---
name: "dotdrop"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "dotdrop"
version: "1.15.0-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dotdrop"
---

# dotdrop(1)

save your dotfiles once, deploy them everywhere

## NAME

**dotdrop** - save your dotfiles once, deploy them everywhere

## SYNOPSIS

```
dotdrop COMMAND [OPTIONS] [ARGS] ...
dotdrop --help
dotdrop --version
```

## DESCRIPTION

**Dotdrop makes the management of dotfiles between different hosts easy.** **It allows you to store your dotfiles in Git and automagically deploy** **different versions of the same file on different setups.**

**It also allows manage different sets of dotfiles. For example, you can have** **a set of dotfiles for your home laptop and a different set for your office** **desktop. Those sets may overlap, and different versions of the same dotfiles** **can be deployed using different predefined profiles. Or you may have a main** **set of dotfiles for your everyday host and a subset you only need to deploy** **to temporary hosts (cloud VM etc.) that may be using a slightly different** **version of some of the dotfiles.**

## COMMANDS

- **install**

  **Install dotfiles**

  - **-a --force-actions**

    **Execute all actions even if no dotfile is installed.**

  - **-d --dry**

    **Dry run.**

  - **-D --showdiff**

    **Show a diff before overwriting.**

  - **-f --force**

    **Do not ask user confirmation for anything.**

  - **-n --nodiff**

    **Do not diff when installing.**

  - **-p --profile=\<profile\>**

    **Specify the profile to use.**

  - **-t --temp**

    **Install to a temporary directory for review.**

  - **-w --workers=\<nb\>**

    **Number of concurrent workers \[default: 1\].**

  - **-W --workdir-clear**

    **Clear the workdir.**

- **import**

  **Import dotfiles**

  - **-d --dry**

    **Dry run.**

  - **-f --force**

    **Do not ask user confirmation for anything.**

  - **-i --ignore=\<pattern\>**

    **Pattern to ignore.**

  - **-l --link=\<link\>**

    **Link option (nolink\|absolute\|relative\|link\_children).**

  - **-m --preserve-mode**

    **Insert a chmod entry in the dotfile with its mode.**

  - **-p --profile=\<profile\>**

    **Specify the profile to use.**

  - **-s --as=\<path\>**

    **Import as a different path from actual path.**

  - **--transr=\<key\>**

    **Associate trans\_install key on import.**

  - **--transw=\<key\>**

    **Apply trans\_update key on import.**

- **compare**

  **Compare dotfiles**

  - **-C --file=\<path\>**

    **Path of dotfile to compare.**

  - **-i --ignore=\<pattern\>**

    **Pattern to ignore.**

  - **-p --profile=\<profile\>**

    **Specify the profile to use.**

  - **-w --workers=\<nb\>**

    **Number of concurrent workers \[default: 1\].**

  - **-z --ignore-missing**

    **Ignore files in installed folders that are missing.**

- **update**

  **Update a managed dotfile**

  - **-d --dry**

    **Dry run.**

  - **-f --force**

    **Do not ask user confirmation for anything.**

  - **-i --ignore=\<pattern\>**

    **Pattern to ignore.**

  - **-k --key**

    **Treat \<path\> as a dotfile key.**

  - **-p --profile=\<profile\>**

    **Specify the profile to use.**

  - **-P --show-patch**

    **Provide a one-liner to manually patch template.**

  - **-w --workers=\<nb\>**

    **Number of concurrent workers \[default: 1\].**

  - **-z --ignore-missing**

    **Ignore files in installed folders that are missing.**

- **remove**

  **Unmanage a dotfile**

  - **-d --dry**

    **Dry run.**

  - **-f --force**

    **Do not ask user confirmation for anything.**

  - **-k --key**

    **Treat \<path\> as a dotfile key.**

  - **-p --profile=\<profile\>**

    **Specify the profile to use.**

- **files**

  **List the managed dotfiles**

  - **-G --grepable**

    **Grepable output.**

  - **-p --profile=\<profile\>**

    **Specify the profile to use.**

  - **-T --template**

    **Only template dotfiles.**

- **detail**

  **Detail managed dotfiles**

  - **-p --profile=\<profile\>**

    **Specify the profile to use.**

- **profiles**

  **List all profiles**

  - **-G --grepable**

    **Grepable output.**

## GLOBAL OPTIONS

- **-b --no-banner**

  **Do not display the banner.**

- **-c --cfg=\<path\>**

  **Path to the config.**

- **-V --verbose**

  **Be verbose.**

## EXAMPLES

- **dotdrop install**

  **\[-VbtfndDaW\] \[-c \<path\>\] \[-p \<profile\>\]** **\[-w \<nb\>\] \[\<key\>...\]**

- **dotdrop import**

  **\[-Vbdfm\]     \[-c \<path\>\] \[-p \<profile\>\] \[-i \<pattern\>...\]** **\[--transr=\<key\>\] \[--transw=\<key\>\]** **\[-l \<link\>\] \[-s \<path\>\] \<path\>...**

- **dotdrop compare**

  **\[-LVbz\]      \[-c \<path\>\] \[-p \<profile\>\]** **\[-w \<nb\>\] \[-C \<file\>...\] \[-i \<pattern\>...\]**

- **dotdrop update**

  **\[-VbfdkPz\]   \[-c \<path\>\] \[-p \<profile\>\]** **\[-w \<nb\>\] \[-i \<pattern\>...\] \[\<path\>...\]**

- **dotdrop remove**

  **\[-Vbfdk\]     \[-c \<path\>\] \[-p \<profile\>\] \[\<path\>...\]**

- **dotdrop files**

  **\[-VbTG\]      \[-c \<path\>\] \[-p \<profile\>\]**

- **dotdrop detail**

  **\[-Vb\]        \[-c \<path\>\] \[-p \<profile\>\] \[\<key\>...\]**

- **dotdrop profiles**

  **\[-VbG\]       \[-c \<path\>\]**

**dotdrop --help**

**dotdrop --version**

## ABOUT

**More information can be found on the repository under \<https://github.com/deadc0de6/dotdrop\>** **and in the main documentation under \<https://dotdrop.readthedocs.io\>**

## AUTHOR

**Written by deadc0de6 \<https://github.com/deadc0de6\>**

## COPYRIGHT

**dotdrop is copyright (c) 2017, deadc0de6. Released under the GPLv3 license.**

## REPORTING BUGS

**\<https://github.com/deadc0de6/dotdrop/issues\>**