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diff --git a/content/blog/2024-01-09-macos-customization.md b/content/blog/2024-01-09-macos-customization.md deleted file mode 100644 index c3e5ccd..0000000 --- a/content/blog/2024-01-09-macos-customization.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,166 +0,0 @@ -+++ -date = 2024-01-09 -title = "Customizing macOS" -description = "Learn how to customize macOS beyond the standard, built-in options provided by Apple." -+++ - -I have been using macOS more than Linux lately, so I wrote this post to describe -some simple options to customize macOS beyond the normal built-in settings -menu. - -While not all-encompassing, the options below should be a good start for anyone -looking to dive down the rabbit hole. - -## Basics - -### Package Management - -To install a lot of software on macOS, you will need -[Homebrew](https://brew.sh/). You can use their installation script to get -started. Simply open the `Terminal` application and paste the following snippet: - -```sh -/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)" -``` - -This will allow you to easily install and manage applications and other software -easily through the `brew` command. - -### Terminal - -If you're serious about customizing your macOS system, I highly recommend -installing a terminal emulator that you like and if you're not comfortable on -the command line yet, start learning. A lot of customization options require you -to edit hidden files, which is easiest in a terminal. - -There are options like iTerm2, Kitty, Alacritty, Hyper, Warp, or the built-in -Terminal app. - -I use [iTerm2](https://iterm2.com/), which can be installed with Homebrew: - -```sh -brew install iterm2 -``` - - - -To install color schemes, such as the Dracula scheme shown in the screenshot -above, you visit [iTerm Themes](https://iterm2colorschemes.com/) and follow -their installation instructions to install any of the themes. - -## Desktop - -### Window Management - -[yabai](https://github.com/koekeishiya/yabai) is a tiling window manager for -macOS. While other window managers exist, I found that most of them struggled to -create logical layouts and to allow me to easily move windows around the screen. - -Some advanced settings for yabai are only available if partially disable System -Integrity Protection (SIP). However, I chose not to do this and it hasn't -affected my basic usage of yabai at all. - -Refer to the [yabai -wiki](https://github.com/koekeishiya/yabai/wiki/Installing-yabai-(latest-release)) -for installation instructions. You will need to ensure that yabai is allowed to -access the accessibility and screen recording APIs. - -You can see a basic three-pane layout atuomatically configured by yabai for me as I opened the windows below. - - - -### Keyboard Shortcuts - -[skhd](https://github.com/koekeishiya/skhd) is a simple hotkey daemon that -allows you to define hotkeys in a file for usage on your system. - -Installation is simple: - -```sh -brew install koekeishiya/formulae/skhd -skhd --start-service -``` - -After installation, be sure to allow `skhd` access to the accessibility API in -the macOS privacy settings. - -You can configure your hotkeys in the `~/.config/skhd/skhdrc` file: - -```sh -nano ~/.config/skhd/skhdrc -``` - -For example, I have hotkeys to open my browser and terminal: - -```conf -# Terminal -cmd - return : /Applications/iTerm.app/Contents/MacOS/iTerm2 - -# Browser -cmd + shift - return : /Applications/LibreWolf.app/Contents/MacOS/librewolf -``` - -### Widgets - -[uebersicht](https://github.com/felixhageloh/uebersicht/) is a handy -desktop-based widget tool with a plethora of community-made widgets available in -the [widgets gallery](https://tracesof.net/uebersicht-widgets/). You can also -write your own widgets with this tool. - -To install, simply download the latest release from the [uebersicht -website](https://tracesof.net/uebersicht/) and copy it to the Applications -folder. - -See below for an example of the -[Mond](https://tracesof.net/uebersicht-widgets/#Mond) widget in action. - - - -### Status Bar - -[SketchyBar](https://github.com/FelixKratz/SketchyBar) is a customizable -replacement for the macOS status or menu bar. - -You can browse a discussion where various users shared their -[configurations](https://github.com/FelixKratz/SketchyBar/discussions/47?sort=top) -for inspiration or to copy their dotfiles. - -See below for a quick (& slightly broken) copy of -[zer0yu's](https://github.com/zer0yu/dotfiles) SketchyBar configuration. - - - -### Dock - -The easiest way to customize the dock is to install -[uBar](https://ubarapp.com/), which uses a Windows-like menu bar as the default -style. - -However, the built-in macOS dock cannot be disabled and can only be set to -"always hidden". This can be annoying as it will pop out any time your mouse -cursor passes closely to the dock edge of the screen. Because of this, I simply -use the built-in dock instead of customizing it with third-party software. - -Regardless, see below for the default installation style of uBar. - - - -### Application Icons - -You can also customize the icon of any application in macOS, which will show up -in Finder, the Dock, Launchpad, search results, etc. I recommend using -[macOSicons](https://macosicons.com/) to download icons you want, and then apply -them by following this process. - -1. Open the Finder application. -2. Navigate to the `Applications` folder. -3. Right-click an application of your choice, and select `Get Info`. -4. Drag the image you downloaded on top of the application's icon at the top of - information window (you will see a green "plus" symbol when you're hovering - over it). -5. Release the new icon on top of the old icon and it will update! - -You can see an example of me dragging a new `signal.icns` file onto my -Signal.app information window to update it below: - - |