About shell-env
shell-env is a skill for maintaining a GNU Stow-managed shell and terminal configuration repository. It guides edits through the authoritative source tree, with checks and reload steps for tools such as Zsh, Ghostty, Tmux, Starship, yabai, and Git.
Key features
- 01Stow-first source editing workflow
- 02Tool-specific syntax and behavior checks
- 03Configuration reload guidance
- 04Link verification and sync process
Use cases
- 01Editing terminal settings through repository sources
- 02Verifying Zsh startup changes
- 03Reviewing and applying symlink changes
- 04Reloading modified terminal components
Install
Copy the command and run it in a terminal.
npx skills add https:/After installing, type/shell-envin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.
Bundled files
References and scripts installed along with SKILL.md.
references/git-config.mdmodern-cli-tools.mdterminal-config.mdDetails
From the project READMEShell and terminal environment
The repository uses one GNU Stow package at ~/.dotfiles/home/. Edit sources under that directory; ~/.dotfiles/README.md, dotfiles --help, and the current symlink targets are authoritative when layout differs from this document.
Current source locations
| Tool | Source |
|---|---|
| Zsh | ~/.dotfiles/home/.zshrc and ~/.dotfiles/home/zsh/zsh.d/ |
| Ghostty | ~/.dotfiles/home/.config/ghostty/config |
| Tmux | ~/.dotfiles/home/.config/tmux/tmux.conf |
| Starship | ~/.dotfiles/home/.config/starship.toml |
| yabai | ~/.dotfiles/home/.config/yabai/yabairc |
| Git | ~/.dotfiles/home/.gitconfig* |
Confirm a target with readlink or ls -ld before structural work.
Stow-first edit loop
- Locate and inspect the source under
~/.dotfiles/home/. - Edit the source rather than the home-directory link.
- Run the narrowest syntax or behavior check for the changed tool.
- If link structure changed, run
dotfiles sync --dry-run, inspect every proposed operation, then rundotfiles sync. - Reload the smallest affected component.
- Report the source path, verification result, and reload or remaining manual step.
Done when the source owns the intended home path, syntax and behavior checks pass, and the live configuration is reloaded or the remaining manual action is explicit.
Link workflow
Use the repository CLI rather than inventing per-tool Stow packages:
cd ~/.dotfiles
dotfiles sync --dry-run
dotfiles sync
For conflicts or unclear behavior, inspect dotfiles --help, README.md, and the home/ tree before changing links. The current layout has one home package, so link work goes through dotfiles sync rather than per-tool Stow commands.
Tool verification
Zsh
Validate the edited module and then the complete startup path:
zsh -n ~/.dotfiles/home/.zshrc
zsh -n ~/.dotfiles/home/zsh/zsh.d/<module>.zsh
zsh -i -c exit
Preserve the numeric module order and inspect dependencies before moving code between files.
Ghostty
Inspect the current config for accepted syntax, theme, and font before editing. Reload through the installed Ghostty version or restart the app, then verify the changed setting visually or through available diagnostics.
Tmux and sesh
tmux source-file ~/.config/tmux/tmux.conf
sesh list
Capture reload errors. Preserve the configured TPM directory and ensure the plugin manager initializes once.
Starship
starship explain
starship timings
Use the current prompt to verify the affected module.
yabai
yabai --restart-service
Verify the changed rule or behavior after restart rather than treating service restart as sufficient.
References
| Priority | Load when | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| High | Adding aliases or evaluating modern CLI alternatives | references/modern-cli-tools.md |
| High | Changing Ghostty, tmux/sesh, Starship, yabai, or cross-tool theme configuration | references/terminal-config.md |
| High | Changing Git identity, signing, conditional includes, pager, or aliases | references/git-config.md |
Quick checks
readlink ~/.zshrc
readlink ~/.config/ghostty/config
cd ~/.dotfiles && dotfiles sync --dry-run
find ~ -maxdepth 3 -type l ! -e 2>/dev/null