This repository includes my dotfiles and macOS Setup Guide.

git clone [email protected]:jamescmartinez/dotfiles.git ~/dotfiles
~/dotfiles/bin/setup

1. Enable network firewall
2. Enable FileVault
3. Set up Finder
   • Delete all .DS_Store files, printing success and redirecting stderr to /dev/null

     find / -name ".DS_Store" -type f -print -delete 2>/dev/null
     killall Finder

   • Open Finder, go to top level dir (e.g., "James's MacBook Pro"), and set the following defaults:
     • Always open in list view
     • Browse in list view
     • Group by "Name"
     • Sort by "Name" (except Downloads - set that to "Date Added")
     • Use as Defaults
   • Repeat the last step for every directory in the Finder sidebar where this setting did not apply (usually Desktop, iCloud Drive, Trash, and a few others)
4. Install Command Line Tools with xcode-select --install
5. Configure GitHub SSH
6. Install dotfiles (instructions above)
7. Install Homebrew and run brew bundle --file ~/Brewfile to install programs from ~/Brewfile
   • Dump current Brewfile: brew bundle dump -f --no-vscode --file ~/Brewfile
   • Uninstall all dependencies not in the Brewfile: brew bundle cleanup -f --file ~/Brewfile
8. Set fish as the default shell with:

   # Apple M
   echo /opt/homebrew/bin/fish | sudo tee -a /etc/shells
   chsh -s /opt/homebrew/bin/fish
   # Intel
   echo /usr/local/bin/fish | sudo tee -a /etc/shells
   chsh -s /usr/local/bin/fish

9. Restart so the default shell change takes effect
10. Install Fisher and run fisher update to install plugins from ~/.config/fish/fish_plugins
    • If fisher update does not install the plugins, it's probably because fisher replaced the symlink with a new fish_plugins file upon installation. Quick fix: run a git reset on ~/dotfiles and run fisher update again.
11. Use dns_cloudflare fish alias to set DNS servers to Cloudflare DNS. Use dns_default to revert this as-needed (e.g. when unable to access captive portal), and dns_list to list the current DNS servers.
    • 1.1.1.1
    • 1.0.0.1
    • 2606:4700:4700::1111
    • 2606:4700:4700::1001
12. Continue installing other apps

Note: Mac App Store apps are now installed and managed by the Brewfile.

• 1Password
• Alfred - deprecated in favor of Raycast
• AppCleaner
• ChatGPT
• CleanShot X
• Deckset
• Docker - deprecated in favor of colima
• Figma
• ghostty
• Google Chrome
• KeyboardCleanTool
• kitty - deprecated in favor of ghostty
• LinearMouse - deprecated, no longer needed as of macOS 26
• Loom
• Notion
• Raycast
• Scroll Reverser - still needed as of macOS 26
• Spotify
• Stats
• Visual Studio Code
• Zoom