Installation

Installing Noctara Dots is designed to be simple.

The installer handles the boring parts of setting up a complete desktop environment so you can focus on using and customizing your setup instead of manually copying configuration files everywhere.

The installer is currently designed for Arch Linux and is focused around Wayland-based setups, especially:

• Niri
• Hyprland
• Noctalia Shell

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What Does The Installer Do?

The Noctara Dots installer is more than just a config copier. It prepares your system, checks dependencies, creates backups, and deploys the complete desktop setup.

The installation process follows these steps:

System Check
      ↓
Dependency Detection
      ↓
Package Installation
      ↓
Backup Existing Configs
      ↓
Deploy Noctara Configurations
      ↓
Setup Shell Environment
      ↓
Reload Applications
      ↓
Installation Summary

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Window Managers

Noctara Dots supports:

Window Managers

• Niri
• Hyprland
• Mango

The installer automatically detects which compositor you have installed and only applies the matching configuration.

For example:

• If you have Niri installed → Niri configuration will be deployed
• If you have Hyprland installed → Hyprland configuration will be deployed
• If both are installed → You can use both configurations

The installer will not force a specific workflow. It simply provides the configuration foundation.

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Installing Noctara Dots

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/deadduck-09/Noctara-Dots.git

Enter the directory:

cd Noctara-Dots

Run the installer:

./install.sh

The Noctara installer menu will appear.

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Installation Modes

The installer provides multiple options depending on how much control you want.

1. Full Auto Install

[1] Just do it (Full Auto-Install)

This is the easiest option.

The installer automatically:

• Checks your system
• Installs missing packages
• Installs Noctalia Shell if needed
• Creates backups
• Deploys configurations
• Sets up your selected shell
• Reloads supported applications

This option is recommended for users who simply want the complete Noctara experience.

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2. Interactive Installation

[2] Let me pick and choose

This mode gives you more control.

You can choose which configurations should be installed instead of installing everything.

Useful if you:

• Already have some applications configured
• Only want specific parts of Noctara Dots
• Want to test the setup gradually

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3. Restore Backup

[3] Go back! (Restore Backup)

Before changing your configuration, Noctara Dots creates a backup.

If something goes wrong or you want to return to your previous setup, the restore option can bring your old configuration back.

Backups are stored as:

~/.config-backup-date-time/

Example:

~/.config-backup-2026-08-05-132000/

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4. Dry Run

[4] Show me what you'd do

Dry run mode allows you to preview what the installer would do without actually changing anything.

It will show:

• Missing packages
• Configurations that would be installed
• Actions that would happen

Nothing is modified.

This is useful if you want to understand the installer before running it.

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What Gets Installed?

The installer checks and installs the required components for the Noctara setup.

Main components include:

Component	Purpose
Noctalia Shell	Desktop shell and UI
Kitty	Terminal emulator
Waybar	Status bar
MPD	Music daemon
MPV	Media player
Fastfetch	System information display
Yazi	Terminal file manager
rmpc	Terminal music client
Neovim	Editor configuration

The installer does not blindly reinstall everything. If something is already installed, it detects it and skips unnecessary work.

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Configuration Deployment

Noctara Dots stores configurations inside the repository:

configs/
├── niri/
├── hypr/
├── kitty/
├── waybar/
├── mpd/
├── mpv/
├── fastfetch/
├── yazi/
└── rmpc/

During installation, these are copied into:

~/.config/

Example:

configs/kitty
        ↓
~/.config/kitty

The same structure makes it easier to modify or remove individual components later.

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Backup System

Noctara Dots never replaces your configuration without creating a backup first.

Before deployment, it checks for existing folders like:

~/.config/niri
~/.config/hypr
~/.config/kitty

If they exist, they are copied into a backup directory.

This means you can experiment safely without worrying about losing your previous setup.

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Shell Setup

During installation, you can choose your terminal shell setup:

Zsh + Powerlevel10k

Includes:

• Zsh configuration
• Oh My Zsh
• Powerlevel10k theme
• Useful plugins

Fish + Starship

Includes:

• Fish shell configuration
• Starship prompt
• Custom aliases and settings

Keep Existing Shell

No changes will be made.

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Installer Safety Features

The installer includes several protections:

Error Handling

If something fails, the installer stops instead of continuing with a broken setup.

Logging

Installation logs are saved here:

~/.cache/noctara-dots/install.log

This helps with troubleshooting.

Dependency Checking

The installer checks whether required applications already exist before installing anything.

Backup Before Changes

Existing configurations are preserved before modification.

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After Installation

Once the installer finishes:

1. Log out of your current session

2. Select your compositor:

   • Niri
   • Hyprland
   • Mango

3. Log back in

4. Enjoy your new desktop 🌙

Some applications may require a restart before their configuration is fully applied.

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Troubleshooting

If something does not work:

Check the installer log:

cat ~/.cache/noctara-dots/install.log

Common fixes:

Missing dependencies

Run:

sudo pacman -Syu

and rerun the installer.

Broken configuration

Use the restore option:

./install.sh

and choose:

[3] Restore Backup