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If your binary is supposed to live in `/Applications`, by all means put its config in `~/Application Support`. If it lives in `/bin` or somewhere similar, or if

by pdpi 1y ago

If your binary is supposed to live in `/Applications`, by all means put its config in `~/Application Support`. If it lives in `/bin` or somewhere similar, or if its default or system-wide configuration go in `/etc`, config goes in `~/.config`.

varenc 1y ago
Agreed! but mostly moot. As a general rule, CLI utilities which are just single binaries should not go in /Applications. That folder is for app bundles which are folders with a .app extension, an Info.plist file, etc. And its not on the PATH used in the shell (by default). I think the exception is app bundles which also include some sort of auxiliary CLI utility that usually gets symlinked from its location in the /Application app bundle onto the PATH. For example the VSCode `code` CLI tool. Basically anything that's a pure CLI binary would never be in /Applications anyway.
- OJFord 1y ago
  It's not moot though, because this whole thing is about the CLI binaries (usually because of a decision made by a framework like dirs-rs) using 'Application Support' et al.
  - varenc 1y ago
    I meant to say that 'If your binary is supposed to live in `/Applications`, by all means put its config in `~/Application Support`' is moot because CLI binaries aren't in /Applications ever
    - pdpi 1y ago
      That's what I was hinting at. MacOS is kind of split into two personalities, and the way to be a good citizen in the system is to respect the boundaries between those two personalities. CLI tools are definitely part of the Unix personality and should follow its conventions.
Hendrikto 1y ago
I prefer https://uapi-group.org/specifications/specs/configuration_files_specification/ https://uapi-group.org/specifications/specs/configuration_fi... Defaults should go in /usr/. It is package developer / maintainer territory. System-wide overrides should go in /etc/. It is the purview of the system administrator. Importantly: > Programs must work correctly if no configuration files are found in /etc/. User-specific overrides should go in XDG_CONFIG_HOME, with a fallback to ~/.config/.
- blueflow 1y ago
  uapi-group is systemd/linux specific and does not apply to MacOS or Windows.

by pdpi 1y ago

varenc 1y ago

Agreed! but mostly moot. As a general rule, CLI utilities which are just single binaries should not go in /Applications. That folder is for app bundles which are folders with a .app extension, an Info.plist file, etc. And its not on the PATH used in the shell (by default). I think the exception is app bundles which also include some sort of auxiliary CLI utility that usually gets symlinked from its location in the /Application app bundle onto the PATH. For example the VSCode `code` CLI tool. Basically anything that's a pure CLI binary would never be in /Applications anyway.

OJFord 1y ago
It's not moot though, because this whole thing is about the CLI binaries (usually because of a decision made by a framework like dirs-rs) using 'Application Support' et al.
- varenc 1y ago
  I meant to say that 'If your binary is supposed to live in `/Applications`, by all means put its config in `~/Application Support`' is moot because CLI binaries aren't in /Applications ever
  - pdpi 1y ago
    That's what I was hinting at. MacOS is kind of split into two personalities, and the way to be a good citizen in the system is to respect the boundaries between those two personalities. CLI tools are definitely part of the Unix personality and should follow its conventions.

Hendrikto 1y ago

I prefer https://uapi-group.org/specifications/specs/configuration_files_specification/ https://uapi-group.org/specifications/specs/configuration_fi... Defaults should go in /usr/. It is package developer / maintainer territory. System-wide overrides should go in /etc/. It is the purview of the system administrator. Importantly: > Programs must work correctly if no configuration files are found in /etc/. User-specific overrides should go in XDG_CONFIG_HOME, with a fallback to ~/.config/.

blueflow 1y ago
uapi-group is systemd/linux specific and does not apply to MacOS or Windows.