---
title: Commands
description: Every dot command, by what it's for.
---

```sh
dot <command> [<subcommand>] [flags]
```

`dot --help` lists them, `dot <command> --help` (or `dot help <command>`)
explains one, and a typo gets a suggestion.

## Your Mac

| Command       | Does                                                  |
|---------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| `dot check`   | compares the Mac with `config/`; changes nothing      |
| `dot apply`   | fixes every difference, or tries one setting live     |
| `dot explain` | explains the settings you can use in `config/`        |

See [Check and apply](/docs/get-started/check-and-apply).

## Your projects

| Command      | Does                                                            |
|--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| `dot clone`  | clones a GitHub repo into `~/code/<owner>/<repo>`               |
| `dot fork`   | forks a GitHub repo and clones it with an `upstream` remote     |
| `dot secret` | keeps project secrets in 1Password and attaches them to a project: `add`, `attach`, `list`, `update` |

See [Clone and fork](/docs/your-projects/clone-and-fork) and
[Secrets](/docs/your-projects/secrets).

## Additional

| Command              | Does                                                  |
|----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| `dot cd`             | goes to your dotfiles repo                            |
| `dot conf`           | backs up, restores or edits `dot.toml` with 1Password: `backup`, `restore`, `edit` |
| `dot doctor`         | checks that dot's own requirements are in place       |
| `dot update`         | pulls the latest dotfiles, then runs `dot check`      |
| `dot auth status`    | shows which logins work: 1Password, GitHub, SSH, Vercel, AWS |
| `dot defaults diff`  | counts the preferences a change in System Settings writes |
| `dot init zsh`       | prints the zsh setup that `~/.zshrc` loads            |
| `dot completion zsh` | prints the zsh completion script                      |