based

.gitmodules

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "themes/catppuccin-iterm"]
+	path = themes/catppuccin-iterm
+	url = https://github.com/catppuccin/iterm

README.md

@@ -1,36 +1,61 @@
-# Dotfiles
+# dotfiles
 
-Filesystem overlay. Structure mirrors actual paths on disk.
+Centralized database of how my machines should be set up. All Macs are identical to each other, all Arch machines are identical to each other. OS is the only axis of variation.
 
 ```
 dotfiles/
-  home/benk/          -> symlinked into $HOME
-    .config/nvim/
-    .config/fish/
-    .config/wezterm/
-    .tmux.conf
-    .vimrc
-    ...
-  etc/                -> copied into /etc (prompted, needs sudo)
-    fstab
-    nginx/nginx.conf
-  packages/           -> package lists for brew/yay
-  bootstrap.sh        -> does everything
+  home/benk/            mirrors $HOME — files here get synced to the machine
+  etc/                  mirrors /etc — applied with sudo on Linux
+  packages/
+    brew.txt            Homebrew formulae (all Macs)
+    brew-casks.txt      Homebrew casks (all Macs)
+    arch.txt            yay packages (all Arch machines)
+  themes/
+    catppuccin-iterm/   submodule: catppuccin/iterm
+  setup.toml            declarative tooling config (fish + tmux plugins)
+  bootstrap.py          the manager — run this
 ```
 
