macOS Development Environment Setup

A comprehensive guide and dotfiles repository for setting up a new macOS machine for software engineering and architecture work.

Quick Start

# Clone this repo
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/dotfiles.git ~/.dotfiles

# Run the bootstrap script
cd ~/.dotfiles && ./install.sh

Or manually follow the sections below.

Prerequisites

1. Xcode Command Line Tools

xcode-select --install

2. Homebrew

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

# Add to PATH (Apple Silicon)
echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"' >> ~/.zprofile
eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"

3. Install all packages from Brewfile

cd ~/.dotfiles && brew bundle

Shell Setup

Oh-My-Zsh

sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

Powerlevel10k Theme

git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k

Essential Plugins (External)

# zsh-autosuggestions - Fish-like suggestions
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions

# zsh-syntax-highlighting - Command highlighting
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting

FZF Integration

$(brew --prefix)/opt/fzf/install --all

Atuin (Shell History)

brew install atuin
# Add to .zshrc: eval "$(atuin init zsh)"

Symlink Configs

ln -sf ~/.dotfiles/zsh/.zshrc ~/.zshrc
ln -sf ~/.dotfiles/zsh/.p10k.zsh ~/.p10k.zsh

CLI Tools

Current Setup (Homebrew Packages)

Category	Tools
Core	git, neovim, htop, tree, watch
Modern Replacements	bat (cat), ripgrep (grep), lsd (ls), fd (find), git-delta (diff), fzf (fuzzy finder)
Kubernetes	kubectl, helm, k9s, kubectx, minikube
Docker	colima, lazydocker
Git	lazygit, gh (GitHub CLI)
Security	trivy, sslscan
Dev Tools	yamllint, swagger-codegen, pack
Shell	atuin (history)
Misc	fortune, cowsay

Install All at Once

brew bundle --file=~/.dotfiles/Brewfile

Recommended Additions

# Better CLI tools
brew install eza           # Modern ls (better than lsd)
brew install fd            # Modern find
brew install jq yq         # JSON/YAML processors
brew install tldr          # Simplified man pages
brew install glow          # Markdown renderer
brew install difftastic    # Structural diff

# Container tools
brew install lazydocker    # TUI for docker
brew install dive          # Analyze docker images
brew install ctop          # Container metrics

# System monitoring
brew install procs         # Better ps
brew install dust          # Better du
brew install duf           # Better df
brew install bottom        # Better top (btm)

# Productivity
brew install httpie        # Better curl

Git Configuration

Current Config

[user]
    name = AdityaHarindar
    email = aditya.harindar@gmail.com

[alias]
    st = status
    ps = push
    ci = commit
    pl = pull
    ft = fetch
    br = branch
    co = checkout
    d = diff --color=always

[pull]
    rebase = true

[push]
    autoSetupRemote = true

[url "git@github.com:"]
    insteadOf = https://github.com/

[core]
    pager = delta

[interactive]
    diffFilter = delta --color-only

[delta]
    side-by-side = false
    line-numbers = true
    syntax-theme = Solarized (dark)
    navigate = true

Symlink

ln -sf ~/.dotfiles/git/.gitconfig ~/.gitconfig

Recommended Git Aliases to Add

git config --global alias.lg "log --oneline --graph -20"
git config --global alias.lga "log --oneline --graph --all -20"
git config --global alias.ds "diff --staged"
git config --global alias.aa "add --all"
git config --global alias.cm "commit -m"
git config --global alias.ca "commit --amend"
git config --global alias.cb "checkout -b"
git config --global alias.sw "switch"
git config --global alias.swc "switch -c"
git config --global alias.unstage "reset HEAD --"
git config --global alias.last "log -1 HEAD"

Docker Setup

Colima (Docker runtime for macOS)

brew install colima docker docker-compose

# Start colima (run once, persists across reboots)
colima start --cpu 4 --memory 8 --disk 60

# Verify
docker ps

Docker Configuration

# Set kubectl to use colima's docker
export DOCKER_HOST="unix://${HOME}/.colima/default/docker.sock"

Kubernetes Tools

Essential Tools

brew install kubernetes-cli    # kubectl
brew install helm              # Package manager
brew install kubectx           # Context/namespace switcher (includes kubens)
brew install k9s               # TUI for kubernetes
brew install minikube          # Local kubernetes
brew install kn                # Knative CLI

kubectl Plugins (via krew)

# Install krew
(
  set -x; cd "$(mktemp -d)" &&
  OS="$(uname | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')" &&
  ARCH="$(uname -m | sed -e 's/x86_64/amd64/' -e 's/arm64/arm64/')" &&
  KREW="krew-${OS}_${ARCH}" &&
  curl -fsSLO "https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/krew/releases/latest/download/${KREW}.tar.gz" &&
  tar zxvf "${KREW}.tar.gz" &&
  ./"${KREW}" install krew
)

# Add to PATH
export PATH="${KREW_ROOT:-$HOME/.krew}/bin:$PATH"

# Useful plugins
kubectl krew install ctx        # Context switcher
kubectl krew install ns         # Namespace switcher
kubectl krew install neat       # Clean up yaml output
kubectl krew install tree       # Show resource hierarchy
kubectl krew install images     # Show images used in cluster

kubectl with Delta

Add to .zshrc:

export KUBECTL_EXTERNAL_DIFF="delta --side-by-side"

