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[](https://travis-ci.org/aspiers/stow)
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2015-11-16 20:50:27 -05:00
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[](https://coveralls.io/github/aspiers/stow?branch=master)
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2015-11-16 17:39:53 -05:00
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2012-03-01 06:40:34 -05:00
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README for GNU Stow
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===================
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This is GNU Stow, a symlink farm manager program which takes distinct
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packages of software and/or data located in separate directories on
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the filesystem, and makes them appear to be installed in the same
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place. For example, `/usr/local/bin` could contain symlinks to files
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within `/usr/local/stow/emacs/bin`, `/usr/local/stow/perl/bin` etc., and
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likewise recursively for any other subdirectories such as `.../share`,
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`.../man`, and so on.
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This is particularly useful for keeping track of system-wide and
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per-user installations of software built from source, but can also
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facilitate a more controlled approach to management of configuration
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files in the user's home directory, especially when coupled with
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version control systems.
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Stow is implemented as a combination of a Perl script providing a CLI
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interface, and a backend Perl module which does most of the work.
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You can get the latest information about Stow from the home page:
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http://www.gnu.org/software/stow/
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License
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-------
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Stow is free software, licensed under the GNU General Public License,
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which can be found in the file [`COPYING`](COPYING).
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Installation
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------------
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See [`INSTALL.md`](INSTALL.md) for installation instructions.
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2012-03-01 06:40:34 -05:00
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Feedback
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--------
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2012-03-01 06:40:34 -05:00
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Please do send comments, questions, and constructive criticism. The
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mailing lists and any other communication channels are detailed on the
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above home page.
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2012-03-01 06:40:34 -05:00
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Brief history
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-------------
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Stow was inspired by Carnegie Mellon's "Depot" program, but is
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substantially simpler. Whereas Depot requires database files to keep
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things in sync, Stow stores no extra state between runs, so there's no
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danger (as there is in Depot) of mangling directories when file
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hierarchies don't match the database. Also unlike Depot, Stow will
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never delete any files, directories, or links that appear in a Stow
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directory (e.g., `/usr/local/stow/emacs`), so it's always possible to
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rebuild the target tree (e.g., `/usr/local`).
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