dotfiles 🏠

Config for zsh, vim, tmux, and git. Optimized for jumping between projects and branches, using Claude Code and Vim. Works on macOS and Linux (Ubuntu).

Conventions

• Cross-platform: keep base.zsh universal, platform-specific code in mac.zsh/linux.zsh
• Git-centric: sessions, branches, and navigation derive from git context
• Short aliases, small composable functions that chain together
• Minimal UI: transparent backgrounds, no chrome
• Local overrides via .local files, never committed
• Self-bootstrapping: new machine setup should just be symlinks

Structure

zshrc                  # entry point — detects OS, sources platform + base
zsh/
  base.zsh             # cross-platform config (aliases, functions, prompt, tools)
  mac.zsh              # macOS-specific (Homebrew, NVM, etc.)
  linux.zsh            # Linux-specific (antidote, keychain, etc.)
zsh_plugins.txt        # antidote plugin list
zshrc.local.example    # template for machine-local overrides
tmux.conf
vimrc
kitty.conf
gitconfig
claude/settings.json   # symlinked to ~/.claude/settings.json

~/.zshrc.local is sourced automatically but never committed — use it for machine-local or sensitive config. See zshrc.local.example for a template.

Setup

mkdir -p ~/Projects ~/workspace ~/worktrees
git clone https://github.com/ncherro/dotfiles ~/Projects/dotfiles

macOS

brew install antidote fzf ripgrep zsh-git-prompt zsh-completions nvm gh tmux

# Symlink configs
ln -s ~/Projects/dotfiles/zshrc ~/.zshrc
ln -s ~/Projects/dotfiles/tmux.conf ~/.tmux.conf
ln -s ~/Projects/dotfiles/vimrc ~/.vimrc
mkdir -p ~/.config/kitty
ln -s ~/Projects/dotfiles/kitty.conf ~/.config/kitty/kitty.conf
mkdir -p ~/.claude
ln -s ~/Projects/dotfiles/claude/settings.json ~/.claude/settings.json

# Vim plugins
curl -fLo ~/.vim/autoload/plug.vim --create-dirs \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/junegunn/vim-plug/master/plug.vim

# Git
cp ~/Projects/dotfiles/gitconfig ~/.gitconfig

Open a new shell, launch vim and run :PlugInstall, then edit ~/.gitconfig to set your name and email.

Ubuntu

# Antidote (zsh plugin manager)
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/mattmc3/antidote.git ~/.antidote

sudo apt install zsh fzf ripgrep keychain gh tmux vim xclip

# Symlink configs
ln -s ~/Projects/dotfiles/zshrc ~/.zshrc
ln -s ~/Projects/dotfiles/tmux.conf ~/.tmux.conf
ln -s ~/Projects/dotfiles/vimrc ~/.vimrc
mkdir -p ~/.claude
ln -s ~/Projects/dotfiles/claude/settings.json ~/.claude/settings.json

# Vim plugins
curl -fLo ~/.vim/autoload/plug.vim --create-dirs \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/junegunn/vim-plug/master/plug.vim

# Git
cp ~/Projects/dotfiles/gitconfig ~/.gitconfig

Open a new shell, launch vim and run :PlugInstall, then edit ~/.gitconfig to set your name and email.

WSL only: sudo apt install wslu — needed for ghr/ghp to open URLs in the Windows browser.

Color schemes

Using One Dark via terminal / kitty color preferences.

Functions

Function	Description
gwt	Git worktree in ~/worktrees
gco	Git checkout with auto-prefix for new branches
ghr	Open the current repo in the browser
ghp	Open the current branch's PR in the browser
tls	List tmux sessions, highlighting ones running processes
tatt	Attach to a tmux session by fuzzy name match
tat	Attach or create a tmux session named after the repo/branch
tks	Kill all tmux sessions
cd.	cd to the git repo root
ws	cd into ~/workspace
wt	cd into ~/worktrees