chezmoi Cheatsheet

Q: How do I get started with chezmoi?

Run `chezmoi init` to create a source directory. Add files with `chezmoi add ~/.bashrc`, edit with `chezmoi edit ~/.bashrc`, and apply changes with `chezmoi apply`. For a remote setup: `chezmoi init https://github.com/$USER/dotfiles.git && chezmoi apply`.

Q: How do I use templates in chezmoi?

Create files ending in `.tmpl` (e.g., `dot_bashrc.tmpl`). Use Go template syntax like `{{ .chezmoi.os }}`, `{{ .chezmoi.hostname }}`, or custom variables defined in `.chezmoi.toml.tmpl` under `[data]`. Preview with `chezmoi template` or `chezmoi dump`.

Q: How do I manage secrets with chezmoi?

chezmoi supports Bitwarden (`chezmoi secret bitwarden`), pass, Keychain, 1Password, and generic commands. Use `{{ bitwarden "get" "item" "my-item" | password }}` in templates, or encrypt individual files with `chezmoi add --encrypt`. Generate an Age key with `chezmoi agekey`.

chezmoi is a powerful dotfile manager. Store your dotfiles in Git, use Go templates for cross-platform configs, with built-in secret management, encryption, and automatic install.

Updated: 2026-07-20·28 commands

Quick Start

bash
chezmoi init https://github.com/$GITHUB_USER/dotfiles.git  # Init from repo
chezmoi add ~/.bashrc                                       # Add a dotfile
chezmoi edit ~/.bashrc                                      # Edit in source
chezmoi diff                                                 # Preview changes
chezmoi apply                                                # Apply to system
chezmoi update                                               # Pull & apply

Install & Init(4)

Command	Level	Example
`chezmoi init` Initialize chezmoi working directory, optionally from a GitHub repo	Basic	`chezmoi init https://github.com/$GITHUB_USER/dotfiles.git`
`chezmoi init --apply` Initialize and immediately apply dotfiles to the system	Basic	`chezmoi init --apply https://github.com/$GITHUB_USER/dotfiles.git`
`chezmoi upgrade` Upgrade chezmoi to the latest version	Basic	`chezmoi upgrade`
`chezmoi doctor` Check system configuration and environment compatibility	Basic	`chezmoi doctor`

Basic Usage(6)

Command	Level	Example
`chezmoi add` Add an existing dotfile to chezmoi management	Basic	`chezmoi add ~/.bashrc`
`chezmoi apply` Apply changes from chezmoi source to the system	Basic	`chezmoi apply`
`chezmoi diff` Preview differences between source and target files	Basic	`chezmoi diff`
`chezmoi status` Show change status of all managed files	Basic	`chezmoi status`
`chezmoi verify` Verify that target files match source files	Basic	`chezmoi verify`
`chezmoi update` Pull latest changes from remote and apply	Intermediate	`chezmoi update`

Dotfile Management(11)

Command	Level	Example
`chezmoi edit` Edit a dotfile in the source directory	Basic	`chezmoi edit ~/.bashrc`
`chezmoi remove` Remove a file from chezmoi management	Basic	`chezmoi remove ~/.bashrc`
`chezmoi forget` Stop tracking a file without removing the target	Intermediate	`chezmoi forget ~/.bashrc`
`chezmoi re-add` Regenerate source file from current target file	Intermediate	`chezmoi re-add ~/.bashrc`
`chezmoi chdir` Change to chezmoi source directory and run commands	Intermediate	`chezmoi chdir -- git status`
`chezmoi cd` Quickly jump to the chezmoi source directory	Basic	`chezmoi cd`
`chezmoi git` Run a Git command directly in the source directory	Intermediate	`chezmoi git -- add . && chezmoi git -- commit -m 'Update'`
`chezmoi merge` Interactively merge conflicts between source and target	Expert	`chezmoi merge ~/.bashrc`
`chezmoi unmanaged` List files in the target directory not managed by chezmoi	Intermediate	`chezmoi unmanaged`
`chezmoi state` View chezmoi's persistent state	Intermediate	`chezmoi state dump`
`chezmoi data` View template data (evaluated result)	Intermediate	`chezmoi data`

Templates(4)

Command	Level	Example
`chezmoi template` Execute a template rendering test	Intermediate	`chezmoi template '{{ .chezmoi.os }}'`
`chezmoi dump` View the actual rendered content of a template file	Intermediate	`chezmoi dump ~/.bashrc`
`.chezmoi.toml.tmpl` Main chezmoi config file (template format), defines template variables	Intermediate	`vim ~/.local/share/chezmoi/.chezmoi.toml.tmpl`
`.chezmoiexternal.toml` Configure external file sources (e.g., download from GitHub)	Expert	`vim ~/.local/share/chezmoi/.chezmoiexternal.toml`

Advanced(3)

Command	Level	Example
`chezmoi import` Import dotfiles from an archive file	Expert	`chezmoi import --tar archive.tar.gz`
`chezmoi secret` Manage and retrieve secrets (supports Bitwarden, pass, Keychain, etc.)	Expert	`chezmoi secret bitwarden get item my-item`
`chezmoi agekey` Display or generate Age encryption keys	Expert	`chezmoi agekey`

FAQ

How do I get started with chezmoi?

How do I use templates in chezmoi?

How do I manage secrets with chezmoi?

This cheatsheet is compiled from official tool documentation. Last updated: 2026-07-20.