mackup

Mackup™ Backup and keep your application settings in sync. Table of contents Mackup™ Table of contents Quickstart Usage What does it do Copy mode Link mode mackup link install mackup link mackup link uninstall Supported Storages Unsupported Storages Supported Applications Can you support application X Personalization & configuration Why did you do this What platforms are supported What's up with the weird name Architecture Where can I find more information Quickstart On macOS or Linux, if you want an easy install, you can install Homebrew and do: # Install Mackup brew install mackup # Launch it and back up your files mackup backup If not running macOS or Linux, or you don't like Homebrew, you can use pip. # Install Mackup with PIP pip install --upgrade mackup # Launch it and back up your files mackup backup You're all set and can back up from now on. Next, on any new workstation, do: # Install Mackup brew install mackup # Launch it and restore your files mackup restore Done! You can find more detailed instructions in INSTALL.md. Usage backup, restore, link install, link uninstall and link operate on all of your configured applications by default. To limit a command to a single application, add its name (the identifier shown by mackup list), e.g. mackup backup vim. Naming an application overrides the [applications_to_sync] / [applications_to_ignore] settings in your .mackup.cfg, so you can act on any supported app without editing your config. mackup backup [application] Back up your application files. Copy your local config files into the Mackup folder. Name an application to back up only that one, e.g. mackup backup vim. mackup restore [application] Restore your application settings on a newly installed workstation. Copy config files from the Mackup folder to your home folder. Name an application to restore only that one, e.g. mackup restore emacs. mackup link install [application] Move your local config files into the Mackup folder, and link them to their original place. Name an application to install only that one. $${\color{red}warning}$$ the link strategy doesn't work correctly on macOS mackup link [application] On another workstation, links local config files from the Mackup folder. Name an application to link only that one. mackup link uninstall [application] Copy back any synced config file to its original place. Removes the links and copies config files from the Mackup folder back into your home. Name an application (e.g. mackup link uninstall git) to unlink only that one; scoping to an application skips the global uninstall confirmation. mackup list Display the list of applications supported by Mackup. mackup -h Get some help, obviously... What does it do By only tracking pure configuration files, it keeps the crap out of your freshly new installed workstation (no cache, temporary and locally specific files are transferred). Mackup makes setting up the environment easy and simple. There are 2 modes of operations: copy mode and link mode. Copy mode Copy mode is used to back up and restore your files. The files are backed up into the configured Mackup folder, which can be in Dropbox, iCloud, or wherever you configure it. It is covered by the 2 commands: mackup backup mackup restore Link mode WarningIf you are using Mackup on a current version of macOS, link mode will BREAK YOUR PREFERENCES. macOS Sonoma (macOS 14) and later don't support symlinked preferences, see issue #2035 for additional information. PR #2085 added copy mode, which should be used instead. Link mode is used to move your config files into the Mackup folder, and link them back to their original place. This mode is useful if you are using multiple workstations, and want to keep your application settings in sync at all times. Backs up your application settings in a safe directory (e.g. Dropbox) Syncs your application settings among all your workstations Restores your configuration on any fresh install in one command line Let's take git as an example. Your settings for git are saved in your home folder, in the .gitconfig file. It is covered by the 3 commands: mackup link install mackup link mackup link uninstall mackup link install If you have Dropbox, these things happen when you launch mackup link install: cp ~/.gitconfig ~/Dropbox/Mackup/.gitconfig rm ~/.gitconfig ln -s ~/Dropbox/Mackup/.gitconfig ~/.gitconfig Now your git config is always backed up and up to date on all your workstations. mackup link When you launch mackup link, here's what it's really doing: ln -s ~/Dropbox/Mackup/.gitconfig ~/.gitconfig That's it, you got your git config setup on your new workstation. mackup does the same for any supported application. mackup link uninstall You can revert all your files to their original state. # Just run this mackup link uninstall This will remove the symlinks and copy back the files from the Mackup folder in Dropbox to their original places in your home. The Mackup folder and the files in it stay put, so that any other computer also running Mackup is unaffected. To revert a single application instead, name it, e.g. mackup link uninstall git. Scoping the command to an application unlinks only that app — the rest of your setup and the Mackup config itself are left in place, and the global uninstall confirmation is skipped. Supported Storages Dropbox Google Drive iCloud Anything able to sync a folder (e.g. Git) See the README file in the doc directory for more info. Unsupported Storages Box: No longer supported as it ignores dotfiles, see #807. Supported Applications 1Password 4 2Do Ack act ActivityWatch Adium Adobe Camera Raw Adobe Illustrator CC Adobe Photoshop CC Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic aerc AeroSpace Affinity Designer Affinity Photo Affinity Publisher Airflow Airmail Akamai-CLI Alacritty AlDente AltTab Amethyst Ancient Domains of Mystery Android Studio Ansible AppCleaner AppCode Apple Music Apptivate Arara aria2c Arm Artistic Style as