Add section for multi-platform workflow

[iandinwoodie]

Readers may be curious how multiple setups (e.g., a setup per platform) can be supported by this workflow.

[iandinwoodie]

Git Clone Bare

git clone --bare $REPO_URL $HOME/.dotfiles
alias dotfiles='/usr/bin/git --git-dir=$HOME/.dotfiles/ --work-tree=$HOME'
dotfiles config --local status.showUntrackedFiles no
echo ".dotfiles" >> $HOME/.gitignore
mkdir -p .dotfiles.bak \
  && dotfiles checkout 2>&1 | egrep "^\s+" | awk {'print $1'} | \
     xargs -I {} mv {} .dotfiles.bak \
  && dotfiles checkout

Git Clone Mirror

git clone --mirror $REPO_URL $HOME/.dotfiles
alias dotfiles='/usr/bin/git --git-dir=$HOME/.dotfiles/ --work-tree=$HOME'
dotfiles config --local status.showUntrackedFiles no
echo ".dotfiles" >> $HOME/.gitignore
mkdir -p .dotfiles.bak \
  && dotfiles checkout 2>&1 | egrep "^\s+" | awk {'print $1'} | \
     xargs -I {} mv {} .dotfiles.bak \
  && dotfiles checkout

Pros

• Sets up some remote tracking variables.

Cons

• Using the remotes is complicated and leads to a lot of failed Git commands.

Git Init Separate Directory

git init --separate-git-dir $HOME/.dotfiles
git config --local status.showUntrackedFiles no
git remote add origin $REPO_URL
git fetch
mkdir -p .dotfiles.bak \
  && git checkout master 2>&1 | egrep "^\s+" | awk {'print $1'} | \
     xargs -I {} mv {} .dotfiles.bak \
  && git checkout master

Pros

• Sets up remote tracking branches and related configuration variables.
• Eliminates the need for a dotfile alias.

Cons

• Places a .git file in the $HOME directory.