Workflow: Dotfiles Sync

Trigger

Run this workflow when you need to:

• reconcile source-vs-target dotfile drift
• inspect pending chezmoi changes before apply
• promote intentional target changes back into source
• perform a safe source-first sync across machines

Inputs

• Active dotfiles source repo at /Users/jean-patricksmith/.local/share/chezmoi
• Local target state under $HOME
• dotfiles helper available on PATH
• Optional handoff context in .lev/pm/handoffs/

Steps

1. Run dotfiles status and dotfiles sync.
2. Classify results into:
   • source-only change
   • target-only intentional drift
   • same-area conflict
   • runtime noise
3. Resolve intent into source first:
   • source-only wins automatically
   • target-only intentional drift may be promoted back into source
   • same-area conflicts must pause and escalate
4. If source truth changed:
   • review git -C ~/.local/share/chezmoi status --short
   • commit
   • pull --rebase
   • push
5. Only after source truth is settled:
   • run chezmoi apply --force on the chosen target set
6. Re-run dotfiles sync to verify the remaining drift is only expected runtime noise or clean.

Team

Outputs

• Updated chezmoi source repo state
• Updated target home state after apply
• Dry-run report at ~/.local/state/lev/dotfiles-sync-plan.latest.txt
• Optional handoff updates documenting decisions and escalation points

Validation

• dotfiles sync completes without mutating state and produces a current report
• Any committed source changes are pushed successfully
• chezmoi apply --force completes only after source truth is reconciled
• Same-area conflicts are escalated, never auto-merged
• Final dotfiles status reflects either clean state or explicitly accepted runtime noise