Getting Started

Your complete guide to setting up your development environment with set-me-up

Setup in 5 Easy Steps

Follow this guide to get your development environment configured from scratch

Install set-me-up

If you haven't already, install set-me-up using the quick install command:

bash <(curl -s -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dotbrains/set-me-up-installer/main/install.sh)

See the Installation page for more details

Provision the Base Module

The base module is the foundation—it installs Homebrew and symlinks your dotfiles:

smu --provision --module base

What this does:

Installs Homebrew (if not already installed)

Installs rcm for dotfile management

Symlinks dotfiles from your set-me-up directory to your home directory

Important:

After provisioning the base module, do not move your set-me-up directory, as it contains symlinked dotfiles.

Verify Your Setup

After the base module completes, verify that your dotfiles are symlinked correctly:

# List all symlinked dotfiles
smu --lsrc

# Check where a specific file is linked from
ls -la ~/.gitconfig

Add More Modules

Now provision additional modules based on your needs. Use --no-base to skip re-running the base module:

Install Mac App Store Applications

smu --provision --module app_store --no-base

Install Homebrew Casks (GUI Applications)

smu --provision --module casks --no-base

Install Development Environments

# PHP environment
smu --provision --module php --no-base

# Ruby environment
smu --provision --module ruby --no-base

# Node.js environment
smu --provision --module node --no-base

Install Multiple Modules at Once

smu --provision --module app_store --module casks --module php --no-base

Customize Your Setup

Tailor set-me-up to your specific needs with custom dotfiles and modules.

Using the Blueprint Template

For a fully customizable setup, use the blueprint repository:

1

Fork set-me-up-blueprint

2

Clone your fork locally

3

Set SMU_HOME_DIR to point to your blueprint directory

export SMU_HOME_DIR=~/my-set-me-up
echo 'export SMU_HOME_DIR=~/my-set-me-up' >> ~/.bashrc

Adding Your Own Dotfiles

# Add a custom gitconfig
mkdir -p ~/set-me-up/dotfiles
echo '[user]
    name = Your Name
    email = your.email@example.com' > ~/set-me-up/dotfiles/gitconfig

# Update symlinks
smu --rcup

Complete Workflow Example

Here's a typical workflow for setting up a new machine

# 1. Install set-me-up
bash <(curl -s -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dotbrains/set-me-up-installer/main/install.sh)

# 2. Provision base (dotfiles + Homebrew)
smu --provision --module base

# 3. Install applications
smu --provision --module app_store --module casks --no-base

# 4. Set up development environments
smu --provision --module php --module node --module ruby --no-base

# 5. Verify dotfiles are linked
smu --lsrc

# 6. Customize and reload
# Edit dotfiles as needed, then:
smu --rcup

Common Commands

The most frequently used set-me-up commands

Provision Module

smu --provision --module <name>

Install and configure a specific module

List Dotfiles

smu --lsrc

Show all symlinked dotfiles

Update Symlinks

smu --rcup

Refresh symlinks after adding new dotfiles

Remove Symlinks

smu --rcdn

Remove all symlinks (useful before changes)

Tips and Best Practices

Make the most of your set-me-up installation

Always use --no-base

When provisioning additional modules to avoid re-symlinking dotfiles

Fork the blueprint repository

For a personalized, version-controlled setup

Test modules individually

Before running multiple modules at once

Use tags

To organize dotfiles by machine, environment, or project

Commit your changes regularly

If using a git-based setup to track your configuration evolution

Ready to Learn More?

Explore advanced features and customization options

Working with Modules Managing Dotfiles Customization