Cloud CLIs

AWS CLI

brew install awscli

# Configure
aws configure
# Or use SSO
aws configure sso

Google Cloud CLI

brew install --cask google-cloud-sdk

# Initialize
gcloud init
gcloud auth login
gcloud auth application-default login

Azure CLI (if needed)

brew install azure-cli
az login

Language Environments

Go (via GVM)

# Install GVM
bash < <(curl -s -S -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/moovweb/gvm/master/binscripts/gvm-installer)

# Add to .zshrc
[[ -s "$HOME/.gvm/scripts/gvm" ]] && source "$HOME/.gvm/scripts/gvm"

# Install Go versions
gvm install go1.24.6 -B
gvm use go1.24.6 --default

# Set GOPATH
export GOPATH=$HOME/go
export PATH=$PATH:$GOPATH/bin

Node.js (via nvm or fnm)

# Option 1: nvm
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash

# Option 2: fnm (faster)
brew install fnm
eval "$(fnm env --use-on-cd)"

# Install Node
nvm install --lts
# or
fnm install --lts

Python (via pyenv or uv)

# Option 1: pyenv
brew install pyenv
echo 'eval "$(pyenv init -)"' >> ~/.zshrc

# Option 2: uv (faster, modern)
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

# Install Python
pyenv install 3.14.2
pyenv global 3.14.2
# or
uv python install 3.14

Rust

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
source $HOME/.cargo/env

Aliases & Functions

These are included in the .zshrc file. Here's a reference:

Git Aliases

alias g="git"
alias gs="git status"
alias gd="git diff"
alias gds="git diff --staged"
alias gl="git log --oneline --graph -20"
alias gla="git log --oneline --graph --all -20"
alias gco="git checkout"
alias gcb="git checkout -b"
alias gp="git pull"
alias gpu="git push -u origin HEAD"
alias gcm="git commit -m"
alias gca="git commit --amend"
alias grb="git rebase"
alias grbi="git rebase -i"
alias gst="git stash"
alias gstp="git stash pop"

Kubernetes Aliases

alias k="kubectl"
alias kx="kubectx"
alias kn="kubens"
alias kgp="kubectl get pods"
alias kgs="kubectl get svc"
alias kgd="kubectl get deployments"
alias kga="kubectl get all"
alias kgn="kubectl get nodes"
alias kd="kubectl describe"
alias kl="kubectl logs"
alias klf="kubectl logs -f"
alias ke="kubectl exec -it"
alias kaf="kubectl apply -f"
alias kdf="kubectl delete -f"
alias kdp="kubectl delete pod"
alias kpf="kubectl port-forward"

Docker Aliases

alias d="docker"
alias dc="docker compose"
alias dps="docker ps"
alias dpsa="docker ps -a"
alias di="docker images"
alias drm="docker rm"
alias drmi="docker rmi"
alias dprune="docker system prune -af"
alias dlogs="docker logs -f"
alias dexec="docker exec -it"

Modern CLI Defaults

alias cat="bat"
alias ls="eza --icons --group-directories-first"
alias ll="eza -la --icons --group-directories-first"
alias lt="eza -la --icons --tree --level=2"
alias tree="eza --tree"
alias grep="rg"
alias find="fd"
alias top="btm"
alias du="dust"
alias df="duf"
alias ps="procs"

Navigation

alias ..="cd .."
alias ...="cd ../.."
alias ....="cd ../../.."
alias ~="cd ~"
alias -- -="cd -"

Development

alias tf="terraform"
alias tfi="terraform init"
alias tfp="terraform plan"
alias tfa="terraform apply"
alias mk="make"
alias c="code ."
alias v="nvim"

Utility

alias ip="curl -s ifconfig.me"
alias weather="curl wttr.in"
alias ports="lsof -i -P -n | grep LISTEN"
alias path='echo $PATH | tr ":" "\n"'
alias reload="source ~/.zshrc"
alias cls="clear"

Functions

# Create directory and cd into it
mkcd() { mkdir -p "$1" && cd "$1" }

# Git clone and cd
gclone() { git clone "$1" && cd "$(basename "$1" .git)" }

# Find and kill process by port
killport() { lsof -ti:$1 | xargs kill -9 2>/dev/null || echo "No process on port $1" }

# Quick HTTP server
serve() { python3 -m http.server ${1:-8000} }

# Docker shell into container
dsh() { docker exec -it "$1" /bin/sh }

# Kubernetes port-forward shortcut
kpf() { kubectl port-forward "$1" "$2" }

# Show listening ports
listening() {
  if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
    sudo lsof -iTCP -sTCP:LISTEN -n -P
  else
    sudo lsof -iTCP -sTCP:LISTEN -n -P | grep -i "$1"
  fi
}

