X-Git-Url: https://git.madduck.net/code/vcsh.git/blobdiff_plain/4e39f4417b0dfd04020ee63be37040ed114727c8..dee87ae899b1d44640a42f2b85027242a0744704:/README.md diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 41997d5..e0a1c58 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,31 +1,43 @@ -vcsh - manage config files in $HOME via fake bare git repositories +vcsh - Version Control System for $HOME - multiple Git repositories in $HOME -# Index # -1. Contact -2. Introduction -3. Overview -4. Getting Started -5. Usage +# Index -# 1 Contact # +1. [30 Second How-to](#30-second-how-to) +2. [Introduction](#introduction) +3. [Contact](#contact) -There are several ways to get in touch with the author and a small but committed -community around the general idea of version controlling your (digital) life. -* IRC: #vcs-home on irc.oftc.net +# 30 Second How-to -* Mailing list: [http://lists.madduck.net/listinfo/vcs-home][vcs-home-list] +While it may appear that there's an overwhelming amount of documentation and +while the explanation of the concepts behind `vcsh` needs to touch a few gory +details of `git` internals, getting started with `vcsh` is extremely simple. -* Pull requests or issues on [https://github.com/RichiH/vcsh][vcsh] +Let's say you want to version control your `vim` configuration: + + vcsh init vim + vcsh vim add ~/.vimrc ~/.vim + vcsh vim commit -m 'Initial commit of my Vim configuration' + # optionally push your files to a remote + vcsh vim remote add origin + vcsh vim push -u origin master + # from now on you can push additional commits like this + vcsh vim push + +If all that looks a _lot_ like standard `git`, that's no coincidence; it's +a design feature. -# 2 Introduction # -[vcsh][vcsh] allows you to maintain several git repositories in one single +# Introduction + +[vcsh][vcsh] allows you to maintain several Git repositories in one single directory. They all maintain their working trees without clobbering each other -or interfering otherwise. By default, all git repositories maintained via -`vcsh` are stored in `$HOME` but you can override this setting if you want to. -All that means that you can have one repository per application or application +or interfering otherwise. By default, all Git repositories maintained via +`vcsh` store the actual files in `$HOME` but you can override this setting if +you want to. + +All this means that you can have one repository per application or application family, i.e. `zsh`, `vim`, `ssh`, etc. This, in turn, allows you to clone custom sets of configurations onto different machines or even for different users; picking and mixing which configurations you want to use where. @@ -33,357 +45,32 @@ For example, you may not need to have your `mplayer` configuration on a server or available to root and you may want to maintain different configuration for `ssh` on your personal and your work machines. -`vcsh` was designed with [mr][mr] in mind so you might want to install that, as -well. - -Read `INSTALL.md` and `PACKAGING` for instructions specific to your operating -system. +A lot of modern UNIX-based systems offer packages for `vcsh`. In case yours +does not read `INSTALL.md` for install instructions or `PACKAGING.md` to create +a package, yourself. If you do end up packaging `vcsh` please let us know so we +can give you your own packaging branch in the upstream repository. -The following overview will try to give you an idea of the use cases and -advantages of `vcsh`. See sections 3 and 4 for detailed instructions and -examples. - -## 2.1 Talks ## +## Talks Some people found it useful to look at slides and videos explaining how `vcsh` -works. -They can all be found [on the author's talk page][talks]. - -# 3 Overview - -## 3.1 Comparison to Other Solutions ## - -Most people who decide to put their dotfiles under version control start with a -single repository in $HOME, adding all their dotfiles (and possibly more) -to it. This works, of course, but can become a nuisance as soon as you try to -manage more than one host. - -The next logical step is to create single-purpose repositories in, for example, -~/.dotfiles and to create symbolic links in $HOME. This gives you the -flexibility to check out only certain repositories on different hosts. The -downsides of this approach are the necessary manual steps of cloning and -symlinking the individual repositories. It will probably become a nuisance when -you try to manage more than two hosts. - -vcsh takes this second approach one step further. It expects -single-purpose repositories and stores them in a hidden directory (similar -to ~/.dotfiles). However, it does not create symbolic links in $HOME; it puts -the actual files right into $HOME. - -Furthermore, by making use of [mr] [1], it makes it very easy to enable/disable -and clone a large number of repositories. The use of mr is technically optional -(see 4.3), but it will be an integral part of the proposed system that follows. - -## 3.2 Default Directory Layout ## - -To illustrate, this is what a possible directory structure looks like. - - $HOME - |-- $XDG_CONFIG_HOME (defaults to $HOME/.config) - | |-- mr - | | |-- available.d - | | | |-- zsh.vcsh - | | | |-- gitconfigs.vcsh - | | | |-- lftp.vcsh - | | | |-- offlineimap.vcsh - | | | |-- s3cmd.vcsh - | | | |-- tmux.vcsh - | | | |-- vim.vcsh - | | | |-- vimperator.vcsh - | | | `-- snippets.git - | | `-- config.d - | | |-- zsh.vcsh -> ../available.d/zsh.vcsh - | | |-- gitconfigs.vcsh -> ../available.d/gitconfigs.vcsh - | | |-- tmux.vcsh -> ../available.d/tmux.vcsh - | | `-- vim.vcsh -> ../available.d/vim.vcsh - | `-- vcsh - | |-- config - | `-- repo.d - | |-- zsh.git -----------+ - | |-- gitconfigs.git | - | |-- tmux.git | - | `-- vim.git | - |-- [...] | - |-- .zshrc <----------------------+ - |-- .gitignore.d - | `-- zsh - |-- .mrconfig - `-- .mrtrust - -### available.d ### - -The files you see in $XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/mr/available.d are mr configuration files -that contain the commands to manage (checkout, update etc.) a single -repository. vcsh repo configs end in .vcsh, git configs end in .git, etc. This -is optional and your preference. For example, this is what a zsh.vcsh -with read-only access to my zshrc repo looks likes. I.e. in this specific -example, push can not work as you will be using the author's repository. This -is for demonstration, only. Of course, you are more than welcome to clone from -this repository and fork your own. - - [$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vcsh/repo.d/zsh.git] - checkout = vcsh clone 'git://github.com/RichiH/zshrc.git' zsh - update = vcsh run zsh git pull - push = vcsh run zsh git push - status = vcsh run zsh git status - gc = vcsh run zsh git gc - -### config.d ### - -$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/mr/available.d contains *all available* repositories. Only -files/links present in mr/config.d, however, will be used by mr. That means -that in this example, only the zsh, gitconfigs, tmux and vim repositories will -be checked out. A simple `mr update` run in $HOME will clone or update those -four repositories listed in config.d. - -### ~/.mrconfig ### - -Finally, ~/.mrconfig will tie together all those single files which will allow -you to conveniently run `mr up` etc. to manage all repositories. It looks like -this: - - [DEFAULT] - jobs = 5 - # Use if your mr does not have vcsh support in mainline, yet - include = cat /usr/share/mr/vcsh - include = cat ${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/mr/config.d/* - -### repo.d ### - -$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/vcsh/repo.d is the directory where all git repositories which -are under vcsh's control are located. Since their working trees are configured -to be in $HOME, the files contained in those repositories will be put in $HOME -directly. -Of course, [mr] [1] will work with this layout if configured according to this -document (see above). - -vcsh will check if any file it would want to create exists. If it exists, vcsh -will throw a warning and exit. Move away your old config and try again. -Optionally, merge your local and your global configs afterwards and push with -`vcsh run foo git push`. - -## 3.3 Moving into a New Host ## - -To illustrate further, the following steps could move your desired -configuration to a new host. - -1. Clone the mr repository (containing available.d, config.d etc.); for - example: `vcsh clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh_mr_template.git mr` -2. Choose your repositories by linking them in config.d (or go with the default - you may have already configured by adding symlinks to git). -3. Make sure the line 'include = cat /usr/share/mr/vcsh' in .mrconfig points - to an existing file -4. Run mr to clone the repositories: `cd; mr update`. -5. Done. - -Hopefully the above could help explain how this approach saves time by - -1. making it easy to manage, clone and update a large number of repositories - (thanks to mr) and -2. making it unnecessary to create symbolic links in $HOME (thanks to vcsh). - -If you want to give vcsh a try, follow the instructions below. - -# 4 Getting Started # - -Below, you will find a few different methods for setting up vcsh: - -1. The Template Way -2. The Steal-from-Template Way -3. The Manual Way - -### 4.1 The Template Way ### - -#### 4.1.1 Prerequisites #### - -Make sure none of the following files and directories exist for your test -(user). If they do, move them away for now: - -* ~/.gitignore.d -* ~/.mrconfig -* $XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/mr/available.d/mr.vcsh -* $XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/mr/available.d/zsh.vcsh -* $XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/mr/config.d/mr.vcsh -* $XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/vcsh/repo.d/mr.git/ - -All of the files are part of the template repository, the directory is where -the template will be stored. - - apt-get install mr - -#### 4.1.2 Install vcsh #### - -#### 4.1.2.1 Debian #### - -If you are using Debian Squeeze, you will need to enable backports - - apt-get install vcsh +works instead of working through the docs. +All slides, videos, and further information can be found +[on the author's talk page][talks]. -#### 4.1.2.2 Arch Linux #### -vcsh is availabe via [AUR](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=54164) -and further documentation about the use of AUR is available -[on Arch's wiki](https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_User_Repository). +# Contact - cd /var/abs/local/ - wget https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/vc/vcsh-git/vcsh-git.tar.gz - tar xfz vcsh-git.tar.gz - cd vcsh-git - makepkg -s - pacman -U vcsh*.pkg.tar.xz - -#### 4.1.2.3 From source #### - -If your version of mr is older than version 1.07, make sure to put - - include = cat /usr/share/mr/vcsh - -into your .mrconfig . - - # choose a location for your checkout - cd $HOME - mkdir -p ~/work/git - git clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh.git - cd vcsh - ln -s vcsh /usr/local/bin # or add it to your PATH - cd - -#### 4.1.3 Clone the Template #### - - vcsh clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh_mr_template.git mr - -#### 4.1.4 Enable Your Test Repository #### - - mv ~/.zsh ~/zsh.bak - mv ~/.zshrc ~/zshrc.bak - cd $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/config.d/ - ln -s ../available.d/zsh.vcsh . # link, and thereby enable, the zsh repository - cd - mr up - -#### 4.1.5 Set Up Your Own Repositories #### - -Now, it's time to edit the template config and fill it with your own remotes: - - vim $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/available.d/mr.vcsh - vim $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/available.d/zsh.vcsh - -And then create your own stuff: - - vcsh init foo - vcsh run foo git add -f bar baz quux - vcsh run foo git remote add origin git://quuux - vcsh run foo git commit - vcsh run foo git push - - cp $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/available.d/mr.vcsh $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/available.d/foo.vcsh - vim $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/available.d/foo.vcsh # add your own repo - -Done! - -### 4.2 The Steal-from-Template Way ### - -You're welcome to clone the example repository: - - vcsh clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh_mr_template.git mr - # make sure 'include = cat /usr/share/mr/vcsh' points to an exiting file - vim .mrconfig - -Look around in the clone. It should be reasonably simple to understand. If not, -poke me, RichiH, on Freenode (query) or OFTC (#vcs-home). - - -### 4.3 The Manual Way ### - -This is how my old setup procedure looked like. Adapt it to your own style or -copy mine verbatim, either is fine. - - # Create workspace - mkdir -p ~/work/git - cd !$ - - # Clone vcsh and make it available - git clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh.git vcsh - sudo ln -s ~/work/git/vcsh/vcsh /usr/bin/local - hash -r - -Grab my mr config. see below for details on how I set this up - - vcsh clone ssh:///mr.git - cd $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/config.d/ - ln -s ../available.d/* . - - -mr is used to actually retrieve configs, etc - - ~ % cat ~/.mrconfig - [DEFAULT] - # adapt /usr/share/mr/vcsh to your system if needed - include = cat /usr/share/mr/vcsh - include = cat $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/config.d/* - ~ % echo $XDG_CONFIG_HOME - /home/richih/.config - ~ % ls $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/available.d # random selection of my repos - git-annex gitk.vcsh git.vcsh ikiwiki mr.vcsh reportbug.vcsh snippets.git wget.vcsh zsh.vcsh - ~ % - # then simply ln -s whatever you want on your local machine from - # $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/available.d to $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/config.d - ~ % cd - ~ % mr -j 5 up - -# 5 Usage # - -### 5.1 Keeping repositories Up-to-Date ### - -This is the beauty of it all. Once you are set up, just run: - - mr up - mr push - -Neat. - -### 5.1 Making Changes ### - -After you have made some changes, for which you would normally use `git add` -and `git commit`, use the vcsh wrapper (like above): - - vcsh run foo git add -f bar baz quux - vcsh run foo git commit - vcsh run foo git push - -By the way, you'll have to use -f/--force flag with git-add because all files -will be ignored by default. This is to show you only useful output when running -git-status. A fix for this problem is being worked on. - -### 5.3 Using vcsh without mr ### - -vcsh encourages you to use [mr] [1]. It helps you manage a large number of -repositories by running the necessary vcsh commands for you. You may choose not -to use mr, in which case you will have to run those commands manually or by -other means. - -#### A Few Examples #### - -To initialize a new repository: `vcsh init zsh` - -To clone a repository: `vcsh clone ssh:///zsh.git` - -To interact with a repository, use the regular Git commands, but prepend them -with `vcsh run $repository_name`. For example: +There are several ways to get in touch with the author and a small but committed +community around the general idea of version controlling your (digital) life. - vcsh run zsh git status - vcsh run zsh git add -f .zshrc - vcsh run zsh git commit +* IRC: #vcs-home on irc.oftc.net -Obviously, without mr keeping repositories up-to-date, it will have to be done -manually. Alternatively, you could try something like this: +* Mailing list: [http://lists.madduck.net/listinfo/vcs-home][vcs-home-list] - for repo in `vcsh list`; do - vcsh run $repo git pull; - done +* Pull requests or issues on [https://github.com/RichiH/vcsh][vcsh] -[mr]: http://kitenet.net/~joey/code/mr/ +[myrepos]: http://myrepos.branchable.com/ [talks]: http://richardhartmann.de/talks/ [vcsh]: https://github.com/RichiH/vcsh [vcs-home-list]: http://lists.madduck.net/listinfo/vcs-home