Configuration

Everything that parameterises a Ponos run: the environment variables it reads, the choices it persists, the packages it declares, and the paths it manages.

Environment variables

Required for Git configuration

Read by setup_git; expected in ~/.zshenv so they reach the script's non-interactive shell. Missing any one skips the Git step (each missing variable is logged).

Variable	Description	Example
GIT_AUTHOR_NAME	Name used in commits (user.name).	John Doe
GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL	Email used in commits (user.email).	john@example.com
GIT_EDITOR	Editor Git launches (core.editor).	vim
GIT_DEFAULT_BRANCH	Default branch (init.defaultBranch); also the default target for bclean/rfrom.	main
GIT_BRANCH_PREFIX	Prefix used by the cmb/cm aliases.	jdoe

Optional run-time overrides

Variable	Used by	Effect
PONOS_CONTAINER	sync_mac.sh	docker-desktop or colima; skips the container prompt.
PONOS_BROWSER	sync_mac.sh	google-chrome or brave-browser; skips the browser prompt.
CHEZMOI_SOURCE_DIR	sync_mac.sh	Overrides the chezmoi source directory.

Read by the CLI extensions

Set in .zshrc (except GIT_PATH, see the note in CLI Reference → rhooks).

Variable	Default value in .zshrc	Used by
GIT_PATH_CONFIG	$DEV_PERSO_PATH/Ponos	rhooks (source of hook templates).
GIT_PATH	(unset)	rhooks (directory to scan for repositories).
GIT_DEFAULT_BRANCH	from ~/.zshenv	bclean, rfrom.
DEV_PATH, DEV_PERSO_PATH, DEV_PRO_PATH, DEV_ASSO_PATH	under ~/Documents/Development	the perso/pro/asso aliases.
SSH_AUTH_SOCK	~/.bitwarden-ssh-agent.sock	SSH auth via the Bitwarden agent.

Persisted choices

~/.config/ponos/install-choices.env — written by save_install_choices, sourced by load_install_choices on the next run:

CONTAINER_CHOICE="docker-desktop"
BROWSER_CHOICE="google-chrome"

Contains only non-sensitive selections. Delete it to be asked again from scratch.

Brewfile

The base package set (authoritative list lives in the repository's Brewfile):

Group	Packages
Core tools	git, zsh, starship, chezmoi, ansible
Language managers	pyenv, nvm
Editors / IDE / AI	vim, visual-studio-code, jetbrains-toolbox, claude-code, opencode-desktop, redis-insight
Infra / DevOps	talosctl (siderolabs tap), opentofu, kubectl, helm, velero, docker-desktop
Apps	iterm2, insomnia, firefox, obsidian, rectangle, alt-tab
Communication	whatsapp, discord
Other	bitwarden, spotify, steam

At run time sync_mac.sh appends the interactive selections (see Packages & Interactive Choices) to a temporary effective Brewfile; the tracked file is never modified.

Managed paths

Path	Managed by	Contents
~/.zshrc	symlink	Shell init, env vars, aliases, keybindings.
~/.config/starship.toml	symlink	Starship prompt (Dracula palette).
~/.ssh/config	symlink	SSH host definitions (keys via Bitwarden agent).
~/.vim/vimrc	symlink	Vim configuration.
~/.vim/pack/themes/opt/dracula	git clone	Vim Dracula theme.
~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/{settings,keybindings}.json	symlink	VS Code config.
~/.config/opencode/{opencode,tui}.json	symlink	Opencode config.
~/.gitconfig	rewritten	Global Git config, aliases, template dir.
~/.config/git/hooks	mkdir	Hooks directory created by setup_git.
~/.zsh/zsh-autosuggestions, ~/.zsh/zsh-syntax-highlighting	git clone	Zsh plugins.
~/.pyenv, ~/.nvm, ~/.sdkman	version managers	Language runtimes.
~/.config/ponos/install-choices.env	written	Persisted interactive choices.

~/.gitconfig note. setup_git runs rm ~/.gitconfig (without -f) before rewriting it. On a machine with no existing global config this rm fails, and because the script runs under set -e the failure aborts the whole run at that point. Ensure a ~/.gitconfig exists (even an empty touch ~/.gitconfig) before the first run.