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Learning Paths

This setup is an all-or-nothing installation. When you run chezmoi apply, it installs the entire ecosystem. However, you do not need to learn or use all of it on day one.

If you are coming from VSCode/JetBrains, jumping straight into "tmux + fish + nvim" can be overwhelming. Here is a recommended path for incrementally learning the workflow while still getting your job done.

Phase 1: Git + Identity (Low Friction)​

Keep using your current IDE and terminal. Just let the new git defaults work for you.

What you get immediately:

  • Git identity switching (work vs personal)
  • 1Password-backed SSH agent setup
  • Opinionated git defaults (rerere, autosquash, delta, etc.)

Where to read:

Phase 2: Fish Shell (Medium Friction)​

Start using Fish as your default shell inside your IDE's integrated terminal.

What to focus on:

  • Fish shell + fzf ergonomics (Ctrl+R for history, etc.)
  • Getting used to the prompt and aliases

Where to read:

Phase 3: Tmux + Custom CLI Tools (High Friction)​

Move out of the IDE's integrated terminal and into a dedicated terminal app (like Ghostty, Alacritty, or iTerm) running tmux.

What to focus on:

  • tmux sessions + keybindings
  • Isolate work with git worktrees (,w commands)
  • custom CLI tools under ~/bin

Where to read:

Phase 4: Neovim Editor Workflow (Optional)​

Once you are comfortable living in tmux, you can try swapping your IDE for Neovim. This is entirely optional.

What to focus on:

  • Neovim configuration managed like code
  • Curated plugins + custom local plugins

Where to read:

Phase 5: The Agentic Operating System (AI)​

Once the terminal feels like home, you can begin leveraging the AI integrations that turn this environment into an Agentic OS.

What to focus on:

  • Learning to invoke Terminal Assistants (Pi, Gemini CLI, OpenCode).
  • Understanding how SOPs dictate agent behavior.
  • Utilizing MCP tools (like Semantic Code Search) to give agents context.

Where to read: