New Machine Setup

Note: For anyone suggesting to use Ansible, this setup works for my needs. I don't require all the options provided by Ansible, nor do I want to do the extra setup.

Steps to make a new machine easier to setup

Sign into iCloud and enable documents to be synced.

Clone this repo

Run the script found in the script folder, or follow the manual process below.

1. cd to the script directory.

2. Make sure make the script executable with chmod u+x setup-machine.zsh then run it with ./setup-machine.zsh

3. Make sure that the dock.zsh script is executable with chmod u+x dock.zsh

4. The same can be for the backup script chmod u+x backup.zsh Then with the backup script you add it as a cron job.

Install HomeBrew

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Add brew to PATH for zsh

echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"' >> ~/.zshrc
eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"

Then pass in the Brewfile location...

brew bundle --file [clone location]/Brewfile

...or move to the directory first.

cd [clone location] && brew bundle

Restore App settings, .zshrc, & .gitconfig using Mackup

In our case, the files are all backed up via iCloud. As a note, at the time of backing up on March 4, 2024, the symlink on macOS 14 seems to be broken and does not allow the linked files to be read correctly.

Configure the storage

nvim ~/.mackup.cfg

Add this

[storage]
engine = icloud

Save

Restore

mackup restore --force && mackup uninstall --force

As of writing, this is the best way, as it is somewhat broken on macOS 14, due to broken symlinks. lra/mackup#1924 (comment)