Install Spacemacs

Install prerequisites: Emacs, Java 17, Clojure CLI and Command Line tools

1. Clone or download Spacemacs, removing ~/.emacs.d if it already exists
2. Clone the practicalli/spacemacs-config configuration to add common layers for Clojure development. Or start Emacs and use the Spacemacs install wizard for basic config, follow the manual configuration section for additional features.
3. [optional] Install Fira Code font (change dotspacemacs-default-font to a name of a font on your operating system in .spacemacs.d/init.el in step 4)
4. Install All The Icons fonts for doom modeline theme

Clone Spacemacs

Use your favourite git client or the following command in a terminal window to clone Spacemacs:

Free Desktop XDG configClassic config

git clone https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs ~/.config/emacs

git clone https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs ~/.emacs.d

Clone Practicalli Spacemacs configuration

Clone practicalli/spacemacs-config configuration or first create a fork and clone that fork

Free Desktop XDG configClassic config

Using SSH

git clone git@github.com:practicalli/spacemacs-config.git ~/.config/spacemacs

Using HTTPS

git clone https://github.com/practicalli/spacemacs-config ~/.config/spacemacs

~/.config/spacemacs/init.el is the main configuration file, ensure ~/.spacemacs file does not exist as that file would take precedence.

Set the SPACEMACSDIR environment variable to the ~/.config/spacemacs directory so that Spacemacs will find this location. Add to ~/.profile to support launching Emacs from a desktop launcher and the shell configuration, e.g. ~/.bashrc for bash, ~/.zshenv for Zshell.

SPACEMACSDIR and XDG configurations

export XDG_CONFIG_HOME=$HOME/.config
export XDG_DATA_HOME=$HOME/.local/share
export XDG_STATE_HOME=$HOME/.local/state
export XDG_CACHE_HOME=$HOME/.cache

# Set XDG location of Emacs Spacemacs configuration
export SPACEMACSDIR="$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/spacemacs"

Using SSH

git clone git@github.com:practicalli/spacemacs-config.git ~/.spacemacs.d

Using HTTP

git clone https://github.com/practicalli/spacemacs-config ~/.spacemacs.d

~/.spacemacs.d/init.el is the main configuration file, ensure ~/.spacemacs file does not exist as that file would take precedence.

Emacs custom settings

init.el configuration separates Emacs custom settings into a emacs-custom-setting file. emacs-custom-setting should be added to version control if the Emacs customize menu has been used to define settings. emacs-custom-file is defined in the dotspacemacs/user-init of the Spacemacs configuration

  (setq custom-file (file-truename (concat dotspacemacs-directory "emacs-custom-settings.el")))
  (load custom-file)

A specific path could also be used to define the location of the custom file: (setq custom-file "~/.emacs.d/.cache/custom-settings")

Install Fira Code font

Install Fira Code

practicalli/spacemacs-config uses Fira Code, a mono-spaced font designed for source code and includes ligatures and many other features.

Use a different font with practicalli/spacemacs-config

To use a different font when using the practicalli/spacemacs-config, edit .spacemacs.d/init.el and update the value for dotspacemacs-default-font to a name of a font on your system.

All The Icon Fonts

practicalli/spacemacs-config configuration uses the modern looking doom modeline theme, which requires a few fonts and icons.

SPC SPC all-the-icons-install-fonts once Spacemacs is running will install the fonts.

Space q r to restart Spacemacs and see the finished results

Spacemacs is ready for action

Spacemacs is now up and running and ready to take on the world.

If you already know how to use Spacemacs, jump to the Clojure Projects section, otherwise look through the Spacemacs Basics section to learn how to use Vim style editing and work with files, buffers and windows in Spacemacs.

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Last update: March 29, 2023