a working dev setup with minimal effort. Guides Included To help you get the most out of the setup and the tools installed, the repository includes these guides: Guide Title Description dotFile: Installing Your Automated macOS Setup Step-by-step guide to set up your macOS environment with automation. Managing Software with Homebrew
Setting up a new Mac for development can be tedious. Installing tools, configuring the shell, and tweaking settings by hand often takes hours and can vary between machines. After years of doing this manually across multiple devices, I created an automated setup to handle it more efficiently.
This post outlines a tool that cuts Mac setup time to about an hour. It’s something I’ve used myself and shared with others, like when I set up my son’s Mac mini. You can find it on GitHub at ravishan16/dotFile. Feel free to try it, tweak it, or suggest improvements.
Why Automate?
Manual setups have drawbacks. Automation offers a few clear advantages:
- Saves Time: Drops setup from several hours to roughly one by handling repetitive tasks.
- Keeps Things Consistent: Applies the same configuration every time, avoiding differences between machines.
- Simplifies Replication: Makes it easy to set up new devices or assist someone else.
- Tracks Changes: Uses Git to manage your environment, so you can see or undo modifications.
- Speeds Recovery: Re-runs quickly if you reset your system.
- Teaches Skills: Shows how shell scripting and configuration work if you dig into the code.
These points come from real experience, not hypotheticals.
What’s in the Setup?
The repository (ravishan16/dotFile) includes scripts and files to automate a developer environment on macOS. Here’s what it covers:
-
Installation Scripts (scripts/):- Homebrew: Manages CLI tools and GUI apps.
-
CLI Tools: Adds
git,node,ripgrep, and more (check02_install_brew_core.sh). -
GUI Apps: Installs VS Code, iTerm2, Docker, Raycast, etc. (see
06_install_apps_cask.sh). -
Shell Setup: Installs Zsh with Oh My Zsh and plugins like
zsh-autosuggestions,zsh-syntax-highlighting, andautojumpfor a better terminal. - Python: Sets up Miniconda for isolated Python environments.
- Git & SSH: Configures Git and creates SSH keys for GitHub access.
-
Dotfiles (dot/):- Includes
.zshrc,.aliases,.gitignore_global, and others. - Symlinks these to your home directory so updates in the repo apply instantly.
- Includes
-
Docs (docs/):- Offers guides on Homebrew, Zsh, Git, Conda, Docker, and macOS shortcuts.
It’s a straightforward package to get a working dev setup with minimal effort.
Guides Included
To help you get the most out of the setup and the tools installed, the repository includes these guides:
| Guide Title | Description |
|---|---|
| dotFile: Installing Your Automated macOS Setup | Step-by-step guide to set up your macOS environment with automation. |
| Managing Software with Homebrew
|
