✅ Customization Checklist

After creating your repository from this template, follow this checklist to personalize your setup:

🔒 Security First

⚠️ IMPORTANT: This template is designed to be safe for public repositories. Never commit sensitive information like:

  • Personal email addresses
  • SSH keys or GPG keys
  • API tokens or passwords
  • Internal hostnames or network information
  • Review all placeholder values before committing
  • Keep sensitive config in private files (use .gitignore)
  • Use environment variables for secrets when needed

🔴 Required Changes

  • Copy environment template: cp .env.example .env
  • Edit .env file with your personal information (automatically ignored by Git)
  • Apply configuration: ./load-env-config.sh

Option 2: Manual Configuration

  • Update Git configuration in modules/home/default.nix: 
    programs.git = {
  userName = "Your Name";           # Line 74 - CHANGE THIS
  userEmail = "your@email.com";     # Line 75 - CHANGE THIS
};
  • Update hostname in flake.nix: 
    darwinConfigurations."workstation" = ...  # Change "workstation"
  • Update username in flake.nix: 
    home-manager.users.a = ...  # Change "a" to your username
  • Update repository URLs (if not auto-updated):
    • README.md - repository links at the bottom
    • SETUP.md - clone URLs
    • Issue templates - if you add custom links

🟡 Recommended Changes

  • Review installed applications in modules/homebrew/apps.nix:
    • Comment out apps you don’t need
    • Add your preferred apps
  • Choose your shell history tool:
    • Keep Atuin (default) OR
    • Switch to McFly in modules/home/default.nix
  • Enable/disable modern tool aliases: 
    programs.modernTools.enable = true;  # or false (default)

🟢 Optional Customizations

  • Add ML/Data Science tools:
    • Uncomment ./modules/system/ml-stack.nix in flake.nix

  • Customize shell aliases in modules/home/default.nix

  • Add your own modules:
    • Create new .nix files in modules/
    • Import them in flake.nix
  • Set up commit signing (optional):
    • Generate GPG key locally
    • Add key ID to Git config in modules/home/default.nix
    • Keep key ID out of public repos
  • Choose default terminal:
    • Keep Kitty OR
    • Switch to WezTerm/iTerm2

📝 Documentation Updates

  • Update LICENSE:
    • Replace [YOUR NAME] with your name
    • Update year if needed
  • Update security contacts:
    • CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md - enforcement email
    • SECURITY.md - security email
  • Remove template files (optional):
    • TEMPLATE_INFO.md
    • CUSTOMIZE_CHECKLIST.md (this file)
    • .github/template-cleanup.yml (if not auto-removed)

🚀 Final Steps

  • Run system detection: ./auto-configure.sh
  • Bootstrap your system: ./bootstrap-mac.sh
  • Verify installation: ./smoke-test.sh
  • Test configuration: ./test-modern-tools.sh
  • Commit your changes (review diffs first!)
  • Push to your repository
  • Star the original template if helpful! ⭐

💡 Security Tip: Run git diff --cached before committing to review all changes and ensure no sensitive information is included!