Learn Dotfiles: Expanded Project Guides
Generated from:
LEARN_DOTFILES_PRODUCTIVITY.mdThis folder contains deep-dive guides for each project in the dotfiles learning path.
Overview
These project files expand the dotfiles learning guide into implementation-level walkthroughs. Each project includes theory, architecture, implementation phases, testing guidance, and extensions, so you can build a reproducible developer environment step by step.
Project Index
| # | Project | Difficulty | Time | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shell Alias System (Your First Productivity Win) | Level 1: Beginner | 4-8 hours | Shell Configuration |
| 2 | Git Configuration Powerhouse | Level 1: Beginner | 4-8 hours | Version Control Configuration |
| 3 | Custom Shell Prompt (Starship or Pure Prompt) | Level 2: Intermediate | 4-8 hours | Shell Customization / Terminal UI |
| 4 | SSH Config Mastery | Level 2: Intermediate | 4-8 hours | Networking / Remote Access |
| 5 | Vim/Neovim Configuration from Scratch | Level 3: Advanced | 1 week | Text Editor Configuration |
| 6 | Terminal Multiplexer Setup (tmux) | Level 2: Intermediate | 1 week | Terminal Management / Session Persistence |
| 7 | Shell Functions Library | Level 2: Intermediate | 1 week | Shell Scripting |
| 8 | FZF Power User Setup | Level 2: Intermediate | 1 week | Fuzzy Finding / CLI UX |
| 9 | Dotfiles Bootstrap Script | Level 2: Intermediate | 2+ weeks | Automation / System Administration |
| 10 | Terminal Emulator Configuration (Alacritty/Kitty) | Level 1: Beginner | 1 week | Terminal Configuration |
| 11 | ZSH Plugin System (Without Oh-My-Zsh Bloat) | Level 3: Advanced | 1 week | Shell Internals / Plugin Architecture |
| 12 | XDG Base Directory Compliance | Level 2: Intermediate | 1 week | System Organization / Standards |
| 13 | Machine-Specific Configuration | Level 2: Intermediate | 2+ weeks | Configuration Management |
| 14 | Custom CLI Dashboard (Fastfetch + Scripts) | Level 2: Intermediate | 2+ weeks | CLI UX / System Information |
| 15 | Local Dev Environment Scripts (Projects, Services, Workflows) | Level 3: Advanced | 2+ weeks | Developer Experience / Automation |
| 16 | Keybinding System (Hammerspoon/Karabiner) | Level 3: Advanced | 2+ weeks | macOS Automation / System Integration |
| 17 | Shell History and Knowledge System | Level 2: Intermediate | 2+ weeks | CLI Productivity / Personal Knowledge |
| 18 | Complete Development Container | Level 3: Advanced | 2+ weeks | Containerization / Reproducible Environments |
| 19 | The Complete Portable Development Environment | Varies | 2+ weeks | Dotfiles System Design |
Learning Paths
- Foundations (4-8 hours each): Projects 1-4
- Core System (1 week each): Projects 5-8, 10-12
- Advanced System (2+ weeks each): Projects 9, 13-18, Final
Prerequisites
- Comfortable with basic CLI navigation and file operations
- Familiar with Git basics (clone, add, commit, log)
- Able to edit text files and understand shell startup files