-## Usage
+## setup
 
-```
-git clone git@github.com:benkyd/dotfiles.git ~/dotfiles
+```bash
+git clone --recurse-submodules git@github.com:benkyd/dotfiles.git ~/dotfiles
 cd ~/dotfiles
-./bootstrap.sh
+python3 bootstrap.py
 ```
 
-The bootstrap will:
-1. Detect OS (macOS / Arch)
-2. Optionally install packages (Homebrew or yay)
-3. Install oh-my-fish, fisher, tmux plugin manager
-4. Symlink `home/benk/` into `$HOME`
-5. Optionally copy `etc/` to `/etc` (prompted)
+Dependencies (`rich`, `questionary`) are auto-installed on first run.
 
-Existing files are backed up to `~/dotfiles.bak/`.
+## usage
+
+Running `python3 bootstrap.py` drops you into a TUI. Pick a mode:
+
+- **Set up this machine** — install packages, shell tooling, sync dotfiles. use this on a fresh machine.
+- **Apply dotfiles** — push repo → `$HOME`. skips packages.
+- **Save changes** — pull edits you made on this machine back into the repo.
+- **Check status** — see what's drifted. nothing is changed.
+
+Or pass a mode directly to skip the TUI:
+
+```bash
+python3 bootstrap.py install
+python3 bootstrap.py copy
+python3 bootstrap.py pull
+python3 bootstrap.py status
+python3 bootstrap.py add ~/.config/something.conf   # start tracking a new file
+```
+
+## per-file variation
+
+If you've edited something on a work machine and don't want to clobber it or pull it back, the sync steps show a per-file checkbox for any file that's newer on the machine than in the repo. just uncheck what you want to skip.
+
+## OS-specific paths
+
+Some paths only make sense on one OS and are excluded automatically:
+
+- `Library/` — macOS only (iTerm2 prefs, etc.)
+- `.config/wezterm/` — Linux only (iTerm2 is used on Mac)
+
+## themes
+
+Catppuccin Mocha is the colour scheme. The iTerm2 colour preset lives at `themes/catppuccin-iterm/colors/catppuccin-mocha.itermcolors`. Import it via iTerm2 → Profiles → Colors → Color Presets → Import.

bootstrap.sh

@@ -5,6 +5,25 @@ DOTFILES_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
 BACKUP_DIR="$HOME/dotfiles.bak"
 USER="$(whoami)"
 
+# --- Detect OS early (needed by sync functions) ---
+OS="unknown"
+if [[ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]]; then
+    OS="macos"
+elif [[ -f /etc/arch-release ]]; then
+    OS="arch"
+elif [[ -f /etc/os-release ]]; then
+    OS="linux"
+fi
+
+# Files/dirs in the home overlay that are macOS-only
+MACOS_ONLY=(Library/)
+HOME_EXCLUDES=()
+if [[ "$OS" != "macos" ]]; then
+    for item in "${MACOS_ONLY[@]}"; do
+        HOME_EXCLUDES+=(--exclude "$item")
+    done
+fi
+
 usage() {
     echo "Usage: ./bootstrap.sh [--pull | --copy]"
     echo ""
@@ -14,6 +33,34 @@ usage() {
     exit 0
 }
 
+# --- rsync wrapper: prompts for confirmation if existing files would be overwritten ---
+# Usage: rsync_confirm [--sudo] <rsync args...>
+rsync_confirm() {
+    local rsync_cmd=(rsync)
+    if [[ "${1:-}" == "--sudo" ]]; then
+        rsync_cmd=(sudo rsync)
+        shift
+    fi
+
+    local overwrites
+    overwrites=$("${rsync_cmd[@]}" --dry-run --itemize-changes "$@" 2>/dev/null \
+        | awk '/^>f/ && !/\+{9}/ { print $2 }')
+
+    if [ -n "$overwrites" ]; then
+        echo "The following existing files would be overwritten:"
+        echo "$overwrites" | sed 's/^/  /'
+        echo ""
+        read -p "Proceed with overwrite? [y/N] " -n 1 -r
+        echo ""
+        if [[ ! $REPLY =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
+            echo "  Aborted."
+            return 1
+        fi
+    fi
+
+    "${rsync_cmd[@]}" "$@"
+}
+
 # --- Pull mode: copy live files back into the repo ---
 pull_back() {
     OVERLAY_HOME="$DOTFILES_DIR/home/$USER"
@@ -22,13 +69,13 @@ pull_back() {
     fi
 
     echo "==> Pulling home files back into repo..."
-    rsync -av --itemize-changes --existing --update \
-        "$HOME/" "$OVERLAY_HOME/"
+    rsync_confirm -av --itemize-changes --existing --update \
+        "${HOME_EXCLUDES[@]}" "$HOME/" "$OVERLAY_HOME/"
     echo ""
 
     if [ -d "$DOTFILES_DIR/etc" ]; then
         echo "==> Pulling /etc files back into repo..."
-        sudo rsync -av --itemize-changes --existing --update \
+        rsync_confirm --sudo -av --itemize-changes --existing --update \
             /etc/ "$DOTFILES_DIR/etc/"
         echo ""
     fi
@@ -56,8 +103,8 @@ copy_home() {
 
     echo "==> Syncing $OVERLAY_HOME -> $HOME"
     mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR/home"
-    rsync -av --itemize-changes --backup --backup-dir="$BACKUP_DIR/home" \
-        "$OVERLAY_HOME/" "$HOME/"
+    rsync_confirm -av --itemize-changes --backup --backup-dir="$BACKUP_DIR/home" \
+        "${HOME_EXCLUDES[@]}" "$OVERLAY_HOME/" "$HOME/"
     echo ""
     echo "Done. Backups at ~/dotfiles.bak/"
     exit 0
@@ -77,15 +124,6 @@ echo "Repo:     $DOTFILES_DIR"
 echo "User:     $USER"
 echo ""
 
-# --- Detect OS ---
-OS="unknown"
-if [[ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]]; then
-    OS="macos"
-elif [[ -f /etc/arch-release ]]; then
-    OS="arch"
-elif [[ -f /etc/os-release ]]; then
-    OS="linux"
-fi
 echo "Detected OS: $OS"
 echo ""
 
@@ -205,8 +243,8 @@ chmod 700 "$HOME/.ssh"
 
 echo "==> Syncing $OVERLAY_HOME -> $HOME"
 mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR/home"
-rsync -av --itemize-changes --backup --backup-dir="$BACKUP_DIR/home" \
-    "$OVERLAY_HOME/" "$HOME/"
+rsync_confirm -av --itemize-changes --backup --backup-dir="$BACKUP_DIR/home" \
+    "${HOME_EXCLUDES[@]}" "$OVERLAY_HOME/" "$HOME/"
 echo ""
 
 # --- Overlay: etc/ -> /etc ---
@@ -224,7 +262,7 @@ if [ -d "$DOTFILES_DIR/etc" ]; then
 
         if [[ $REPLY =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
             mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR/etc"
-            sudo rsync -av --itemize-changes --backup --backup-dir="$BACKUP_DIR/etc" \
+            rsync_confirm --sudo -av --itemize-changes --backup --backup-dir="$BACKUP_DIR/etc" \
                 "$DOTFILES_DIR/etc/" /etc/
             echo "  Originals backed up to ~/dotfiles.bak/etc/"
         else

packages/arch.txt

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ fish
 tmux
 neovim
 wezterm
+fastfetch
 btop
 ripgrep
 fd
@@ -18,3 +19,5 @@ nodejs
 python
 nginx
 base-devel
+obsidian
+syncthing

packages/brew-casks.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# casks — installed via `brew install --cask`
+iterm2
+obsidian
+thunderbird

packages/brew.txt

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
+# formulae — installed via `brew install`
 fish
 tmux
-nvim
-wezterm
+neovim
 btop
 ripgrep
 fd
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@ git
 curl
 wget
 rsync
+fastfetch
 lua-language-server
 typescript-language-server
 pyright
 bash-language-server
 cmake
 node
-python3
-xclip
+python@3.14
+syncthing

requirements.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+rich>=13.0.0
+questionary>=2.0.0

setup.toml

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# setup.toml — declarative tooling config
+# Packages live in packages/brew.txt and packages/arch.txt.
+# This file covers everything that isn't a package manager install.
+
+[fish]
+# Fisher plugins to install. Run `fisher list` to see what's currently installed.
+plugins = []
+
+[tmux]
+# TPM plugins to install headlessly via ~/.tmux/plugins/tpm/bin/install_plugins.
+# Format: "owner/repo" matching the TPM convention.
+plugins = []