ML4W Dotfiles Installer

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Getting Started ​

The ML4W Dotfiles Installer is more than just a script; it is a professional deployment pipeline for your Linux environment.

🏗 The Staging Architecture ​

Safety is built into the core. The installer follows a strict logical flow to ensure system stability:

  1. Dependency Sync: Automatically verifies and installs core tools like jq and gum.
  2. Sandbox Creation: Clones the target repository into a localized staging area (~/.mydotfiles-test/[ID]).
  3. Logic Execution: Runs distro-specific preflight scripts and installs required packages.
  4. Final Deployment: Synchronizes the staged files to your $HOME using intelligent symlinks.

🛠 Preparation for Creators ​

If you want to host your own configurations, ensure your repository contains:

  • A .dotinst JSON profile at the root.
  • A dotfiles/ folder (or a custom subfolder defined in your profile).
  • A setup/dependencies/ directory with package lists.

🧪 Safe Testing ​

Use the --testmode flag to verify your installation logic (packages and scripts) without staging any files or modifying your $HOME directory:

bash
ml4w-dotfiles-installer --install ./my-profile.dotinst --testmode