## Start with a clean slate
Cider is a simple wrapper for [Homebrew](http://brew.sh) and [Homebrew Cask](http://caskroom.io) that allows you to save your setup across different machines. This lets you to restore a backup without having to deal with the mess that was the state of your previous installation, or painstakingly babysit the process step-by-step.
Simply run the following on a new machine:
git clone [YOUR_REPO] ~/.cider
cider restore
... and you'll be back up and running, with all of your applications and command line utilities re-installed (and configurations restored).
In addition to Homebrew, Cider also supports managing your user defaults, restoring symlinks, and running scripts to conveniently manage other settings such as your dotfiles.
## Installation
pip install -U cider
## Configuration
All configuration files are stored in the `~/.cider` directory as JSON. For instance, here's an example bootstrap file:
{
"after-scripts": [
"brew linkapps"
],
"casks": [
"adobe-creative-cloud",
"dropbox",
"firefox",
"flash",
"flux",
"github",
"google-chrome",
"google-hangouts",
"heroku-toolbelt",
"iterm2",
"mplayerx",
"sublime-text",
"transmission",
],
"formulas": [
"brew-cask",
"emacs",
"fish",
"git",
"go",
"macvim --overwrite-system-vi",
"python",
"python3",
"xctool"
],
"icons": {
"iTerm": "https://dribbble.com/shots/1702947-iTerm-Replacement-Icon/attachments/271548"
},
"symlinks": {
"bash/.*": "~",
"bin/*": "~/bin/",
"git/.*": "~",
"sh/.*": "~",
"vim/.*": "~"
},
"taps": [
"caskroom/cask"
]
}
User defaults are stored similarly:
{
"NSGlobalDomain": {
"ApplePressAndHoldEnabled": false
},
"com.apple.dock": {
"tilesize": 48
},
"com.iconfactor.mac.xScope": {
"generalShowDockIcon": false
}
}
Cider also supports YAML if you'd like to add comments to either of these. To see how this works out in practice, feel free to take a look at [my dotfiles](https://github.com/msanders/dotfiles).
## Backup your existing setup
To save the state of your existing setup:
cider missing
cider tap missing
cider cask missing
## Manage symlinks
Cider supports the following commands to manage symlinks (inspired in part by [GNU Stow](http://brandon.invergo.net/news/2012-05-26-using-gnu-stow-to-manage-your-dotfiles.html)).
cider addlink NAME ITEM...
cider relink # (invoked automatically by restore)
For example, `cider addlink git ~/.gitconfig` will move `~/.gitconfig` to `~/.cider/symlinks/git/`, create a link back to its original location, and add an entry to your bootstrap denoting this:
"symlinks": {
"git/.*": "~"
}
To undo this change, simply run `cider unlink git`.
Directories in targets are automatically expanded, so the entry `"bin/*": "~/bin/"` will first create the directory `~/bin/` if it doesn't exist already, and then link all items in `symlinks/bin/*` to children of that directory.
## Caveats
There doesn't seem to be a way to re-install purchases made from Mac App Store via the command line just yet, so those have to be done by hand.
**Note**: Cider is a work-in-progress, but it's well-tested and should be kind to your machine.
For more information, see the [GitHub Repository](https://github.com/msanders/cider).
