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macOS dotfiles should not go in –/Library/Application Support

15 days ago
https://becca.ooo/blog/macos-dotfiles/
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  • #macOS
  • #XDG
  • #dotfiles
  • Command-line tools on macOS should not store configuration files in ~/Library/Application Support.
  • The XDG Base Directory Specification recommends using ~/.config for configuration files, which is the expected location for CLI tools.
  • Popular libraries default to ~/Library/Application Support for macOS, but this is incorrect for CLI tools.
  • Users expect consistency, and most CLI tools (like Git, Vim, and Bash) use ~/.config.
  • Dotfile managers do not default to ~/Library/Application Support, indicating user preference for ~/.config.
  • The macOS Standard Directories guidelines are meant for GUI apps, not CLI tools.
  • CLI tools should only use ~/Library/Application Support if they are GUI apps managing files automatically.
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