# Extract any archive
extract() {
  if [ -f "$1" ]; then
    case "$1" in
      *.tar.bz2) tar xjf "$1" ;;
      *.tar.gz)  tar xzf "$1" ;;
      *.tar.xz)  tar xJf "$1" ;;
      *.bz2)     bunzip2 "$1" ;;
      *.gz)      gunzip "$1" ;;
      *.tar)     tar xf "$1" ;;
      *.zip)     unzip "$1" ;;
      *.7z)      7z x "$1" ;;
      *)         echo "'$1' cannot be extracted" ;;
    esac
  else
    echo "'$1' is not a valid file"
  fi
}

# Quick notes
note() { echo "$(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M'): $*" >> ~/.notes }
notes() { cat ~/.notes 2>/dev/null || echo "No notes yet" }

# JSON pretty print from clipboard
jsonclip() { pbpaste | jq . }

# Get public IP with location
myip() { curl -s ipinfo.io | jq -r '"IP: \(.ip)\nCity: \(.city)\nRegion: \(.region)\nCountry: \(.country)"' }

FZF Configuration

Add to .zshrc:

# FZF configuration
export FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND='fd --type f --hidden --follow --exclude .git'
export FZF_CTRL_T_COMMAND="$FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND"
export FZF_ALT_C_COMMAND='fd --type d --hidden --follow --exclude .git'
export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS='
  --height 40%
  --layout=reverse
  --border
  --preview "bat --style=numbers --color=always --line-range :500 {}"
'

# Git branch switcher with fzf
fco() {
  local branches branch
  branches=$(git branch --all | grep -v HEAD) &&
  branch=$(echo "$branches" | fzf --height 40% --reverse) &&
  git checkout $(echo "$branch" | sed "s/.* //" | sed "s#remotes/origin/##")
}

# Git log browser with fzf
fgl() {
  git log --oneline --graph --color=always |
  fzf --ansi --no-sort --reverse --preview 'git show --color=always {1}' |
  grep -o '[a-f0-9]\{7\}' | head -1 | xargs git show
}

# Kill process with fzf
fkill() {
  local pid
  pid=$(ps -ef | sed 1d | fzf -m | awk '{print $2}')
  if [ "x$pid" != "x" ]; then
    echo $pid | xargs kill -${1:-9}
  fi
}

Symlink Instructions

After cloning this repo, create symlinks to use the configs:

# Backup existing configs (optional)
mkdir -p ~/.config-backup
[ -f ~/.zshrc ] && mv ~/.zshrc ~/.config-backup/
[ -f ~/.p10k.zsh ] && mv ~/.p10k.zsh ~/.config-backup/
[ -f ~/.gitconfig ] && mv ~/.gitconfig ~/.config-backup/

# Create symlinks
ln -sf ~/.dotfiles/zsh/.zshrc ~/.zshrc
ln -sf ~/.dotfiles/zsh/.p10k.zsh ~/.p10k.zsh
ln -sf ~/.dotfiles/git/.gitconfig ~/.gitconfig

# Reload shell
source ~/.zshrc

Maintenance

Update Brewfile from current system

brew bundle dump --file=~/.dotfiles/Brewfile --force

Update all packages

brew update && brew upgrade

Clean up

brew cleanup
brew autoremove

Troubleshooting

Powerlevel10k fonts not rendering

Install a Nerd Font:

brew tap homebrew/cask-fonts
brew install --cask font-meslo-lg-nerd-font

Then set your terminal font to "MesloLGS NF".

Slow shell startup

Profile your zsh startup:

time zsh -i -c exit

Check which plugin is slow:

zsh -xv 2>&1 | ts -i "%.s" > zsh_startup.log

Colima not starting

colima delete
colima start --cpu 4 --memory 8 --disk 60

License

MIT - Feel free to use and modify.

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 12 Commits
git		git
zsh		zsh
Brewfile		Brewfile
README.md		README.md
backup.sh		backup.sh
install.sh		install.sh

Folders and files

Latest commit

History

Repository files navigation

macOS Development Environment Setup

Table of Contents

Quick Start

Prerequisites

1. Xcode Command Line Tools

2. Homebrew

3. Install all packages from Brewfile

Shell Setup

Oh-My-Zsh

Powerlevel10k Theme

Essential Plugins (External)

FZF Integration

Atuin (Shell History)

Symlink Configs

CLI Tools

Current Setup (Homebrew Packages)

Install All at Once

Recommended Additions

Git Configuration

Current Config

Symlink

Recommended Git Aliases to Add

Docker Setup

Colima (Docker runtime for macOS)

Docker Configuration

Kubernetes Tools

Essential Tools

kubectl Plugins (via krew)

kubectl with Delta

Cloud CLIs

AWS CLI

Google Cloud CLI

Azure CLI (if needed)

Language Environments

Go (via GVM)

Node.js (via nvm or fnm)

Python (via pyenv or uv)

Rust

Aliases & Functions

Git Aliases

Kubernetes Aliases

Docker Aliases

Modern CLI Defaults

Navigation

Development

Utility

Functions

FZF Configuration

Symlink Instructions

Maintenance

Update Brewfile from current system

Update all packages

Clean up

Troubleshooting

Powerlevel10k fonts not rendering

Slow shell startup

Colima not starting

License

About

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