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Getting Started

DOTS turns a supported Mac or Linux host into a profile-driven environment: package groups, optional components, managed links, skills, and (when you opt in) local models.

Prerequisites

Need Notes
Supported OS macOS (Darwin) or Linux (see Linux)
/bin/bash Bootstrap scripts are Bash
Network Official installers (Homebrew / Stage 0) when needed
Elevation sudo when the OS package manager requires it

Irreducible seed: supported OS + Bash + network for official installers + OS elevation when system packages require it. Everything else is acquired by DOTS.

Install

git clone https://github.com/sempervent/dots.git ~/dots
cd ~/dots
./dots

./dots (same as ./dots setup) runs the interactive wizard: machine role → profile → components → runtime → models → review → bootstrap → verify.

Expert / automation path:

./bootstrap.sh --profile home
./bootstrap.sh --profile work
./bootstrap.sh --profile server

First run checklist

  1. Choose a profile (home / work / server / base / custom).
  2. Preview: ./bootstrap.sh --profile <name> --show and --dry-run.
  3. Apply: ./dots or ./bootstrap.sh --profile <name>.
  4. Verify: ./dots check or ./scripts/check.sh --profile <name>.
  5. Optional backup awareness: ./dots backups.

Dry-run and show

./dots setup --dry-run
./bootstrap.sh --profile home --show
./bootstrap.sh --profile home --dry-run
./setup.sh --dry-run --with ai

--show / --dry-run never mutate. Use them before first apply on a machine that already has carefully tuned configs.

Profiles at a glance

Profile Intent
base Core shell UX only — no optional AI / skills
home Personal workstation (AI via ai supergroup + extras)
work Conservative — no AI clients by default
server Headless — Herdr available, no GUI/AI providers by default
all Lab convenience — all optional components

Details and real examples: Profiles.

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